Lateral band walk
The lateral band walk is side stepping with a loop band around your ankles, keeping some tension in the band the whole time. It works the muscles at the side of your hips (gluteus medius and minimus) on both legs: the stepping leg pushes out against the band while the standing leg holds your pelvis steady. It often shows up in hip, knee and ankle programs once standing hip abduction feels easy.
How to do the lateral band walk
- Put a loop band around both ankles. Stand tall with your hands on your hips and your feet about hip width apart, so the band already has some tension.
- Keep your knees soft, not locked, and point your toes and knees straight ahead.
- Take a step to the side with one foot, pushing out against the band. Keep your body upright and your hips level.
- Bring the other foot in only part of the way, so the band stays tight. Do not let your feet come together.
- Take the number of steps your program sets in one direction, then step back the other way.
What you should feel
Work at the side of both hips, often as much in the standing leg as the stepping one. A burning feeling toward the end of a set is common.
Common mistakes
- Letting the feet come together so the band goes slack.
- Swaying the upper body from side to side with each step.
- Letting the knees fall inward or the toes turn out.
- Taking big, fast steps instead of small, controlled ones.
How often
Many programs start with a light band and 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 steps each way, once a day. Your physio will adjust this and pick the band for you.
Stop and check with your physio if
- Sharp pain in the hip, groin, knee or lower back.
- Pain spreads down the leg, or you get numbness or tingling.
- You feel unsteady or close to tripping over the band.
From the clinic
In parts of the video the feet come close together and the band goes loose for a moment. Keep some tension in the band on every step, as the voice guide says, so the hip muscles keep working. Where the band sits changes how hard it feels. Around the ankles, as shown here, is harder than just above the knees, so moving it up is an easy way to make the walk lighter. If the steps still pull you into a lean, go back to standing hip abduction with a band or clamshells for a while.
Walk along a kitchen counter or a clear wall so you can touch it if you lose your balance, and move rugs and furniture out of the way first. If you have had a hip replacement or other hip surgery, get the go-ahead from your surgeon or physio before you try lateral band walks. Some operations limit this kind of work for the first months, so the timing depends on your surgery. Some surgical approaches hold back resisted side leg movements, so check before you add a band.
Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-26.
This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.
