Tight hips can be caused by a lot of reasons and one of the most common is sitting for several hours a day. People who are experiencing tightness in their hip flexors usually lead to pain in the hip area and in some of the worst cases can be the cause of injuries as tight hips have increased demands on tissues that aren’t moving properly. Before you start experiencing these, it is better to prevent it by doing these simple stretches that will surely help you say good bye to those hip tightness and pain.
Pigeon Stretch
Commonly seen in yoga practices, this stretch can be used in everyday session of morning stretches that helps improve your mobility in hip flexor. Here’s an easy-to-follow guide on how to perform it:
- In a tabletop position, begin on your hands and knees.
- Bring your right knee forward and place it behind your right wrist.
- Place your right ankle in front of your left hip.
- Make sure your left knee is straight and your toes are pointed by straightening your left leg behind you.
- Keep your hips square.
- Gently lower yourself to the ground.
- Stay in this position for up to 10 seconds.
- Release the position by pushing on your hands, lifting your hips, and moving the legs back into your starting position on all fours.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Butterfly Stretch
This is very ideal for those who sits all day and needs a little stretch. It is also a great after-stretch for those who are into working-out.
- Start by sitting on the floor with both your legs stretched straight in front of you.
- Make sure the soles of your feet are together before moving your heels as close to your body as you can.
- Lean forward with a straight back.
- For a deeper stretch, push on your thighs with your elbows.
- Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
- Sitting Stretch
If you’re working in an office, this is a great stretch to try at your desk or even when you’re just lounging around in your living your while watching television. To do this stretch, just follow these simple steps:
- With your back straight, sit on a chair.
- Place your right ankle on your left knee.
- Fold your torso forward until you feel a gentle stretch.
- Hold for up to 60 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
As the name suggests, this stretch focuses most on stretching and loosening your hip flexor. Follow these easy steps and relieve your hip flexor from strain in no time.
- Start by kneeling on your right knee.
- With your left knee at a 90-degree angle, put your left foot on the floor.
- Drive your hip forward. Lean your torso forward while maintaining a straight back.
- Hold the position for 30 seconds.
Repeat 2 to 5 times with each leg, trying to increase your stretch each time.
There are a lot of stretches that can be done but these top four stretches sure do the job.