Exercise: Sidelying Hip Adduction
Purpose: To concentrically load the adductor muscle group by lifting the entire leg against gravity
What It Targets: Adductors (Adductor Longus, Magnus, Brevis, Gracilis), and Gluteus Medius/Minimus/Maximus; Static stabilization of the Internal Obliques, External Obliques, Transverse Abdominis
Procedure:
Lay on your side with your spine in a straight, stacked alignment with legs and trunk aligned.
Bend the knee and hip of your top leg to 90 degrees and rest it on the table.
Bend your elbow and place your palm face down on the floor with your elbow directly below your shoulder. Firmly support your trunk with your arm.
With the bottom leg fully extended, lift the leg up towards the ceiling as high as you can without pain or compensation. You should feel it primarily in the inner thigh muscles of the bottom leg.
Pause at the top of the range for 2 seconds.
Slowly lower the leg back down to the floor.
Repeat as prescribed, and repeat on the other side.
Main Cues:
Keep your trunk in line with your bottom/working leg
Lift up your whole leg by initiating the contraction with your inner thighs muscles
Keep your elbow directly below your shoulder and press your forearm/elbow into the floor using your shoulder blade muscles
Common Compensations/Adverse Effects:
Pain in the groin
Correction: Make sure your spine is stacked and your core is active. Do not let your leg come forward or pelvis rotate backward. Exhaling helps!; Make sure your hip is in neutral rotation, if anything toes facing toward the surface you’re laying on to bias internal rotation; Decrease the height of the lift;
Pain in bottom hip from laying directly on it
Correction: Lay on something softer like a yoga mat, or even your bed; Place a soft pillow under your hip for more cushion
Why We Love It:
It targets building strength and endurance with a muscle group that is often weak and underworked
It creates co-contraction and stabilization of all the key muscle groups in the hip and core
It paves the way for much more advanced/progressed exercises for this muscle group, which can relieve groin pain
*Disclaimer: Not all exercises are suitable for everyone, and participation in novel activities may increase the risk of adverse effects such as pain, soreness, or injury. Please consult with your Physician or a local Physical Therapist prior to attempting any exercise you feel uncomfortable performing. If adverse reactions occur, discontinue performance of the exercise and consult your physician or trusted clinician for evaluation