Best Hip Internal Rotation Stretches / Mobility Drills

[Mitchell Rabushka]

My hip internal rotation is an unmitigated disaster.  For example, in the test at the following video from 1:08-2:16 I can barely move my left foot 5 inches outward and my right foot 2 inches outward so not only is it atrocious, but it's unbalanced from the left side to the right side.  What's the best way to increase hip internal rotation significantly?

 

 

[Alessandro Mainente]

3 hours ago, Mitchell Rabushka said:

My hip internal rotation is an unmitigated disaster.  For example, in the test at the following video from 1:08-2:16 I can barely move my left foot 5 inches outward and my right foot 2 inches outward so not only is it atrocious, but it's unbalanced from the left side to the right side.  What's the best way to increase hip internal rotation significantly?

 

 

Hi Mithchell, it depends on what is the limiting factor. the most common mistake is thinking that the relation is one range of motion - one muscle but it's wrong. one range of motion can be limited by many muscles fiber that acts in a different directions. i suggest having a check with a therapist so that causes can be found.

[Mitchell Rabushka]

Hi Alessandro, thank you for your reply!

 

I was checked by an SSM physical therapist in Chicago today and she said I have capacity for 23 degrees internal rotation in my left hip and only 15 degrees internal rotation in my right hip. That's my capacity before she felt the femur bone meeting resistance which I guess could be a function of the shapes of the hip socket and/or the femur as they work together. Although I don't know if muscle tightness could have also been a limiting factor or not.

 

I don't know why I can't reach those end range motions the therapist found when I try to rotate the femur on it's (and the hips) own strength in the sitting position like in the video without any assistance from hands.  She gave me some strengthening exercises to do with bands as my leg turns into internal rotation and told me with time I will be able to generate a greater range of motion on my own.

 

However, I've been reading and watching videos on hip internal/external rotation and found out that as an adult you are stuck with a maximum hip internal rotation no matter how hard you try to increase it and will damage yourself if you try to go beyond your genetic capabilities.

 

It seems Olympic athletes are gifted with better genetics than most people and of course the one's that work the hardest and smartest achieve optimal results to win the gold.

 

I really feel like my hips are not moving as good as they should, but I don't know which physical therapists or doctors to see in Chicago to get more opinions so I can try to maximize both my hip's internal and external rotation. Although I seem to have plenty of external rotation already. It the internal rotation that's atrocious.

 

I guess I could also fly to see the best therapists or specialists for assessment.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

[Alessandro Mainente]

1 hour ago, Mitchell Rabushka said:

Hi Alessandro, thank you for your reply!

 

I was checked by an SSM physical therapist in Chicago today and she said I have capacity for 23 degrees internal rotation in my left hip and only 15 degrees internal rotation in my right hip. That's my capacity before she felt the femur bone meeting resistance which I guess could be a function of the shapes of the hip socket and/or the femur as they work together. Although I don't know if muscle tightness could have also been a limiting factor or not.

 

I don't know why I can't reach those end range motions the therapist found when I try to rotate the femur on it's (and the hips) own strength in the sitting position like in the video without any assistance from hands.  She gave me some strengthening exercises to do with bands as my leg turns into internal rotation and told me with time I will be able to generate a greater range of motion on my own.

 

However, I've been reading and watching videos on hip internal/external rotation and found out that as an adult you are stuck with a maximum hip internal rotation no matter how hard you try to increase it and will damage yourself if you try to go beyond your genetic capabilities.

 

It seems Olympic athletes are gifted with better genetics than most people and of course the one's that work the hardest and smartest achieve optimal results to win the gold.

 

I really feel like my hips are not moving as good as they should, but I don't know which physical therapists or doctors to see in Chicago to get more opinions so I can try to maximize both my hip's internal and external rotation. Although I seem to have plenty of external rotation already. It the internal rotation that's atrocious.

 

I guess I could also fly to see the best therapists or specialists for assessment.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

well , if there are genetic bone structural limitations it can be found with Xray.

[Mitchell Rabushka]

Thanks Alessandro!  I will get some x-rays to get to the facts.

[Joel Savell]

I have terrible internal rotation as well, which then translates to poor hip flexion.  Some people on the web talk about the so-called "Celtic hip", which suggests that certain people of Celtic ancestry (like myself) have deeper hip sockets, and at a different angle, than other ethnic groups.  This has advantages in producing rotational power from an upright position, such as in golf or boxing, but is also a major disadvantage for deep squats and tuck movements.