Your hips and your athletic performance

A basketball player's ability to pivot and jump. A runner's ability to propel the legs forward. It all comes down to the strength and flexibility of the hips. Yet, the hips are often overlooked as one of the body's most important sources of power and force, especially in athletes.

Many people don't know that the hips carry most of our weight. The hip joint where the upper end of the thigh bone meets the pelvis is associated with over 15 muscles including the hip flexors, extensors, rotators, abductors and adductors. Decreased mobility in this joint can make simple moves like squatting or scooping up a ball feel like a herculean task.

Hip pain or lack of mobility is often the result of repetitive overuse in sports that require a lot of jumping and twisting, as well as poor body movements.

"They are crucial for athletes involved in pivoting, cutting and twisting sports," explained John Salvo, Jr., clinical associate professor of orthopaedic surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Rothman Institute. "We see a lot of athletes who don't have good hip mechanics or a good core. The less flexible you are the more you will have problems. We are also seeing more patients with muscular deficits."

The tricky thing about a hip injury is that it often presents as lower back pain or pain in the knees or ankles, making it more difficult to diagnose. For example, runners suffering from Iliotibial Band Syndrome often present first with knee pain.

The most common hip condition that Dr. Salvo sees is Femoroacetabular impingement where the bones of the hips are misshapen and do not fit together properly causing tears in the cartilage. While most patients will see improvement with activity modification and rehabilitation, those with severe impingement might need surgical intervention to preserve the hip for as long as possible.

To strengthen your hips, Dr. Salvo recommends not isolating the glutes and quads in exercise, but having all of the muscles work together. "A strong core program can help," he added.

Try adding leg raises, bridges and squats to your fitness routine. The Bird Dog, where you get on all fours and extend one arm out in front of you while at the same time extending your opposite leg out behind you, is also a great way to strengthen your hips. Stretching your hip flexor with a foam roller can also help with tightness.

Read more Sports Doc for Sports Medicine and Fitness.