I'm really young too (24) and I have been diagnosed with FAI, or hip impingement, a malformation of the hip socket that usually requires surgery to fix. I feel your pain!
My PT and orthopedic surgeon have suggested swimming, biking (including stationary), and Pilates for people with hip problems. They recommended against yoga but I flatly ignore this advice because I am a yoga fiend :-/
With my PT I've done a lot of strength training of the muscles around the hip. This builds stability and reduces the chance of injury in the already-vulnerable joint. My PT strongly recommends accompanying any exercise with doing therapy in addition to exercise. Your hip issues are different from mine but I'd imagine the logic pertains. This can just be as simple as standing on one fit and engaging the muscles around the hip of the standing leg. Alter it a bit by moving the non-standing leg around- drawing small circles with your foot, raising and lowering it laterally off the ground, etc. Doing a plank- or being in push-up position except with your whole forearms on the ground instead of just your hands- and holding it for 20 second intervals is also good because it engages your core and thigh muscles- both of which are involved in the hip joint.
There are tons of other exercises you can do. Many involve just holding still in a certain position rather than moving the hip around. Google orthopedic surgeons with a specialty in hips- many of them have strength training poses with graphics on their websites.
Pilates is supposedly a great workout for people with hip problems because it strengthens the core, which is integral for strong, stable hips.
Last edited by indiblue; 02-08-2011 at 04:50 AM.
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