Hip, Phase 4 · Exercise 3 of 4 HP-4 #3

Hip Airplanes

Clinical content from the Auto Injury Chiropractic home rehab program. Final clinical reviewer: Dr. Seth Hill, DC. How we review content

Advanced hip control with rotation

These exercises are for education. After a car accident or injury, get checked by a provider before you start. They do not replace an exam.

Dose1 time a day, 5 slow reps each side

You needA wall or counter for balance (recommended)

Demonstration video: Hip Airplanes (Progressions & Regressions) (Momenta Chiropractic). Follow the steps on this page if the video differs.

Photos

Hip Airplanes: T position: hinged forward, standing leg steady — T position: hinged forward, standing leg steady

Hip Airplanes: Rotating open from the T position — Rotating open from the T position

Why it helps

Hip airplanes train your hip to control rotation while you balance on one leg. This is an advanced single-leg control exercise. It teaches your hip to stay stable when your body twists, which happens constantly in normal life.

How to do it

Stand on one leg with a soft bend in the knee. Reach the other leg behind you. Arms out to the sides like airplane wings.
Slowly hinge forward at the hips into a "T" position (like the bottom of a single-leg deadlift). Lifted leg straight back, body almost parallel to floor.
From the T position, slowly rotate your top hip OPEN (toward the ceiling). Then slowly rotate it back to neutral.
Repeat the open-and-close 3 to 5 times in the T position. Keep your standing-leg hip stable.
Slowly return to standing. Do 5 reps each side, with multiple rotations per rep.

Too hard? Try this

Hold a wall with one hand for balance. Or skip the rotation and just hold the T position for 5 seconds.

Too easy? Try this

Take your hand off the wall completely. Or slow down the rotation to 3 seconds in each direction.

Common mistakes

You wobble too much to control the rotation.
Your standing-leg hip drops as you rotate.
Your back rounds in the T position.

You should feel

Strong work in the standing-side buttock and the entire side of the hip.
Controlled rotation.

You should not feel

Sharp low back pain.
Sharp knee pain on the standing leg.

Stop right away if

Sharp low back pain.
Sharp groin pain.
Loss of balance with falling.
Hip clicking, locking, or giving way.

If you are one of our current patients, call the clinic and inform your provider right away, or seek emergency care right away. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

Research behind this program