Whether you spend most of your day sitting at a desk, or exercising at the gym, or training as a professional athlete, hip tightness is a common affliction that a majority of the adult population faces. This tightness can lead to pain in the hips that will often spread elsewhere including your hamstrings and your back.
Though professional massage and physical therapy are the recommended treatment for chronic hip tightness, there are many exercises and practices that can be done from the comfort of your home to ease the day-to-day pain.
Psoas Release
Your psoas is an important connecting muscle that aids in hip flexion. Tightness in this area can lead to back pain, leg pain, hip pain, and pelvic pain. Effectively releasing this muscle can relieve a lot of tightness in surrounding areas.
First lay on your back with your knees bent and your hips planted hip distance apart. Then find the pointy part of your hip bone. Walk your fingers about two steps inside of your hip bone and press down firmly. The psoas should feel like a rope underneath this pressure. If this pressure isn’t enough for you, slowly straighten and bend your leg for about 30 seconds. Be sure to breathe through this movement. Repeat on the other side.
Hip Cradle
Start in a seated position with your legs extended in front of you. Bend your right leg toward your chest and let your knee fall to the side. Lift your leg and tuck your right foot into the pit of your left elbow. Shift your weight so it is primarily on your right hip. Slowly rock yourself back and forth, massaging the side of your hip against the floor. Continue for approximately 30 seconds then repeat on the other side.
Use a Ball
For this technique, you’re going to need a ball. The severity of your tightness and your pain tolerance will dictate what type of ball you use. If you want a gentler massage, a tennis ball is an excellent choice. If you’re looking for something a bit more intense, you can utilize a lacrosse ball or a baseball. A small bouncy ball is fantastic if you’d like the massage to be a bit more targeted.
Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted on the floor hip distance apart. Tuck the ball in the dimple of your right hip. Let your right leg straighten and bend. You can also use your arms and other leg to maneuver your hip until the ball finds a tender spot. Breathe through this exercise. Once you feel as though you have had enough. Remove the ball and repeat on the other side.
