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If you’re in favor of the most productive hip stretches, you already know that sitting all day is brutal. Having a task in the workplace can be a real headache. And the back. And especially the hips. Hip stretching can help relieve much of this pain in the lower body, but knowing how to stretch your hip flexor muscles well is imperative or you risk injury.

The hip stretches listed below come directly from physical therapists and are the most highly recommended. Get in a position to move your hips like you’re Shakira and it’s 2006.

Tight hips are not an unusual problem; However, if you take this complaint to a physical therapist, expect follow-up questions. “There may be other reasons to believe or feel ‘tight hips,'” says Joel Roth, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, director of sports fitness at Select Medical and director of sports residency at NovaCare Rehabilitation in Philadelphia.

Dr. Roth explains that many other people with hip pain or stiffness will describe their discomfort as “tense,” but this is a complaint, not a clinical term. “Having a feeling of tight hips doesn’t necessarily mean a loss of movement diversity. “,” says Dr. Roth. It is vital to identify the cause of this feeling and treat it appropriately. “

This is where it helps to know a little about hip anatomy. Professor Michael Gross, PT, PhD, FAPTA at the University of North Carolina, explains that the hip is where the femur attaches to the pelvis; a union that bureaucracy the ball joint. There are two main portions of the hip joint, the femoral head (a ball-shaped piece of bone) and the acetabulum (a cavity in the pelvis that the femoral head fits into). There are 21 muscles that run the hip and are used for movement and stability. For this reason, if you go to a physical therapist complaining of hip pain, be prepared to be asked exactly where you are feeling the pain.

Dr. Gross and Dr. Roth say there are several important reasons for hip pain or stiffness. As mentioned earlier, spending a lot of time sitting is a major problem. “If you spend a lot of time sitting, the soft tissues in the front of the hip, the joint, the joint capsule in the front of the joint, the ligaments, and the front of the joint, will all be placed in a shorter position,” says Dr. Gross. These would be the hip flexor muscles, ligaments, and joint capsule. He explains that all the soft tissues in the body have a certain amount of elasticity, but if you keep them in a shorter position, they will have to shorten. This means that spending most of the day sitting can cause your hip flexors to tighten.

Hip discomfort or stiffness can also be genetic. Many genes are related to joint stiffness. Dr. Roth adds that other people with excessive mobility, underlying joint or muscle problems, lack of general fitness, or strength deficit may complain of hip stiffness.

If you’re already in pain, Dr. Gross recommends seeing a physical therapist. Hip stretches will actually be part of your prescription, but having a physical therapist advise them will ensure that they are performed in a way that doesn’t make your pain worse. To avoid hip pain or stiffness, hip stretches can help. This, Dr. Roth explains, is due to the diversity of movements.

Dr. Roth adds, “However, in my experience, combining stretching with strength training is a smart overall technique for achieving long-lasting gains. Hip strength training comes with compound movements in multiple planes, such as squats, step-ups, ups, bridges and deadlifts.

Yasser Salem, a professor of physical treatment at Hofstra University, PT, PhD, MS, NCS, PCS, says other exercise bureaucracies, such as walking, running, biking, yoga, and Pilates, are also helpful. “Other active people are less active Chances are to have tight hips,” he explains. In fact, Dr. Salem says that before or after a workout is the best time to spend five minutes doing some hip stretches. But he adds that you can also make them when needed. maximum convenient for you.

Not how to make them? Below are 10 PT-approved hip stretches.

An easy way to tell if your hips are tight is to sit on the floor, like a “criss-cross applesauce. ” If you can’t get in easily, your hips may want to be relaxed. Salem says that sitting cross-legged this way improves hip mobility, so try sitting this way when meditating or watching TV.

1. Sit on your butt and place your legs in front of you.

2. Bend your knees and place your foot under the opposite knee.

3. For a deeper stretch, place one foot on the opposite knee.

Both Dr. Salem and Dr. Roth proposed this hip stretch, which is a cobra pose that you might have done in a yoga class. In addition to being an excellent stretch for your hip flexors, it also stretches your lower back, which helps relieve back pain.

1. Lie face down and place your hands under your shoulders with your palms flat on the floor.

2. Press up by straightening your arms. Keep your hips flat against the floor while lifting the top of the frame. Hold this stretch for a full breath.

3. Gently lower your back. Do 10 repetitions.

The hamstrings are key hip extensors, so if they’re tight, it’s sure to have an effect on your hips. Improving hamstring flexibility helps develop the diversity of motion in the hips. That’s why Dr. Roth is so fond of this hip stretch, which targets your hip flexors and hamstrings.

1. Lie on your back near a door. Keep one leg flat on the floor at the open door while lifting the other leg opposite the wall.

2. Push your heel toward the door for 15 seconds. Relax. Do two to 4 repetitions.

Dr. Roth says another way to work the hamstrings (and therefore increase the diversity of hip movements) is to slide the hamstrings. He says it’s a smart dynamic stretch that can be done before exercising. Having the fundamental discs on hand makes this training easier. easier, although you can also use kitchen towels.

1. Lie on your back. Bend your knees and place your foot on a central disc. Place your arms on the floor, directly on either side of you.

2. Raise your pelvis while sliding your heels. Drive your heels back and your hamstrings. Return to the starting position.

3. Do 15 to 20 repetitions.

Here’s a hip flexor lift you can do in bed, via Dr. Gross. This stretch can help relieve discomfort or stiffness in your hip flexor muscles and relieve them, if you already enjoy them.

1. Sit at the foot of the bed and then lie on your back. Let one back end hang over the end of the bed.

2. Gently pull the knee of the opposite lower extremity toward the chest, keeping the back flat and the lower extremity away from the bed.

3. Hold this position for 30 seconds before returning to the original sitting position on the edge of the foot of the bed. Repeat on the side.

Both Dr. Gross and Dr. Roth say that lunges can save you or relieve hip discomfort. Roth is a specific fan of this stretch. It targets the hip flexors and buttocks. Relaxing those parts of your body will also help relieve or relieve back pain.

1. Get on your knees with one foot flat on the floor in front of you and your knee bent degrees.

2. Forward in the section. You feel the stretch in your hips. Hold for 15 seconds. Then transfer the sides.

The cross-legged hip rotator stretch targets the hips and outer thighs, which helps develop hip joint mobility. This is one of Dr. Roth’s favorite static hip stretches.

1. Lie on the floor. Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor. Extend your arms towards you.

2. Cross one leg over the other, hitting the ankle of the opposite knee.

3. Move your cross-leg knee away from the frame until you feel the stretch.

4. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Then transfer the sides. Do two to 4 repetitions.

You’re probably already familiar with the yoga pose for kids (possibly, but still savasana, the most productive part of the class) and Dr. Roth says it’s an exceptional static stretch for the hips and lower back. If you feel tense while holding this pose is a smart sign that you could gain advantages if you do it regularly.

1. Sit with your butt resting on your heels. Spread your knees wider than shoulder width apart.

2. Lean forward and make your hands bigger.

3. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.

If you do this stretch regularly, Dr. Roth says it will surely increase the mobility of your hips. This is either an internal hip rotation or an external hip rotation, which is why it is so effective at expanding mobility.

1. Sit down and enlarge your legs directly towards you.

2. Bend your right knee 90 degrees with respect to your body, keeping your entire leg on the floor.

3. Rotate your left leg and bend your left knee 90 degrees.

4. Keep your spine straight and interact with your core while maintaining the stretch. Lean forward from your hips while keeping your spine straight.

5. Press and hold for 30 seconds. Then, transfer the sides.

Here’s how to stretch your inner thighs at the same time as your hips. Roth says this hip stretch is a wonderful exercise to do as part of a warm-up before you head out for a run.

1. Get on all fours. Stretch one leg to the side. Your knee is straight and your feet are pointing forward.

2. Keeping your back flat, tilt your hips back while supporting the frame with your hands or elbows.

3. Hold the position for 10 seconds gently exiting the stretch.

It is worth repeating that if you have been suffering from hip pain lately, it is worth consulting a physiotherapist who can offer you a personalized plan and suggest suitable stretches to relieve your discomfort. But if what you prefer are general hip stretches to help save you. or relieve mild hip pain, it’s smart to perform the above stretches regularly.

And remember: physical activity helps save you and relieve discomfort and range of motion in your hip. Walking is smart for tight hip flexors, as well as other types of movement.

You may not be able to replace the fact that you’re stuck at a table for most of the day. But you can undo some of the damage that sitting can cause by doing certain stretches as part of your exercise routine or when you relax at night.

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