In my last labral tear update I wrote that an habituated Trauma Reflex is always a part of the posture of someone with a labral tear. Whether you get surgery for your tear or not it is critically important to regain full muscle function of the muscles of the somatic center if you’re ever going to move efficiently again.
My daily pain relief tips for hip pain
Pandiculation – first thing in the morning! I never get out of bed without pandiculating. I wake 
up and take a few minutes to yawn out my arms and legs – my own natural version of the Human X – “hike” my hips up and down, and twist the center of my body, letting my head and neck move with the movement (like the Washrag).
A daily Somatics routine of between 10 – 15 minutes, morning and evening.
- Arch and Flatten – sometimes moving into the Flower (especially if I’ve done a lot of computer work that day).
- Cross Lateral Arch and Curl
- Back Lift
- Arch and Curl with psoas release
- Side Bend – I prefer the “arm sweep variation“
- Washrag (or Steeple Twist)
- Walking Exercises
A varied routine, with movements such as:
- Hip Lift and Reach
- Propeller
- Arch and Curl with Psoas Release (find it here on Laura Gates’ DVD)
- Arch and Flatten with Cactus Arms
- Side lying shoulder and hip circles (relaxed shoulders help release the hips)
- Seated Somatics
- Standing Somatics (from my book)
Pandiculate often during the day! I make movements up: rolling my hips, shoulders, squatting, 
reaching my arms up, twisting our my center, swinging my arms, bending to the side.
Stand up frequently if you’re doing desk work. I stand up frequently and do “Reach to the Top Shelf,” sometimes 15 times a day!
Sun Salutation – done very slowly and somatically. I take all the time I need to sense the flow of the movement without stretching or holding stretches. I do about 3 rounds 3-4 times a week.
Walking, walking and walking. Walking integrates my movement and allows me to coordinate the whole body. Walking is, after all, the most important movement any human being needs to be able to do easily and efficiently.
Stair climbing or hill walking. Incorporating stairs or a hill allows me to strengthen and coordinate my hips, back, legs and waist within a functional movement. I can really tell what’s out of balance when I go up and down stairs. It gives me a chance to go back, notice what’s not moving as freely and see how I can tweak it.
In my next post I’ll share with you movements that don’t feel good for me considering that I have a labral tear. They might feel good to those with no structural hip issues, but not for me! So I honor what my body has to tell me and stay away from them. There are so many movement choices, why stick with something that doesn’t feel good?
Pain Relief Through Movement 
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Thank you sooo much for this post! It’s a goldmine of exercises and ideas; I’ve been revisiting it often to expand my routines. It’s great because it also gives me a sense that even 30 minutes a day can make a big difference.
(about me: I’m in my early 30s, had arthroscopic hip surgery for a labral tear about 2 years ago. Have studied Alexander Technique and Feldenkrais, also got a lot of Muscle Activation Technique therapy post-surgery.)
Hi Frances,
You’re so welcome! I’m thrilled that my experience can help you feel better and move better. It’s great that you already have a background in somatic modalities with Feldenkrais and Alexander Technique, too. Just continue to bring in functional daily movement for strength and FUN and you’ll be moving well for a very long time!
All the best,
Martha
Hi, I am 40 and have the beginnings of osteoarthritis in one hip (from surgery to the neck of the femur) I don’t have pain but stiffness. I have Martha’s pain-free leg and hip DVD but struggle with some exercises such as the seated hamstring pandiculations because I haven’t got the flexibility to bring my knee up without arching my lower back. Should I leave such exercises or could I use aids such as straps?
Hi Patricia,
Don’t worry about the hamstring pandiculations. While they’re nice, they’re generally not necessary to freeing up the muscles of the waist and trunk that contribute to chronic hip stiffness and/or pain. You would do better to focus on the more basic movements, like the back lift, side bend, washrag, hip lift and reach…rather than fuss with the hamstring work.
Straps are never a good idea. Why? You are more likely to go into a stretch when you use a strap. Refer back to my website article and blog articles about stretching versus pandiculation. Stretching with a strap will make you tighter. Take things slowly and patiently. And of course, if you have a practitioner in your area, do a few hands-on clinical sessions and take some classes in order to learn more and become more aware and skillful in your movement. It’s all a process.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Martha