Weekend Challenge: Hip Length Adjuster - Save Our Bones

This weekend, we’re going to take a close look at the very common problem of pelvic asymmetry and the various aches, pains, and gait problems that it can cause. The Hip Length Adjuster is designed to correct this specific problem because it helps you to even out your hips.

Let’s get started!

Why:

You might think that an asymmetrical or uneven pelvis is a relatively rare problem. But in reality, it’s more common than you may realize. In fact, the hip that’s on the same side as your dominant hand is likely to be slightly higher than the non-dominant side, simply due to the way you position your body and perform tasks using your dominant hand more frequently.

Consequences Of An Uneven Pelvis

When one hip is chronically higher than the other, a multitude of problems can result – and it may surprise you to learn that some of those problems, such as the ones listed below, do not actually manifest in your hips.

Low Back Tightness And Pain

Uneven hips cause the muscles on one side of your low back to tighten as they attempt to draw the pelvis back into alignment. Sitting down for long periods makes the tightness worse. Targeted exercise counteracts this by strengthening and stretching both sides of the low back, gradually drawing the pelvis back to a level state.

Knee Injury And Pain

A crooked pelvis causes one knee to be favored over the other, resulting in misalignment and greater wear and tear on the favored knee. The ligaments, cartilage, and bones of the knee joint suffer from this asymmetry, resulting in pain and injury to the knee.

These lower body issues give rise to dreaded bone health problems for those with osteoporosis (especially the elderly), as you’ll read next.

Gait Disorders

According to a 2017 clinical guide published in The Central European Journal of Medicine, “Gait disorders lead to a loss of personal freedom, falls and injuries and result in a marked reduction in the quality of life.”1 Not surprisingly, an uneven gait is a huge contributor to falls, which can result in fractures – some of them devastating.

As we age, there is a greater chance of the development of gait disorders. This is due in part to “protective gait strategies,”1 which older individuals tend to develop when they feel their balance is compromised.

According to a recent study, protective gait strategies are comparable to the compensatory motions healthy people use when walking on icy ground, as described in the quote below:

“…the stance and gait base is [sic] widened, bipedal floor contact is prolonged, step length becomes shorter, the feet are lifted less high during the swing phase, walking becomes slower and the posture becomes stooped.”1

Painful knees, low back, hips, and ankles that can occur with an asymmetrical pelvis can also cause a person to walk gingerly, cautiously, and “protectively.” Ironically, in an attempt to avoid falls this way, a person increases his or her risk of falling.

Thankfully, there’s something you can do about an uneven pelvis and the resulting problems with joints and gait: targeted exercises like this one!

Here’s how to do the Hip Length Adjuster.

How:

An exercise mat will make this move more comfortable.

  1. Lie on your side with your legs extended. You can start with either side, but for clarity’s sake, we’ll say your left side.
  2. Keeping your knees straight, bring your right foot up about 12 inches above your left foot. Then bring your right leg back slightly, still keeping your knee straight. You should feel a stretch in your right hip flexor. (The hip flexors are in the front of your hips – for more on these important muscles and the roles they play in bone health, please see: Seated Abs And Hips Strengthener).
  3. From the extended-back position, lift your right leg up, and then bring it back down to the starting position. Don’t put your right foot all the way down; keep it at least 12 inches off the floor and lift from there.
  4. Repeat this lift 10 times (as long as you are comfortable). Then switch sides for another set of ten.

For more exercises of this type, check out the following Weekend Challenges:

These all target the hip muscles, particularly the flexors, which lift your legs up and forward and keep your pelvis aligned. Like many of the moves in the Densercise™ Epidensity Training System, these exercises also improve balance and, like all of the moves in Densercise™, they strengthen bones per Wolff’s Law.

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Did you find this weekend’s exercise challenging, or was it fairly easy for you? As always, feel free to share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

Have a great weekend!

References:

1 Pirker, Walter, M.D. and Katzenschlager, Regina, M.D. “Gait disorders in adults and the elderly.” Wien Klin Wochenschr. 129. 3. (2017): 81-95. Web. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5318488/#CR6

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Comments on this article are closed.

  1. Vee

    I would like to know if hard copies of the Save Our Bones are available for sale as well? I would rather have the book mailed to me.
    Please advise
    Thanks

  2. Raj s

    Hi ms. Vivian,
    Am looking for home exercises for strengthening my lumbar spine for pain due to a slight bulging disc at my L4-5 level.
    Any exercise with exercise bench or / and w. Dumbells etc you may suggest pls?

    I appreciate it.
    Thankyou.
    Rajs

  3. Ann

    Thank you for the tip. I like it and will work at making my hip better.

  4. shula

    Thank you for putting all the hip-exercises together.

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      You’re welcome, Shula. 🙂

  5. Marguerite Barnes

    This is very helpful since I have one hip higher than the other. Thank you for your help.

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      I hope you find this exercise helpful, Marguerite!

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