You can tell which yoga poses to avoid with hip arthritis. For example, if you feel pain when you do the lunge pose, you know that pose is not suitable for you.  However, this does not mean that you have to stop doing yoga because there is yoga for osteoarthritis of the hip. 

Yoga poses to avoid with hip pain

Below are some of the poses you should avoid:

• Warrior Pose: You have to balance your weight on one leg, making your hip pain worse. You will feel the pain the moment you place your other foot down. 
• Knee to chest pose:  This pose has many therapeutic benefits, but you should not do it if you have hip pain.  It may feel fine when your knee is close to your chest, but you will feel pain shooting through your hip when you let go upon straightening your leg.
• Pigeon Pose: You just can’t avoid pain with this pose because it demands a lot from your hips.  Some people do the 90/90 degrees variation of the Pigeon Pose because it is gentler and more accessible.
• Reclining bound angle pose: To do this pose, you need to lie on your back and rotate your hips outward as you bring your feet towards you. Moving your hips while in this pose can cause terrible pain if you have hip arthritis. 

Best yoga for osteoarthritis of the hip

Yoga will not make your arthritis worse because many yoga poses require flowing movements and allow you to use props to aid your balance.  Some of the best yoga poses for hip pain are:

• Dynamic snow angel legs:  Lie on your back with arms on your sides and your legs flat on the floor close together. Inhale and spread your legs wide on the floor and then exhale as you bring your legs back to the center.
• Dynamic reclined hip stretches: Lie on your back with legs straight and then inhale as you raise your arms overhead and back toward the floor. Then bend your right knees and bring your hands to hold the knee. Inhale and then use your right hand to guide your knee toward the right gently, and then exhale and use your left hand to guide the knee six inches over to the left. 
• Inhale and guide your knee back to the center, and then hold the back of your leg and straighten your leg toward the ceiling. Then inhale, bend your knee, let go of your foot, take your foot to the floor, and straighten your leg on the ground. Repeat the same movements with your left knee.
• Dynamic Locust Pose: Lie on your stomach and inhale as you lift your chest and your right knee without bending your leg. Then exhale as you move your chest and right leg back to the floor. Repeat the same movements for your left leg.

It’s better to go to a trained yoga instructor to show you alternatives to yoga poses to avoid with hip arthritis.