Hip Strength for Older Adults: What a Physical Therapist Wants You to Know

This article is for learning only. It is not physical therapy treatment or medical advice. Always talk to your doctor or a licensed physical therapist before starting any exercise program.

More than 262,000 hip surgeries are done on Medicare patients every year. That number is expected to grow a lot by 2040. Most older adults don't think about their hips until something goes wrong. But here's the truth: strong hips are one of the biggest keys to living on your own as you age. The good news? Moving and strengthening your hips every day can keep them healthy and pain-free for years.

Why Your Hips Matter More Than You Might Think

Your hips are the largest joints in your body that hold your weight. Every time you stand up, walk, climb a step, or carry groceries, your hips are working. They connect your upper and lower body. They absorb impact. They give you the balance you need to move safely each day.

As we age, the muscles around the hip lose strength. This starts in our 50s and gets worse without regular movement. When those muscles get weak, your joints carry more load than they should. Over time, this can cause stiffness, less movement, and trouble with daily tasks like getting up from a low chair or walking longer distances.

Physical therapists who work with older adults at home see this all the time. The seniors who stay most independent into their 70s and 80s almost always kept their hips strong. They didn't do intense workouts. They just moved with purpose every day.

The Muscles That Do the Work

Knowing which muscles support your hip helps you understand why these moves are worth your time. You don't need to know anatomy. But knowing what each muscle does in daily life makes the exercises feel more meaningful.

Quads (front of the thigh): These muscles straighten your knee and help lift your leg when you walk. Strong quads make it much easier to stand up from a chair. They also take stress off your knee and hip joints.

Glute muscles (back and side of the hip): Your glutes are the powerhouse of your lower body. They push you forward when you walk. They keep your hips level so you don't sway side to side. They do the heavy lifting when you stand up or climb stairs. Weak glutes are one of the most common things physical therapists find in older adults who shuffle or lose their balance.

Hip flexors (front of the hip): These muscles lift your leg with each step. When they get stiff or weak, your stride gets shorter. That makes walking less efficient and raises your fall risk.

Outer hip muscles (side of the hip): These muscles move your leg out to the side. More importantly, they keep your hips level when you stand on one leg — which is what walking really is, one single-leg stance after another. When these are weak, you may notice a slight hip drop or lean when you walk.

Before You Start — How to Move Safely

These are general movement tips that many physical therapists share with older adults starting a home exercise routine. Read through them before you begin.

How much to do: Start with 1–2 sets of 8–10 reps, done 2 times per day. Move slowly and smoothly. Don't hold your breath — breathe normally the whole time.

Stop and call your doctor if you feel any of these:

• Chest pain or tightness in your chest
• Shortness of breath that feels unusual for the activity level
• Pain at a 6 or higher out of 10 — mild discomfort (1–5 out of 10) is normal and okay to work through
• Dizziness or feeling lightheaded
• A racing heart or irregular heartbeat

Think of these not as warnings, but as the same talk a physical therapist would have with you before your first visit. Moving smart is what keeps movement safe over time.

Six Movements for General Hip Health

These six moves come from exercise methods physical therapists often use with older adults at home. You don't need any equipment. Do exercises 1–4 on a firm bed or mat. Do exercises 5–6 standing at a counter. Together, they make a simple 10–15 minute routine.

For all lying-down exercises, use a firm surface. A mattress that is too soft makes the moves less effective and harder to do with good form.

1. Ankle Pumps

Position: Lying on your back with legs straight.

Movement: Pull your foot up toward your shin as far as feels good. Then point it back down as far as feels good. Go back and forth in a slow, steady rhythm.

Do on both legs.

This simple move keeps blood flowing in your lower legs and keeps your ankles moving well. Both are important for comfortable walking and leg health.

2. Quad Sets

Position: Lying on your back with legs straight.

Movement: Tighten the muscle on top of your thigh. Press the back of your knee gently down into the surface. Hold for a count of five, then slowly relax. You should feel the muscle firm up, but your leg should not lift off the surface.

Do on both legs.

This move helps your brain reconnect with your thigh muscles. That's an important first step for any lower body strengthening work.

3. Gluteal Sets

Position: Lying on your back with legs straight.

Movement: Squeeze your buttocks together as if you are gently holding something between them. Hold for a count of five, then slowly let go.

Strong glutes are the base of almost every move older adults rely on. Standing, walking, and climbing stairs all need them.

4. Heel Slides

Position: Lying on your back with legs straight.

Movement: Slowly slide one heel up toward your buttocks by bending your knee. Keep your foot on the surface the whole time. Slide to a comfortable range — don't force it. Slowly slide your leg back to the start.

Do on both legs.

This move helps your hip and knee stay flexible in a safe, controlled way. The range of movement you use every day — sitting down, getting in a car, climbing stairs — depends on keeping this flexibility over time.

5. Standing Marching

Position: Stand at a kitchen counter or other stable surface. Hold on lightly with both hands. Stand tall with feet about hip-width apart.

Movement: Lift one knee up to a comfortable height. Keep your body upright. Slowly lower your foot back to the floor. Alternate legs.

This move strengthens the muscles at the front of your hip and practices the one-leg balance that every step of walking needs. The counter is there for safety — use as much or as little support as you need.

6. Standing Side Kick (Outer Hip Lift)

Position: Stand at a kitchen counter or stable surface. Hold on lightly. Stand tall.

Movement: Keep your knee straight and toes pointing forward. Slowly kick one leg out to the side to a comfortable height — a few inches is enough. Slowly bring your leg back to center.

Do on both sides.

This move works the outer hip muscles that keep your hips level when you walk. Even small, controlled moves here build the balance that makes walking feel steady and sure.

Putting It Together

These six moves work well as one routine. At 1–2 sets of 8–10 reps each, the full routine takes about 10–15 minutes. Many people find it easiest to do exercises 1–4 before getting out of bed in the morning. Then do exercises 5–6 at the kitchen counter in the afternoon.

If you'd like a day-by-day plan that builds on these moves, the 14-Day Chair Strength Program at Your Home PT is made just for that — guided daily movement for older adults who want a clear place to start.

Signs Your Hips May Need Professional Help

General movement tips are a great tool, but they are not a substitute for a professional check. Think about reaching out to a licensed physical therapist if you notice any of these:

• Pain in your hip, groin, or outer thigh that stays during or after activity
• A noticeable limp or hip sway when walking that is new
• Trouble getting up from a low chair or sofa that has gotten worse over recent months
• Morning stiffness that takes more than 15–20 minutes to ease up
• Less movement than before — like trouble putting on a shoe or getting in and out of a car
• A feeling that your hip might give way when you move

These are signs that a personal check could find what's going on and build a plan made just for you. A physical therapist can check your strength, movement range, and how you move in ways a general program cannot.

To find a licensed physical therapist near you, visit the American Physical Therapy Association's Find a PT tool.

The Case for Starting Before You Have To

The best time to strengthen your hips is before pain or problems show up. Moving every day — even just 10–15 minutes twice a day — builds strength and movement that pays off for years. It makes daily tasks easier. It takes stress off your joints. It helps your balance. And it helps you stay independent, which matters most as you get older.

You don't need a gym, equipment, or a diagnosis to start. You need a firm surface, a stable counter, and a few minutes a day.

If you want more support beyond this article, the free resources at Your Home PT include a Home Safety Checklist, a Caregiver Quick-Start Guide, and a Daily Movement Tracker. All of them are made for older adults and the people who care for them.

This article is for learning only. It is not physical therapy treatment or medical advice. Always talk to your doctor or a licensed physical therapist before starting any exercise program.

Tyler Pahl, DPT is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy and the founder of Your Home PT, an educational platform helping older adults move safely and confidently at home.