Feeling like you cannot walk with confidence during your daily routine? I want to help.
Walking is one of the central aspects of your daily routine, but when MS symptoms begin to affect your gait, it can feel difficult to take on your everyday life. One of the most common aspects of an affected gait is better known as hip drop. Fortunately, there are exercises and strategies to help you conquer hip drop and feel balance while walking once again.
So, let's dive into what hip drop is and more importantly five exercises to help mitigate its symptoms.
Before we go into detail on how to address hip drop symptoms, let’s take a step back and break down what hip drop actually is.
Hip drop occurs when one side of the pelvis drops lower than the other while walking. This can be caused by weakness in the hip abductors (muscles on the outside of the hip), leading to an uneven walking gait.
By addressing hip drop and working to strengthen your hip abductors, you can help to prevent discomfort and improve your walking efficiency.
Hip drop can be difficult to visualize, so to understand it best imagine the right side of your body as the weaker side. When walking, if the left hip drops or lowers, it indicates that the right hip abductors require strengthening. This drop causes an imbalance, leading to a swaying motion when you’re trying to walk during your daily life.
While each person and their body is unique, there are a few central indicators you can point to for the central causes of hip drop:
Here are five exercises to strengthen the hip abductors and other related muscle groups, helping to fix hip drop.
If you’re looking to see endless podcasts, exercises, and support for your MS symptoms, check out my YouTube channel - Dr. Gretchen Hawley - for additional guidance.
This exercise aims to strengthen the hip abductors and improve stability which will both help to reduce hip drop.
1. Sit in a chair with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
2. Place a resistance band around your lower thighs, about 2 inches from your knees
3. Open your knees against the resistance band while keeping your feet together.
4. Hold for a few seconds and then return to the starting position.
This exercise aims to target the hip abductors, enhancing pelvic stability.
1. Lie on your side with your legs straight.
2. Lift your top leg as high as you can while keeping it straight.
3. Hold for a few seconds, then lower it back down.
4. Repeat on the other side.
If you feel unsteady, you can bend your bottom knee to feel more balanced.
This exercise aims to engage the hip abductors and helps improve balance and stability.
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Place a resistance band around your thighs.
3. Step to the side, stretching the band, then bring your other foot to meet the first, slowly.
4. Continue stepping from side to side.
This exercise aims to strengthen the hip muscles and help correct pelvic tilt.
1. Stand on a step with one foot hanging off the edge.
2. Lower the hanging foot towards the ground by tilting your pelvis.
3. Lift the hanging foot back up to be level with your opposite foot by using your hip muscles.
4. Repeat on both sides.
This exercise aims to improve balance and stability, reducing the likelihood of hip drop.
1. Stand on one leg with the other leg bent at the knee.
2. Try to balance for as long as possible without either hip dropping/falling.
3. Switch legs and repeat.
In addition to strengthening exercises, stretching the opposing muscles is crucial. Here are a few stretches to incorporate based on where your body feels tight:
Stretching is not just good for the physical aspect of hip-drop, but it can help you feel more in tune with your body. This is a great way to slowly but surely see progress in your overall gait and confidence while walking.
These exercises are a great way to help you start tackling your hip drop but should be paired with everyday applications. This is called functional exercise, which means you are practicing difficult movements in the context where they challenge you the most. For example, if you struggle with a hip drop when walking up the stairs, practice that specific motion.
Functional exercise helps your brain understand how these exercises apply to real-life situations, making you stronger and more efficient faster. By consistently including these movements in your daily routine, you enhance neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to form new neural connections. If you’re curious to learn more about how neuroplasticity can improve your symptoms of MS, read my post - Neuroplasticity In MS: How To Rewire Your Brain To Conquer Symptoms.
This not only improves your physical strength but also optimizes your coordination and balance. Remember, the key to success is consistency and patience. Over time, your efforts will lead to significant improvements in your walking pattern and overall mobility.
Practice good walking habits! While exercises are essential, practicing good walking habits is equally important. This will help train your body to learn how to walk without automatically dropping a hip on one side or the other.
To start practicing good walking habits, begin by exaggerating your movements. Yes, this may feel silly at first, but the motion of walking is made up of the following: marching, leg kicks, and ankle lifting.
If you exaggerate each of these movements, soon you will notice your body becoming more and more used to how these correct motions all combine.
Most importantly, take your time when walking. When you rush, your body will not correctly go through each step of the range of motion, making it more likely to experience hip drop. I promise correct walking will feel better than getting to any one destination as fast as possible.
Fixing hip drop requires a combination of strengthening exercises, stretching, and practicing good walking habits. Consistency is key, and with time, you can improve your walking pattern and reduce discomfort. Keep practicing and stay dedicated to your exercises, with time you can take back control of your symptoms.
If you’re looking to take the next step in working towards fixing hip drop and improving overall body strength, my Total Strength Program is a great next step! This program tailors your specific MS symptoms with an exercise program that focuses on mobility in everyday life.
Do you have any further questions on how to help hip drop? Please let me know in the comments or DM me on Instagram @doctor.gretchen.
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As a physical therapist & Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist, I have spent the last 10 years teaching people with MS how to feel more confident & empowered through MS-specific exercises and strategies.
If you want support and encouragement, plus a healthy dose of tough love, come follow me on Instagram (@doctor.gretchen) or on YouTube @DoctorGretchenHawley. It's where I share daily tips, tricks, and information about new offers — plus, you’re bound to feel more empowered, hopeful, & motivated after watching each post and video!
Questions? Email me at Hello@DoctorGretchenHawley.com
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Dr. Gretchen Hawley's The MSing Link offers a comprehensive guide to taking control of your MS symptoms and improving your mobility through MS-specific exercises and strategies.
6000+ copies sold in over 13 countries!
