Managing hip bursitis during your Pilates mat classes.
You’ve been diagnosed with hip bursitis, but you don’t know how that’s going to impact your Pilates classes?
Let’s step back, what is hip bursitis?
Bursitis is the inflammation of a fluid-filled sac (called your bursa). The function of your bursa is to decrease the friction of your muscles and tendons as they glide over the bony parts of your body. When structures around a bursa get tight, if you change the muscle balance around a bursa, or if you put repetitive strain on the bursa, inflammation can occur.
With inflammation comes pain and discomfort, and often a change in the way we move.
Bursitis of the hip is quite common, and this can impact your exercise and activity: all those side-lying Pilates exercises suddenly become very uncomfortable.
That’s because when you lie on your side, you are putting pressure on parts of your body that are already inflamed.
Managing hip bursitis
Strengthening your core and glutes are two ways that can help to decrease the load on your hip – just as well you’re already signed up for your Pilates class!
However, if you do too many glute exercises, especially the side lying ones, it can put a lot of strain on your hip bursa. Always remember to stretch out your glutes after class, and sometimes some gentle rolling of your glutes and thigh can help too (avoid the sensitive areas).
Finally, how do you actually lie on your side for those glute exercises? You have a few options:
1) Place a pillow or folded towel under your hip during the side lying exercises; this will decrease the pressure on your bursa.
2) Roll your body slightly forward during the side lying exercises; this will decrease the pressure on your bursa.
3) Roll your body slightly backward during the side lying exercises; this will decrease the pressure on your bursa.
Trial the three options and find which works best for you.
As always, our instructors are here to give you guidance and support. Good luck!
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