LIFESTYLE NEWS - Exercise is one of the ways to improve your physical wellbeing and it aids in great measure to get rid of ailments, aches and pains. 

Follow the exercise programme provided by the biokineticists at Anine van der Westhuizen Biokineticist in George and feel the difference. 

This week biokineticist Lana Laubscher gives further advice on hip injuries and exercises.

Over the last few weeks I've discussed different hip injuries; now we will have a look at rehabilitative exercises around the joint. 

Before I start with the first exercise I would like to mention that certain injuries are much more complex than you can anticipate and you may need to consult a medical professional regarding the problem. 

I therefore trust that you will be wise and take care to distinguish when to seek medical care, as opposed to carrying on by yourself.

With that out of the way, let us continue. 

I will start off by referring back to the anatomy of the hip and muscles in and around the hip, just to remind you why we want to strengthen certain muscles. 

The first and most important muscle to strengthen in almost any hip injury is the bum (gluteus) muscle. Why? Because it is located on the back of the hip bone (pelvis).

The gluteus is a very big muscle that is supposed to be strong, but among the general population it is unfortunately very under-active.

If there is one thing a biokineticist would like to teach every single person on the planet, it will be to properly activate their glutes. 

Some people will say, "Oh, but that is easy" - until we teach you how it is actually supposed to be done. Many people only discover that they have a dysfunctional one-sided glute muscle when they consult a biokineticist and realise where all their problems have been coming from.

Having said that, can you imagine doing a functional movement (e.g. walking, sit-to-standing, going up or down stairs) without bending at the hips or using your hips as a driver for the movement? 

I bet you can't, which proves my point: your hips are a major driver to any type of injury, and not just injury to the hips.

The exercise
Therefore the first exercise is going to be very simple. Lie down on your stomach and squeeze/contract/activate you bum. 

Most people will immediately clench their but cheeks together. 

However, you should try and contract each bum individually and hold it for 10 seconds at a time.

How is this going to help?
It activates the "bum-brain-connection". The nerves transporting the "muscle contracting messages" from your brain to your bum muscle are stimulated.

Let's see if we can get your glutes going.

'We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news'