5 Beginner Yoga Poses for Tight Hips and Lower Back Pain.

Practicing hip opening poses regularly are crucial in any yoga practice, they release the lower back and hips that make other poses possible.

Tight hips have become a common problem in our modern world where we spend a lot of time sitting. Practicing hip-opening yoga poses regularly will relieve pain in the hip area caused by tight muscles.

By understanding the link between our sedentary lifestyles and tight hips we can lean to loosen those tight hips and relieve tension and discomfort.

I have put together 5 beginner friendly yoga poses you can do to open your tight hips while building strength and flexibility.

What Causes Tight Hips?

When sitting for prolonged periods tension accumulates in our backs, shoulders, and hips. Also, when sitting at a desk all day your hip muscles are in a shortened state for a long time every day. Even when we do certain exercises like cycling and weight training our hip muscles are flexed (in a shortened state) and over time this causes them to become tight and the muscles weak.

This combination will negatively impact your posture, your ability to walk and the stability of your spine.

Tight hips might even cause spinal misalignments or long-term damage.

Can Tight Hips Cause Pain?

Your hips are made of a many different muscles that connects the femur to the hip joint. These muscles stabilize the pelvis while you are moving.

Because this is such a complex group of muscles, tight hip joints might cause you to feel pain in your legs or lower back.

The two most common tight muscle groups are the hip flexors and external hip rotators. If your hip flexors and external rotators are tight the next closest place of mobility will be sacrificed. This usually cause pain in the lumbar spine and sciatica.

Yoga is one of the best ways to relieve and cure hip related pain quickly and safely.

Tight Hips Can Affect Your Range of Motion.

Tight hips are not only uncomfortable, but it also affects your active range of motion like the depth of your squat or lunges. Regularly practicing hip opening poses will help loosen tight hips, thereby improving your range of motion and circulation.

When working on your hip flexibility and mobility it is important to realize that stretching the muscles and strengthening the muscles are equally important. These muscles are stabilized by connective tissue that holds them together. Although these connective tissues provide stability, they also need to be flexible enough for you to move functionally.

 When your hips are balanced you will feel more mobile.

Strengthen The Hip Muscles That Support the Hips:

For hip opening poses to be effective you must also focus on the muscles that support the hips. Perform enough poses that strengthen the supporting muscles like the hamstrings and the glutes.

Hip Anatomy 101:

The hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint that provides stability when performing activities like standing or walking.

This joint consists of the top of the thigh bone(femur) that connected to the socket part of the hip. The hip joint has a unique structure that allows for a greater range of motion than for example the elbow or knee joint.

It allows for both extension and flexion, and abduction and adduction.

The hips consist of 4 muscle groups that make up the hip complex.

1. Hip flexors
2. External rotators
3. Glutes
4. Abductors

Hip flexors – it’s the muscles that connects the leg with the hip. They help you to bend and lift your legs.

What Does Hip Flexors Do?

It’s the group of muscles at the front of the hips that connects the upper thigh with the front body. You will use your hip flexors with most physical activities that includes using your legs or bending.

Tips On Stretching the Hips:

• Stretching will normally leave you sore in the beginning; this will go away as your muscles get conditioned to stretching.
• Stop if you feel any sharp pain.
• Warm up thoroughly before attempting any hip opening poses.

Protecting Your Knees:

Your knee joint works like a hinge meaning it can only move forward and back. Unlike you hip that is a ball and socket joint that can also rotate.

So, all hip open poses must come from the hips and not the knees. Many hip opening poses can put pressure on the knee joint if not done correctly.

Tips To Protect Your Knees:

• Never twist your ankle in hip opening poses.
• Keep your toes in line with your knees. Your foot can be flexed or extended depending on the pose.
• If you feel any pain in the knee joint, come out of the pose, and try a modification

Caution:

Keep in mind that most hip opening poses will not be suitable for you if you have had any hip, knee, ankle, or lower back injuries recently. As with any type of exercise, listen to your body. Stretching may feel sore in the beginning but this will eventually lead to relief. Stop if you feel any sharp pain.

Do These 5 Yoga Poses 3 To 5 Time Per Week for Instant Relief.