Are Rowing Machines Good for Bad Hips?

Nobody wants nagging joint pain to get in the way of staying healthy and fit. Even so, not every form of exercise is good for every person. Take bad hips, for example. If you have chronic hip pain from something like arthritis, bursitis, an injury, or a hip replacement, you don’t want to be doing workouts that will make it worse. Instead, you should focus on workouts that strengthen your body and support your hip joints without exacerbating pain. 

So, can a rowing machine do that? Are rowing machines good for bad hips? Why yes, they are!

Let’s dive into why.

The benefits of rowing for people with bad hips

Rowing on a rowing machine offers many benefits for people with bad hips. These include:

• It’s a full-body workout

• It strengthens the muscles around the hip

• It offers low-impact cardio

Rowing is a full-body workout

When people have bad hips, their instinct is often to limit movement in that particular area in fear of making the pain or discomfort worse. Rowing offers a full-body workout—engaging the calves, hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps, back, core, and arms—all without putting any specific pressure on the joints, including the hips.

Rowing strengthens the muscles around the hip

One of the most effective ways to lessen or (in some cases, eliminate) joint pain is to strengthen the muscles around that joint. When you do this, you’re building up the muscles that can then take some of the load and pressure off the joint, reducing inflammation and curbing pain. 

Rowing primarily targets several large lower-body muscle groups such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors, and glutes, which are the largest muscles supporting the pelvis and hips. People with bad hips can promote the overall mobility of their hips and reduce pain by strengthening these muscles (as well as the core muscles) and doing additional stretching. 

Rowing offers low-impact cardio

Many go-to forms of cardio, like running, dancing, or plyometrics, are very high-impact on the joints of the lower body, especially the hips. With rowing, you can get the cardiovascular benefits to support your health-boosting or calorie-burning goals without the impact on the hips.

Rowing with bad hips: Risks and considerations

If you do decide to try out rowing with bad hips, there are a few factors you should keep in mind:

Potential strain from improper form

Rowing is low-impact on the hips, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t part of the rowing movement at all. The body swing, in which you lean back slightly after straightening your legs and then lean forward before bending them again, is a crucial part of the stroke that engages the hips. If you don’t lean back enough at the Finish, you risk maintaining a crunched, body-over position in the hips throughout the workout that could actually worsen your pain. 

Overuse injuries

These are a risk with any form of exercise, not just rowing.. While you can row every day if you want to, having bad hips could increase your chance of exacerbating your pain during workouts or experiencing tangential injuries. 

Adjusting intensity

One of the great things about rowing is that you can get an exceptional, full-body workout at any intensity. While rowing is safe for people with bad hips, it’s always recommended to start rowing at an intensity that meets you where you’re at, especially if you’re new to the activity. 

Listening to your body is always key, along with slowly increasing your intensity over time as you improve and build capacity. 

Tips for staying safe when using a rowing machine with bad hips

Stay safe and protect your hips with these tips:

Start slow

As with any new workout, you want to start slow and see how your body feels. This is especially key if you haven’t rowed before, as the movement can take some getting used to. Try a few 10-minute or beginner rowing workouts before moving on to longer, more challenging ones.

Focus on technique

As we mentioned earlier, rowing with proper technique is key to making sure the movement is supportive and not damaging for your hips. Take some time to practice proper form at low stroke rates and low intensities before rowing harder and faster. It’s much easier to lose your technique at higher stroke rates—especially the body swing, which is important to making rowing work for your hips. 

Warm up and cool down

The last thing you want to do during your workout (especially if you’re rehabbing or working through an existing injury or ailment) is hurt yourself. One of the best ways to minimize your injury risk is to take the time to warm up before your workout and cool down after. Warming up will ensure that your muscles are warm, loose, supple, and ready to work, while cooling down will reduce post-workout soreness. 

Make modifications

The rowing stroke is super easy to adjust based on your fitness level, body type, and any existing or lingering injuries like bad hips. Pay attention to how your body and your hips feel as you row, then modify accordingly. Some adjustments you may need to make include:

• Lowering the resistance if you experience pain in your hips during the Drive, or when you push back with the legs.

• Shortening your stroke (not bringing your butt as close to your heels) if you experience pain in your hips at the Catch, or the front of the stroke.

• Shortening your rowing sessions if you start to experience pain or fatigue in your hips towards the end of your workout.

• Rowing at a lower stroke rate to encourage proper rowing technique.

Let’s get rowing!

If you have bad hips, rowing offers a low-impact, full-body workout that can help you reap the benefits of a regular fitness regimen without making your joint pain worse. And, if you’re looking for a high-quality home rowing machine that offers challenging, engaging workouts in rowing and other formats, consider Hydrow. The sleek, attractive rower delivers immersive classes on an HD screen, plus a supportive community that will help you crush your goals. 

Learn more about the benefits of rowing and a Hydrow rowing machine today!