Improve your hip flexibility and relieve lower back pain with this five-stretch routine.
Hips don’t get the care and attention they deserve.
What Happens If I Don’t Stretch My Hips Enough?
Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong
Matney adds that many other smaller muscles that act on the hip can become tight from inactivity too.
(In the worst case, you may need surgery.)
Knee pain might even result, largely because that tightness causes changes in your gait.
Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong
Consistency is key, so you’ll want to do these stretches daily.
To Stretch Hip Flexors: Lunges
Start by standing with feet together.
Step right leg back until heel is flat on floor; then lift up on ball of right foot.
Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong
Release and switch sides.
Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds.
Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds Release and switch sides.
Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong
Place right foot on left thigh, right above left knee.
With left hand, grasp right knee, pulling it gently toward chest and then left shoulder.
Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds.
Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong
Release and switch sides.
If you don’t feel it, widen the legs a little.
Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong
Release and switch sides.
Keeping right leg and back straight, push right hip out.
If you should probably bend left knee, that’s okay.
Illustration of sitting stretch with spine rotation.Grace Canaan
Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
Release and switch sides.
Slowly rotate to one side and then back to the center.
Hip stretch: Standing Hip Car.Grace Canaan
Repeat on the other side.
Valant recommends doing 10 reps on each side.
Then take it out to the side and lower it back down.
Hip Stretch: Mobility Lunge.Grace Canaan
Repeat in the opposite direction.
Do this same process for the opposite leg.
To Stretch Hip Flexors : Standing Mobility Lunge
Here’s another one for the hip flexors.
Then, you straighten that knee you were lunging and press back so your leg is now straight.
you could think of it like a standing runner’s lunge.
