Tackling Hip Pain: A Mobility Workout for Field Hockey Players

As a field hockey player, you know that hip mobility is crucial for performance on the field. The ability to move freely and painlessly in your hips can greatly impact your speed, agility, and overall game. However, hip pain is a common issue that many field hockey players face, and it can hinder your performance and enjoyment of the sport. In this blog, we will address hip pain in field hockey players and provide you with a mobility workout that you can incorporate into your routine to keep your hips healthy and improve your game.

Understanding Hip Pain in Field Hockey Players

Hip pain can arise from various reasons in field hockey players. Repetitive movements, such as running, sprinting, and twisting, can put stress on the hip joint, leading to discomfort and pain. Additionally, field hockey involves frequent changes in direction, sudden stops, and pivoting, which can further strain the hips. Common causes of hip pain in field hockey players include hip labral tears, hip flexor strain, hip bursitis, and muscle imbalances.

Ignoring hip pain can lead to further complications, such as reduced performance, limited range of motion, and chronic pain. Therefore, it's essential to address hip pain early on and incorporate a mobility workout routine into your training program to maintain hip health and prevent injuries.

Mobility Workout for Hip Pain

Before starting any exercise routine, it's important to warm up properly to prepare your body for movement. Spend 5-10 minutes performing dynamic stretches and exercises that target the hips, such as leg swings, hip circles, and glute bridges. Once you're warmed up, you can begin the following mobility workout:

Exercise 1: Hip Circles Hip circles are a simple yet effective exercise to improve hip mobility. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and place your hands on your hips. Slowly move your hips in a circular motion, making both clockwise and counterclockwise circles. Perform 10 circles in each direction.

Exercise 2: Spiderman Lunge Spiderman lunge is a dynamic stretch that targets the hip flexors, which can become tight in field hockey players due to frequent sprinting and running. Start in a push-up position and bring your right foot outside of your right hand. Keep your left leg extended behind you. Lower your hips towards the ground while keeping your chest up. Push back to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Perform 10-12 reps on each side.

Exercise 3: Fire Hydrant The fire hydrant exercise targets the muscles in the hips, particularly the glutes and hip abductors. Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Keeping your knee bent, lift your right leg out to the side, keeping it at a 90-degree angle. Lower it back down and repeat on the other side. Perform 10-12 reps on each side.

Exercise 4: Clamshells Clamshells are another effective exercise to strengthen the hip abductors and improve hip stability. Lie on your side with your legs bent at a 90-degree angle and your feet touching. Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee as high as you can without moving your pelvis. Lower it back down and repeat for 10-12 reps on each side.

Exercise 5: Hip Flexor Stretch Stretching the hip flexors can help to alleviate tightness and discomfort in the hips. Kneel on your right knee with your left foot in front of you, and your left knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Keeping your torso upright, press your hips forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your right hip. Hold for 20-30 seconds on each side.

The more regularly you can do mobility workouts like the one above, the better your chances are of reducing the risk of injury in the hip.