Weekend Challenge: Femoral Neck And Hip Builder

This weekend’s exercise is a weight-bearing move that strengthens the hip bones. Specifically, it targets the fracture-prone femoral neck, the bridge of bone that connects the ball of your hip to the top of your femur.

With femoral neck fractures on the rise, building density in this area is more vital than ever. As you’ll discover in a fascinating study, recent research clearly supports targeted exercise for avoidance of pelvic fractures.

Today’s exercise is a great place to start!

Why:

Sustaining a hip fracture can be a life-altering experience, so it’s crucial to practice exercises that build the hip bones.

The Femoral Neck And Hip Builder works the following key muscles and muscle groups to strengthen the pelvis, increase balance to prevent falls, and improve posture.

• The gluteus maximus or buttocks are the largest muscles in the human body, and they are essential for humans’ ability to walk upright. Unfortunately, they are also prone to atrophy when we sit for long periods of time, and the hip bones suffer when these muscles are weak.
• The hamstrings are the muscles in the back of your thighs. They are involved in hip extension and knee flexion and rotation. This is another muscle group that suffers from sitting, and today’s exercise helps offset the atrophy associated with sitting. Strong hamstrings are important for avoiding falls and strengthening the hips.
• In today’s move, you’ll use many of the back muscles, which makes this exercise excellent for aligning and stabilizing the vertebrae. Spinal alignment is crucial for proper, healthy, bone-building pressure to be exerted on the pelvis when you exercise. It’s also vital for balance and flexibility.

In addition, the Femoral Neck And Hip Builder helps flatten the upper back and straighten the thoracic vertebrae, vital areas for those who want to avoid kyphosis and/or forward head posture (FHP).

How:

You’ll need a chair, bench, or stool to do this exercise. Even a sturdy box will do. If you don’t have a carpeted area, you will want an exercise mat as well.

1. Lie flat on your back and place your lower legs up on the bench or chair. Your knees should be bent at approximately a 90-degree angle.
2. Lay your arms out to the side at a 45-degree angle, palms facing up.
3. Take a deep breath, and then exhale as you squeeze your buttocks muscles and lift your hips up off the floor.
4. Push downward with your heels and imagine transferring your weight to your heels and shoulder blades. Lift your hips until a straight line forms from your chest to your knees.
5. Hold for a few seconds, and then come back down slowly.
6. Repeat five to eight times, or whatever number of repetitions is comfortable for you.

Tips:

• Keep your toes and knees pointed upward for the duration of the exercise.
• Feel free to place a pillow or towel behind your head or neck for support.

For maximum results, I like to follow this exercise with two other Weekend Challenges, the `Dynamic Hip And Core Builder and the Hip Fracture Preventer. This adds variety, and provides even more protection against devastating hip fractures.

Femoral Neck Incidents Are Increasing, Study Finds

Scientists analyzed the research regarding femoral neck fractures, and their findings are sobering. The risk of hip fracture doubles with each decade after the age of 50, and “half of the proximal femur fractures are intraarticular fractures of the femoral neck,”¹ they report.

The reason the risk increases so dramatically with age, say researchers, is because of…

“[…] an age-related decrease of bone mass in the proximal femur as well as of the age-related increase in the incidence of falls.”¹

In other words, the combination of low bone density and falls is the culprit – the very issues the Densercise™ Epidensity Training System addresses.

This why exercise that targets fracture-prone areas is so important in the fight to protect your bones from fracture. When combined with a pH-balanced, bone-nourishing nutritional program like the Osteoporosis Reversal Program, Densercise™ is a true bone-rejuvenating powerhouse.

I always like to hear how the Weekend Challenges go for you, so please leave a comment below and let the us know how the Femoral Neck And Hip Builder worked for you.

Have a great weekend!

References

¹ Filipov, Orlin. “Epidemiology and Social Burden of the Femoral Neck Fractures.” Journal of IMAB. 2014. Vol. 20, issue 4. ISSN: 1312-773X. PDF.