Ask your health care provider which exercises are safe for you. Do exercises exactly as told by your health care provider and adjust them as directed. It is normal to feel mild stretching, pulling, tightness, or mild discomfort as you do these exercises. Stop right away if you feel sudden pain or your pain gets worse. Do not begin these exercises until told by your health care provider.

Strengthening exercises

These exercises build strength and endurance in your thighs. Endurance is the ability to use your muscles for a long time, even after your muscles get tired.

Hip adductor isometrics

Person sitting on chair with a ball between the thighs. Person goes from squeezing thigh muscles to relaxing them.
This exercise is sometimes called inner thigh squeeze.

  1. Sit on a firm chair that positions your knees at about the same height as your hips.

  2. Place a large ball, firm pillow, or rolled-up bath towel between your thighs.

  3. Squeeze your thighs together, gradually building tension.

  4. Hold for __________ seconds.

  5. Release the tension gradually. Allow your inner thigh muscles to relax completely before you start the next repetition.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Hip adduction

Person doing side-lying leg raises on the floor. Person raises one leg up off floor while other leg is bent to keep balance.
This exercise is sometimes called side-lying straight leg raises.

  1. Lie on your side so your head, shoulder, knee, and hip are in a straight line with each other. To help maintain your balance, you may put the foot of your top leg in front of the leg that is on the floor. Your left / right leg should be on the bottom.

  2. Roll your hips slightly forward so your hips are stacked directly over each other and your left / right knee is facing forward.

  3. Tense the muscles of your inner thigh and lift your bottom leg 4–6 inches (10–15 cm).

  4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.

  5. Slowly lower your leg to the starting position.

  6. Allow your muscles to relax completely before you start the next repetition.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Hip extension

A person doing leg raises while lying on her belly on a bed. The person raises one leg up off the bed.
This exercise is sometimes called prone (on your belly) straight leg raises.

  1. Lie on your belly on a bed or a firm surface with a pillow under your hips.

  2. Tense your buttock muscles and lift your left / right thigh off the bed. Your left / right knee can be bent or straight, but do not let your back arch.

  3. Hold this position for __________ seconds.

  4. Slowly return to the starting position.

  5. Allow your muscles to relax completely before you start the next repetition.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Balance exercises

These exercises improve or maintain your balance. Balance is important in preventing falls.

Single-leg balance

Person holding on to a door frame and balancing on one foot. Person keeps the big toe on the floor with the foot arch lifted.

  1. Stand near a railing or by a door frame that you can hold onto as needed.

  2. Stand on your left / right foot. Keep your big toe down on the floor and try to keep your arch lifted.

  3. If this is too easy, you can stand with your eyes closed or stand on a pillow.

  4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Side lunges

Person stands with feet together and then, while keeping one foot in place, steps to the side with the other foot.

  1. Stand with your feet together.

  2. Keeping one foot in place, step to the side with your other foot about __________ inches (__________ cm). Do not step so far that you feel discomfort in your middle thigh.

  3. Push off from your stepping foot to return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

This information is not intended to replace advice given to you by your health care provider. Make sure you discuss any questions you have with your health care provider.