Which is a recommended exercise approach for hip osteoarthritis?

Which is a recommended exercise approach for hip osteoarthritis?

• A. Low-impact aerobic exercise
• B. Deep squats every day
• C. No range-of-motion exercises
• D. High-impact running

Answer: (A)

Engage in activities that raise your heart rate with minimal joint pounding to protect the hip while improving endurance and supporting weight management. Low-impact aerobic exercise—such as walking, cycling, or swimming—strengthens the muscles around the hip, improves cardiovascular health, and helps manage symptoms without placing excessive stress on the joint. Keeping the hip moving through a comfortable range of motion and pairing it with gradual strengthening of the hip and core can improve stability and reduce pain over time. Deep squats every day can overload the hip and knee joints, potentially worsening symptoms. A plan that avoids maintaining stiffness would be incomplete, since some range-of-motion work is important for mobility and function. High-impact running subjects the hip to larger forces, which OA often makes painful or risky. Therefore, the low-impact aerobic approach best supports function and symptom control in hip osteoarthritis.

Engage in activities that raise your heart rate with minimal joint pounding to protect the hip while improving endurance and supporting weight management. Low-impact aerobic exercise—such as walking, cycling, or swimming—strengthens the muscles around the hip, improves cardiovascular health, and helps manage symptoms without placing excessive stress on the joint. Keeping the hip moving through a comfortable range of motion and pairing it with gradual strengthening of the hip and core can improve stability and reduce pain over time.

Deep squats every day can overload the hip and knee joints, potentially worsening symptoms. A plan that avoids maintaining stiffness would be incomplete, since some range-of-motion work is important for mobility and function. High-impact running subjects the hip to larger forces, which OA often makes painful or risky. Therefore, the low-impact aerobic approach best supports function and symptom control in hip osteoarthritis.