Hip, Knee & Ankle Pain: Chiropractic Care, Mobility & Strengthening Exercises
Simple Exercises for Better Lower-Body Strength, Stability & Movement
Your hips, knees, ankles, and feet work together every time you stand, walk, run, climb stairs, squat, exercise, or simply move throughout your day.
Because these areas are connected, the place you feel pain is not always the only area that needs attention.
At Jireh Chiropractic in Clearwater, Florida, we may evaluate your pelvis, hips, knees, ankles, joint mobility, muscle strength, balance, and overall movement patterns to better understand how your lower body is functioning.
When appropriate, care may include gentle chiropractic care, mobility exercises, strengthening exercises, or referral to another healthcare provider.
Can Chiropractic Care Help Hip, Knee or Ankle Pain?
We have helped many clients experiencing hip pain, knee discomfort, ankle problems, stiffness, weakness, and difficulty with everyday movement.
Clients are often surprised by how much better they feel when we look beyond only the area that hurts.
Your lower body works as a connected chain:
Pelvis → Hip → Knee → Ankle → Foot
For example, limited hip rotation or hip weakness can influence how your knee moves. Limited ankle mobility may change the way your knee and hip work during walking, squatting, or exercising.
When appropriate, chiropractic care may help support joint mobility and movement, while targeted exercises can strengthen the muscles responsible for controlling those joints.
Every person and condition is different, and results cannot be guaranteed. Your evaluation helps us determine what may be contributing to your symptoms and what type of care is appropriate.
Why Hip Mobility Is So Important
Your hip is designed to move in several directions—not simply forward and backward.
Healthy hip movement includes:
Flexion and extension
Abduction and adduction
Internal rotation
External rotation
When hip motion is limited, your body may compensate through your pelvis, lower back, knee, ankle, or foot.
That is why hip mobility and rotation are important parts of the lower-body exercises we may recommend.
1. Hip CARs
Hip CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations) take your hip slowly through a controlled circular range of motion.
The goal is not speed. The goal is control.
How to Perform a Hip CAR
Standing while holding onto something for balance, slowly:
Bring your knee upward.
Move the knee outward.
Rotate the hip.
Bring the leg behind you.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Then reverse the movement.
Keep the rest of your body as still as comfortably possible.
Hip CARs can help you practice actively controlling the available movement of your hip.
2. Seated 90/90 Hip Rotations
The 90/90 position is one of our favorite ways to work on both internal and external hip rotation.
Sit on the floor with both knees bent approximately 90 degrees.
One hip will be positioned more toward external rotation, while the other is positioned more toward internal rotation.
90/90 Hip Switches
Slowly rotate your knees from one side to the other while keeping the movement controlled.
Try not to rush or force yourself into a range that causes pain.
This exercise works both hips through internal and external rotation while also challenging your ability to control the movement.
3. Isolated Hip Internal Rotation
Internal rotation occurs when your femur, or thigh bone, rotates inward within the hip joint.
This motion is important for normal walking, running, squatting, and changing direction.
Isolated Leg Rotation
Position yourself so your leg can move without your pelvis doing all of the work.
Keeping the thigh controlled, slowly rotate the femur inward through a comfortable range and return.
A light resistance band may be added when appropriate.
The goal is to create movement from the hip—not simply twist the knee or foot.
4. Isolated Hip External Rotation
External rotation occurs when the femur rotates outward within the hip joint.
This motion is important for hip stability, squatting, changing direction, and many everyday movements.
Isolated External Rotation
Keep your pelvis controlled and slowly rotate the thigh outward from the hip.
You can begin without resistance and progress to a light band when appropriate.
Keep the movement slow and controlled rather than forcing additional range.
5. Gluteus Medius
Your gluteus medius is located along the side of your hip and helps stabilize your pelvis, particularly when walking or standing on one leg.
Exercises to Try
Side-lying leg raises
Banded side steps
Standing hip abduction
Cable hip abduction
Keep your pelvis controlled and avoid swinging your leg.
6. Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL)
The tensor fasciae latae, commonly called the TFL, assists with hip movement and stabilization.
Exercises to Try
Perform controlled standing hip abduction using:
Resistance bands
Cable resistance
Hip abduction machines
Focus on movement coming from your hip rather than leaning your entire body.
7. Psoas & Hip Flexors
Your psoas and other hip flexor muscles help bring your thigh toward your body.
You use them during walking, running, climbing stairs, and getting into or out of a vehicle.
Exercises to Try
Seated knee raises
Standing marches
Controlled lying leg raises
Resistance-band hip flexion
Cable hip flexion
Focus on keeping your pelvis controlled rather than using momentum.
8. Hip Adductors
Your adductors, commonly called your inner-thigh muscles, help move your leg toward the center of your body and contribute to hip and pelvic control.
Exercises to Try
Side-lying hip adduction
Ball or pillow squeezes
Resistance-band adduction
Cable hip adduction
Hip adduction machines
9. Gluteus Maximus
Your gluteus maximus is one of the body's primary hip extensors.
Strong glutes help with walking, standing, climbing stairs, squatting, running, and lifting.
Exercises to Try
Glute bridges
Hip thrusts
Squats
Lunges
Step-ups
Glute press machines
Begin with body weight when appropriate and gradually add resistance as your strength and control improve.
10. Piriformis & Deep Hip Rotators
The piriformis and other deep hip rotator muscles help control rotation of your femur and contribute to hip stability.
Exercises to Try
Banded clamshells
Controlled external rotation
90/90 hip rotations
Figure-4 mobility exercises
These exercises can be especially useful for improving your awareness and control of hip rotation.
11. Vastus Medialis — Inner Quadriceps
The vastus medialis is part of your quadriceps and is located along the inner portion of your thigh.
Its lower fibers are sometimes referred to as the VMO (vastus medialis oblique).
The vastus medialis works with the rest of your quadriceps to extend your knee and control movement around the knee and kneecap.
Exercises to Try
Controlled step-ups
Step-downs
Sit-to-stands
Squats
Split squats
Terminal knee extensions
Leg extensions when appropriate
Focus on keeping your hip, knee, ankle, and foot controlled throughout the movement.
12. Vastus Lateralis — Outer Quadriceps
The vastus lateralis is the large quadriceps muscle along the outside of your thigh.
Like the vastus medialis, it helps straighten the knee and contributes to overall knee control.
Exercises to Try
Squats
Lunges
Step-ups
Split squats
Leg press
Leg extensions
Rather than trying to completely isolate one quadriceps muscle by dramatically changing your foot position, focus first on good technique and balanced quadriceps strength.
Your chiropractor or physical therapist may recommend specific variations depending on what we find during your evaluation.
13. Popliteus & Knee Stability
The popliteus is a small muscle behind your knee that assists with knee movement and control.
Rather than attempting to completely isolate it, exercises that challenge controlled knee movement can be useful.
Exercises to Try
Mini-squats
Single-leg mini-squats
Hamstring curls
Step-ups
Controlled step-downs
Balance exercises
14. Tibialis Anterior
Your tibialis anterior runs along the front of your lower leg and helps lift your foot and toes upward.
This movement is especially important during walking.
Toe Raises
Keep your heels on the floor and slowly lift your toes toward you.
You can progress using:
Resistance bands
Additional repetitions
Light external resistance
Resistance-band dorsiflexion is another great option.
15. Fibularis Longus & Brevis
The fibularis longus and brevis, sometimes called the peroneal muscles, run along the outside of your lower leg and contribute to ankle movement and stability.
Band Ankle Eversion
Anchor a resistance band and slowly move your foot outward against resistance.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Focus on controlling the movement rather than simply moving through it quickly.
How Many Sets and Repetitions Should You Do?
Unless we give you different instructions, a general starting point for strengthening may be:
2–3 sets of 10–12 repetitions
Mobility exercises such as 90/90s and hip CARs may be performed differently depending on your individual needs.
Focus on:
Slow, controlled movement
Comfortable range of motion
Good technique
Steady breathing
Keeping your pelvis controlled
Keeping your knee tracking comfortably
Starting with light resistance
Gradually progressing as you become stronger
Quality of movement is more important than the amount of weight you use.
Why We Look at the Hip When Your Knee or Ankle Hurts
This is an important concept to understand.
Your knee sits between your hip and ankle.
If your hip has difficulty controlling the position of your femur, that can change the forces and movement occurring at your knee.
Likewise, limited ankle movement may cause your body to compensate at the knee or hip.
That's why an evaluation for knee discomfort may include much more than simply checking your knee.
We may look at:
Pelvis → Hip Mobility → Hip Rotation → Glute Strength → Knee Control → Ankle Mobility → Foot Function
The goal is to understand how the entire lower body is working together.
How Chiropractic Care and Lower-Body Exercises Work Together
At Jireh Chiropractic, we don't simply strengthen the place that hurts.
When appropriate, chiropractic care may help support joint mobility and function, while mobility and strengthening exercises help you develop better control of that movement.
Mobility + Strength + Stability = Better Movement
This approach may be helpful for people dealing with lower-body discomfort related to everyday activities, exercise, sports, repetitive stress, or changes in mobility.
When Should You Stop an Exercise?
Some muscle fatigue can be normal during strengthening.
Sharp, significant, or worsening pain should not simply be pushed through.
Stop and contact your chiropractor or healthcare provider if you experience:
Sharp or increasing pain
New numbness or tingling
Significant weakness
New or worsening swelling
A knee or ankle repeatedly giving way
Inability to comfortably bear weight
Dizziness
Symptoms that continue to worsen after exercising
Never force your hip into a deeper 90/90 position or rotation simply because you think you "should" have more mobility.
Hip, Knee & Ankle Chiropractor in Clearwater, Florida
If you are searching for a chiropractor in Clearwater for hip pain, knee pain, ankle pain, stiffness, weakness, or limited mobility, an evaluation can help determine what may be contributing to your symptoms.
At Jireh Chiropractic, we serve individuals and families throughout Clearwater, Safety Harbor, Dunedin, and surrounding Pinellas County communities.
We look beyond the place that hurts and evaluate how your pelvis, hips, knees, ankles, and surrounding muscles are moving and functioning together.
When appropriate, care may include gentle chiropractic adjustments, mobility exercises, hip rotation exercises, and strengthening recommendations to support better movement and function.
If your examination indicates that imaging, medical evaluation, physical therapy, or another healthcare provider is needed, we will recommend the appropriate next step.
Already a Jireh Chiropractic Client?
If we sent you this page following your examination or adjustment, you do not need to perform every exercise listed here.
Focus on the specific areas and exercises we recommended based on your evaluation.
If you don't remember which exercise you should perform—or you're unsure about your resistance, repetitions, or technique—please ask us.
We would rather help you perform an exercise correctly than have you guess.
Our goal is for you to understand what you're doing, why you're doing it, and how it fits into your care.
Important Exercise Disclaimer
This information is provided by Jireh Chiropractic for general educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat a medical condition or replace individualized medical advice.
Not every exercise is appropriate for every person or condition. Consult your chiropractor or another qualified healthcare professional before beginning a new exercise program, particularly if you have an existing injury, significant pain, numbness, weakness, swelling, balance problems, or other concerning symptoms.
Perform exercises only within a comfortable range and with appropriate resistance. Do not force joint mobility or rotation. Stop if an exercise causes significant pain or worsening symptoms. Individual recommendations and results vary based on each person's condition and examination findings.