4 Stretches to Help Your Hips

July 9, 2019
Physical Therapy

Your hips, in fact, do not lie (especially when it comes to pain)! If there is pain when you walk, stand, squat, or lie down, there are ways to help combat that tightness or soreness. Of course, the absolute best thing you can do if this pain is disrupting your daily activities is to see a physical therapist. But there are some things you can do in the mean time to keep your hips happy and healthy enough to shake! These four hip stretches may alleviate some pain that you might be feeling in your hip joint area.

1. Hip Flexor

This part of your body affects your lower back and can become tight if you sit a lot. To stretch the hip flexor:

Keep one foot planted.
Step the other foot forward and bend it slightly at the knee while lunging forward.
Bring the arm on the side that has the planted foot up and over your body.

2. Hamstring

To stretch this part of your body:

Bring one foot up on a table, stool, or another item to get it elevated.
Sit your body back and hinge forward at the hips.
If you’re particularly flexible, reach for your toes of the foot that is elevated.

Bringing those toes towards you, as well, will make it a more aggressive stretch in your hamstring if you think you need a little extra push. If you tuck your chin down during this stretch, you might even feel the stretch down your back as well.

3. Inner Thigh

Staying in the same position as the hamstring stretch, turn your body to the side that has the leg firmly on the ground.

This stretch is an easy way to stretch multiple parts of your body all at one time.

4. Outer Thigh

Cross one leg in front of the other.
Keep your weight on just one leg that is planted firmly on the ground.
Take the arm on the same side of your body that has the leg planted and reach up and over to the other side of your body.

You might even feel this stretch all the way up your arm for this one.

Things to keep in mind!

Hold these hip stretches for 3-5 minutes each. This shouldn’t be a quick activity and it shouldn’t be straining. Listen to your body! Only do medium to mild stretches. Don’t make it feel like you’re tugging at your muscles. Also, always make sure you are moving your body when you can. Our bodies were meant to move and our hips were meant to shake, so make sure you are getting up and getting your feet moving whenever you get the chance!