But stretches for tight hips do more than improve your hip mobility. If you suffer from lower back pain, pelvic floor issues, or general daily soreness that stops you from living life to the fullest, they could be the answer.
As ageing often leads to weak hips, stretches for tight hips, like the ones we've got below, can be some of the best exercises for longevity.
"Wear and tear with age is one of the primary reasons hips hurt more as you age," says Suresh Sudula, a musculoskeletal specialist, consultant msk physiotherapist, and regenerative medicine specialist at Jorja Healthcare Group. "Ageing also results in muscle weakness and reduced flexibility, essential for maintaining joint health. This, combined with lifestyle factors such as poor posture, weight gain, and a lack of movement, can also cause hip pain."
Here at woman&home, we've spoken to Mr Sudula and Helen O'Leary, a physiotherapist and certified instructor at Complete Pilates, who reveals her go-to stretches and mobility exercises.
Best stretches for tight hips
1. Bent knee opening
"Bent knee opening is a great beginner exercise for rotational hip mobility," says O'Leary. "It focuses on moving the thigh in a way that isolates motion at the hip joint itself. The hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint, located behind the crease where your thigh meets the front of your body."
Here's how to do it:
- Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor. You may be more comfortable on top of a yoga mat.
- Gently move one knee out to the side, allowing your foot to roll onto its outer edge. Only move as far as you can keep the pelvis flat on the floor.
- Gently roll the knee back in, then move the other knee out to the side.
- Repeat 2 sets of 10 on each side, says O'Leary.
2. Side-to-side stretch
- Lie on your back with your arms out to the side and your knees raised. Place your feet flat on the ground.
- Let both knees tip over to one side.
- Exhale and bring your knees back to the starting position, then let them tip over to the other side of your body.
- Repeat this four to six times on either side.
3. Hip flexor stretch
"The hip flexor stretch is helpful for increasing the range of the hip into extension - where the leg goes behind the body," says O'Leary. "If we have a limitation in the front of the hips, we may shorten our stride length during walking or running, which may reduce forward movement during these activities. It is also great for counteracting sitting."
Here's how to do it:
- Kneel on the floor, then bring one leg out in front of you so that you are effectively in a kneeling lunge position.
- Tuck your bottom under and then shift your weight forward.
- Maintain an upright posture, keeping your hips square.
- For more stretch - side bend towards the side of the front leg, reaching your arm over at the same time.
4. Sumo squat
You'll find a sumo squat very easy if you already know how to do a regular squat. "This is a great functional exercise, combining strength with mobility," says O'Leary.
Here's how to do it:
- Stand, with your legs wide.
- Turn the feet out to a ‘10 to 2’ position on an imaginary clockface. Make sure the centres of your kneecaps are also pointing to 10 to 2.
- Sending your knees out over your toes, bend your knees, to lower yourself into a squat.
- Lean forward slightly to allow a natural movement.
- Imagine pressing the floor away with your feet as you push up.
- Keep your heels on the ground throughout and your toes long and relaxed, says O'Leary.
Benefits of stretches for tight hips
1. Improves hip mobility
Having a reduced range of movement in your hips can make daily life difficult, O'Leary says. From getting in and out of the car to doing your favourite Pilates home workout, we need relatively flexible hips for external rotation and abduction (where the legs move out to the sides). Doing hip stretches like these can help.
But the physiotherapist notes that everyone's hip mobility will be different, and it can have nothing to do with tight muscles. "We all have different hip anatomy, and some people will have less range as they have a deeper hip socket," she says. "There is no benefit to forcing the range here, as the limitation isn't always coming from tight muscles, as many believe," she says.
2. May help prevent lower back pain
"Tight hips can make it harder to move your legs and add pressure on the lower back and knees," says Mr Sudula.
As many of us develop tight hips from spending lots of time sitting down, hip openers are the perfect desk exercise. "They are great for counteracting the positions we spend more time in as they help to maintain flexibility in the muscles and other soft tissues, which are less commonly stretched," says O'Leary.
If you spend a lot of time sitting, the physiotherapist has another exercise for you: Supta Baddha Konasana (reclined cobbler pose). "This is a fabulous opportunity to relax as well. Muscle tension can be a source of discomfort, so adopting a supported pose of relaxation can help," she says.
3. Improves pelvic floor health
You don't need to invest in a pricey (but effective) pelvic floor trainer to build a stronger pelvic floor, the experts say. "Studies have even shown that hip strengthening can help improve symptoms of stress incontinence and other pelvic floor dysfunction," says Mr Sudula.
These exercises help reduce muscle strain and help align the pelvis and spine.
4. May help prevent incontinence
"A lot of people don't realise that your hip muscles also contribute to bladder control and even sexual function," says Mr Sudula.
So, by boosting hip mobility and strength, you can help prevent incontinence and other bladder issues with age.
5. Improves strength
Given that hip stretches often feature in beginner Pilates workouts, it should come as no surprise that these movements help build strength. But, it's a benefit many people don't know about, says O'Leary.
"Not many people will think of hip opening exercises as promoting strength, but again, as a physiotherapist, I know the importance of strength around the joints," she says. "We also need control and stability, so it is important to strengthen, and we may want to improve strength in those functional end-range positions, like the sumo squat."
How long does it take to loosen tight hips?
How long it takes to loosen your tight hips will depend on how much time you devote to these stretches. According to the NHS, it can take a few weeks up yo a few months to notice improvements.
You'll need a "consistent practice of targeted exercises and stretches" to get there, the advice says, and "most problems" improve within just six weeks.
Looking to liven up your stretching? Try one of the best stretching apps to incorporate new movements into your routine.
Why do hip openers make you cry?
It's a common belief that hip opening exercises can help release tension and emotion, but unfortunately, it's not why they feel so good. "There are some theories that one of the large muscles that spans from the lumbar region to the hip, the psoas, can store emotional tension and trauma, but this is not widely accepted in scientific circles and certainly not something I would be trying to address with physio or Pilates," says O'Leary.
However, hip openers can be a great way to alleviate stress. "Many people are prone to ignoring signs of stress and trying to power through," she says. "They may not be aware they are holding in muscle tension, and hip opener exercises are very supportive, so this invites letting go of tension."
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