Boosting Your Walking Workouts with a Seated Exercise, Endorsed by Physiotherapists
Strengthen Your Hips and Improve Walking Performance with the Seated Hip Abduction Exercise
The seated hip abduction exercise, as shared by physical therapist Alyssa Kuhn, is a simple yet effective way to strengthen the muscles along the outside of the hips and the glutes. This exercise targets the hip abductor muscles, which are crucial for stabilizing the hips and improving mobility.
To perform the exercise, you will need access to a seated hip abduction machine or a resistance band. If you have access to a machine, sit securely on it with your legs inside the pads. Push your legs outward against the resistance, working your hip abductors. This movement helps strengthen the muscles supporting the hip and can aid in reducing hip pain or weakness.
If a machine is not available, you can perform the exercise using a resistance band. Shift your body weight to the edge of a chair, keep your feet flat on the floor, push your knees out to the side, pause, and bring them back to the starting position. Aim for 10-20 reps of the exercise and use a resistance band for extra resistance once you can do them easily.
Strength training, including exercises like the seated hip abduction, can make walking workouts safer and more effective by building up the muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the hips, knees, and ankles. This can help reduce the risk of injuries like shin splints and knee pain when returning to walking workouts after an injury or a break.
Moreover, strength training can take this a step further by putting controlled stress on the bones and stimulating new bone growth. This can help combat the natural muscle mass loss that occurs as we age and improve bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
Walking is a fantastic form of exercise for all ages, but especially for seniors, as it can help build bone density. By incorporating simple strength training exercises like the seated hip abduction into your routine, you can help your muscles adapt and become more resilient when getting back into walking after an extended break.
For more up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews, follow Tom's Guide on Google News. If you are at risk for osteoporosis according to your doctor, consider adding the seated hip abduction exercise to a list of 5 exercises to build stronger bones. This exercise targets the muscles around the hips, which help support your hips and knees as you walk, making you more stable and less prone to falls and injuries.
In addition to improving walking performance, the seated hip abduction exercise can also impact the support of knees and hips when walking. By strengthening these muscles, you can walk with better form, making it easier to tackle hills, uneven terrain, and longer trails. Try a 3-4-5 walking workout to boost your cardiovascular fitness and mood, and walk with good form to improve walking performance even further.
Sources: [1] Alyssa Kuhn, 'Hip Strengthening and Mobility: A Comprehensive Guide' [2] Alyssa Kuhn, 'The Importance of Hip Strength for Seniors' [3] Alyssa Kuhn, 'Reducing Hip Pain with Exercise'
The seated hip abduction exercise, a vital addition to strength training, not only fortifies muscles along the hips and glutes but also enhances mobility and walking performance. By incorporating health-and-wellness advice from Alyssa Kuhn, this exercise contributes to fitness-and-exercise routines that help combat osteoporosis and improve overall balance, reducing the risk of falls and injuries.
