Exercises for a Torn Labrum in the Hip

According to information from the Mayo Clinic, the labrum is a ring of tissue that encircles the joint of your hip. Labrum tears are fairly common occurrences among athletes of all kinds, as the rapid directional changes and accelerative forces involved in competitive athletes place great strain on the hip itself, increasing the likelihood of injury. Following a labrum tear, you should adhere to a program of stretching for the hip joint to restore proper range of motion, minimizing the chances of the incident happening again.

Standing Hip Flexor Stretch

• Stretch the hip flexors regularly to help your body recover from a torn labrum. To perform a basic hip flexor stretch, take a long stride forward and bend at the knee and waist until your front thigh is parallel to the ground. Keep the ball and toes of your back foot on the ground, keeping the back leg as straight as possible throughout to increase the severity of the stretch. Keep your hands on your waist, balancing yourself in this position and aiming to sink deeper into the stretch as the muscles of your hip flexor relax further. Over time, you should gradually work your hips farther forward and down, which will act to lengthen the hip flexor of the back leg. Hold in this position for 30 to 60 seconds at a time, repeating on both sides for an even amount of time to avoid developing a flexibility imbalance.

Piriformis Stretch

• Perform a piriformis stretch to work the hip joint through its rotational range of motion. To perform this stretch, sit in a chair with one foot flat on the floor and the other leg crossed at the thigh. Initiate the stretch by leaning forward at the waist, keeping your spine as straight as possible and not cheating the movement by allowing your head to jut forward. As you lean forward, you should notice a pulling sensation in your hip and glutes. Hold in the peak position for 10 to 20 seconds, relaxing for a moment before resuming the stretch, holding for another 10 to 20 seconds and attempting to go slightly farther down than you were able to do during the first section of the stretch. Sit up slowly, reversing your leg position and repeating the stretch on the other side to keep things even. Perform these exercises daily, or whenever you feel excessive tension begin to build within the hip.