What “Healthy Hips” Really Means
When people talk about hip health, the conversation usually starts, and ends, with flexibility. Stretch your hip flexors. Open your hips. Sit less. While those ideas aren’t wrong, they’re incomplete.
In this Perform For Life Workshop, Dr. Josh Funk, Founder & CEO of Rehab 2 Perform, breaks down what truly defines healthy hips—and why chasing flexibility alone often misses the mark.
Hips: Built for More Than Just Mobility
Your hips are a central hub for human movement. They connect your lower body to your trunk, allowing you to walk upright, absorb force, transfer energy, and create power. Whether you’re running, lifting, or simply getting out of a chair, your hips are doing far more than just moving through range.
That’s why Dr. Funk emphasizes three key qualities of hip health:
- Access – Can you get into the positions your life or sport demands?
- Control – Can you own those positions without compensating?
- Tolerance – Can your hips handle load, volume, and speed over time?
Flexibility without strength or control doesn’t hold up under real-world demands.
Understanding Hip Pain Differently
One of the most important reframes from the workshop: hip pain is often a signal, not a verdict.
Pain doesn’t automatically mean damage or surgery. More often, it’s feedback that something in your movement, training, or recovery needs to change. If your symptoms improve as you warm up or move more, that’s a strong sign the issue is modifiable.
Instead of immediately stopping all activity, the goal is awareness—and smarter decisions.
Simple Hip Self-Checks You Can Do at Home
These checks aren’t diagnostics, but they are powerful tools for awareness:
- Supine knee-to-chest comparisons (left vs. right)
- Straddle or adductor flexibility checks
- 90-90 hip internal and external rotation
- Single-leg balance and reach variations
- Isometric holds like single-leg planks, Copenhagen planks, and bridges
Asymmetries or discomfort don’t mean panic—they point you toward what needs attention.
Modify—Don’t Just Rest
One of the biggest takeaways: rest isn’t the only option.
Dr. Funk outlines key “dials” you can adjust to stay active while respecting symptoms:
- Range of motion
- Load
- Volume
- Intensity
- Speed
Reducing squat depth, slowing tempo, or lowering volume often beats stopping altogether. Movement—done intelligently—is often part of the solution.
When to Tag in a Professional
Self-management has limits. It’s time to seek help if:
- Symptoms last more than 2–4 weeks
- Pain worsens despite smart modifications
- You experience night pain, catching, or giving way
- Confidence in movement starts to drop
Working with a Physical Therapist early can prevent small issues from becoming major setbacks.
Build the Baseline. Perform for Life.
Healthy hips aren’t about perfection—they’re about options. More movement choices. More resilience. A higher “floor” for performance and daily life.
And above all else, recovery matters. Sleep remains the single most important factor for tissue health, adaptation, and long-term performance.
At Rehab 2 Perform, hip health isn’t about just getting out of pain, it’s about building a body that’s Ready 2 Perform today and Perform For Life tomorrow.
Join us at our new Perform for Life Workshop! Get all the details HERE
About Rehab 2 Perform
Rehab 2 Perform is a cutting-edge health and wellness company changing expectations of the healthcare experience. With 14+ locations across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region, R2P delivers a gym-based, movement-driven approach to rehabilitation and performance. The company’s team of physical therapists is dedicated to helping individuals of all ages and abilities move, feel, and perform better for life. Schedule Now