STRETCHING EXERCISES | STRENGTHENING EXERCISES
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LEG STRETCH
Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you and place your hands on the backs of your calves. Slowly lift and pull one leg toward your ear, keeping your back straight. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds. Alternate from side to side. Repeat each leg 3 to 6 times. For comfort, you may slightly bend the leg not being stretched.
LEG CROSS-OVER
Lie on the floor with your legs spread and your arms out to the sides. Bring your right toe to your left hand, keeping the leg straight. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds. Alternate from side to side. Repeat each leg 3 to 6 times. For comfort, you may slightly bend the leg not being stretched.
CROSS-OVER STAND
Stand with your legs crossed. Keeping your feet close together and your legs straight, slowly bend forward toward your toes. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds. Repeat with the opposite leg crossed in front.
STRAIGHT-LEG RAISE
Lie on the floor with one leg straight and the other leg bent. Tighten the thigh muscle of the straight leg and slowly raise it 6 to 10 inches off the floor. Hold this position for 5 seconds. Repeat with the opposite leg. Work up to 3 sets of 10. STRAIGHT-LEG RAISE (PRONE) Lie on the floor on your stomach with your legs straight. Keeping the leg straight, tighten the hamstrings of one leg and raise the leg as high as you can. Hold this position for 5 seconds. Repeat with the opposite leg. Work up to 3 sets of 10.
WALL SLIDES
Stand with your back against a wall and your feet about 1 foot from the wall. Tuck your pelvis under so that your lower back is flat against the wall. Stop when your knees are bent 90°. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax. Work up to 3 sets of 10.
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FORWARD LUNGES
Stand up with the feet about 3 to 4 feet apart and with the forward foot pointing forward and the back foot angled to provide support. Lunge forward, bending the forward knee and keeping the back and the back leg straight. You should feel a slight stretch in the left groin area. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds. Repeat with the opposite leg.
HAMSTRING CURLS
Stand on a flat surface with your weight evenly distributed over both feet. Hold onto the back of a chair or the wall for balance. Raise the heel of one leg toward the ceiling. Hold this position for 5 seconds and then relax. Perform 5 sets of 10, 3 times a day
SIDE-LYING HIP ABDUCTION
Lie on your side with the affected hip on top, cradling your head in your arm, and the bottom leg bent to provide support. Slowly move the top leg up and back to 45°, keeping the knee straight. Hold this position for 5 seconds. Slowly lower the leg and relax it for 2 seconds. Ankle weights should be used, starting with light enough weight to allow 6 to 8 repetitions, progressing to 12 repetitions. Then return to 6 to 8 repetitions and add weight.
HIP EXTENSION
Lie face down with a pillow under your hips and the knee on the affected side bent 90°. Elevate the leg off the floor to a count of 5, lifting the leg straight up with the knee bent. Ankle weights should be used, starting with light enough weight to allow 6 to 8 repetitions, working up to 12 repetitions. Then return to 6 to 8 repetitions and add weight.
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