Weekend Challenge: The Hip Bone Protector

With hip fracture numbers unrelentingly increasing, today’s challenge is about increasing bone density of the hip bones.
The Hip Bone Protector is a very effective exercise to strengthen muscles around the hip bone, improve balance, and build bone in that fracture-prone area.

It works the pelvic rotator muscles, so it also stabilizes and aligns the hips plus it adds mobility to the hip joint. Not to mention that it also improves your balance.

Let’s take a closer look at why this exercise is so effective.

Why: The Hip Bone Protector uses a combination of external and internal hip rotations. These movements stretch and strengthen key muscle groups that surround the hip joint – specifically, the quadratus femoris, piriformis, gluteus medius and gluteus maximus. There are also numerous smaller muscles in addition to these that are targeted by the Hip Bone Protector, including your core muscles, thus helping you maintain better posture.

• The Quadratus femoris is a relatively small muscle, but it’s very important – it actually connects the top of the femur (the base of the femoral head just below the ball) to the base of your pelvis.
• The Piriformis is also deep in the pelvis. It attaches to the base of the femoral head just above the quadratus femoris, and connects to the inside edge of the sacral vertebrae.
• The Gluteus medius lies just below the better-known gluteus maximus. This fan-shaped muscle runs from the outside of the top of the femur and spreads out to connect to the entire outside edge of the pelvic crest.
• The Gluteus maximus, or “glute,” is a very substantial muscle. It attaches further down along the top of the femur and fans out to connect to the entire back of the pelvis.

How: To do the Hip Bone Protector, stand near a chair or wall to steady yourself. Here’s how to do this two-part exercise.

Part 1: External Rotation

1. Stand with your feet hip width apart.
2. Place your hand on a chair or wall if you need to steady yourself. If you don’t, hold your arms straight out sideways. Either way, keep your back straight, your head facing forward and chin up (not looking at the floor).
3. Lift one knee in front of you and immediately rotate the leg back and outward, opening the angle so your thighs are parallel to your extended arms. Imagine you are taking a step back over something large.
4. Bring your bent leg back to the starting position, and continue the rotations. This is a fluid move, as if you’re drawing counter-clockwise circles with your knees.
5. Repeat 10 times or as many times as you comfortably can, and then switch sides.

Part 2: Internal Rotation

Part 2 is basically like Part 1, but in reverse. You start out in the same position.

1. Bend your knee and bring your knee up in front of you.
2. While keeping your knee up, open the knee angle toward the side, as if you’re stepping over something large in front of you and as if you’re drawing clockwise circles with your knee.
3. Your thigh should be parallel to your arms. Then bring your bent leg around and put your foot back down to the start position.
4. Repeat 10 times or as many times as you comfortably can, and then switch sides.

When these muscles are supple and strong, your hips are held in proper alignment, improving balance and gait. Clearly, this reduces your risk of falls. In addition, as you work these muscles doing these and other bone-building exercises regularly, the force exerted on your pelvis actually stimulates bone growth, thereby increasing bone density in your hip bones.

If you like the Hip Bone Protector, you’ll want to check out the Densercise™ Epidensity Training System. The instantly downloadable manual gives you detailed instructions and clear illustrations that take you through a simple, easy, but effective exercise program specifically designed to build bone density in all the areas that are prone to fracture.

And if you need a visual explanation on how to do the moves, Densercise™ gives you permanent access to a series of online videos where I demonstrate each exercise.

As always, I welcome your comments about your experience with the Hip Bone Protector and other bone density exercises! Please let the community know how you’re doing by leaving your comment below.

Till next time,