Exercises that increase strength and flexibility can reduce hip pain. Learn the right way to train the key muscles that support the hip.

Building strength and increasing flexibility are two ways to reduce hip pain. Strengthening the muscles around the hip helps support the joint and puts less stress on the hip, says Dr. Ashu, MBBS, MD.

And increasing flexibility can reduce pain. “When you lose flexibility, an abnormal amount of stress can come across the joint,” Ashu says. “If you become less flexible, you have pain and move less, which leads to stiffness and more pain. It becomes a negative cycle.”

Before recommending exercises, physical therapists evaluate their patients to develop a routine that’s appropriate for their specific condition. Ashu says the following exercises, done at home and at the gym, are generally safe for everyone. “If a patient has already received a total hip replacement, however, certain precautions should be taken,” he says.