Unlock Your Hips and Low Back: Five Hip Stretches That Make The Difference

It’s no secret that we get a little stiffer as we get older, but it’s a statistical fact that we lose about 6 to 7 degrees of hip flexibility every decade. Tight hips aren’t just uncomfortable; they can tug the pelvis out of neutral alignment, creating muscular imbalances; they can stress the low spine as well as the knees; they can shorten your walking stride, and increase the likelihood of falling–and with falling, fractures.

Because the hips are joined to your pelvis, and your pelvis connects to your spine, any stickiness or limitation in hip range of motion can ripple up the chain, leading to compensation and overloading of the low back. For example, if your hips can’t fully rotate, you may not be able to reach the bottom of a squat without the pelvis tucking under and the low spine rounding, creating stress on vertebral discs. Or if you can’t access full extension because of tight hip flexors, your lumbar spine may extend instead during your afternoon walks, leading to a tight and strained low back. 

I will tell many of my clients suffering from low back pain to stretch their hips a few different ways–and they’re always surprised to experience immediate relief. 

Taking just ten to twenty minutes a day to stretch can create lasting change and make all the difference.

How the Hips Actually Work

It’s important to know how the hips should move in order to know which stretches will bring you the most benefit.The hip joint is a remarkable structure, composed of the head of your thigh bone, the femur, and the bowl-shaped socket of the pelvis, called the acetabulum. Your hips have the capacity to move in six different ways, enabling a variety of movements, from walking and climbing stairs, to squatting and lunging.

Flexion

When your leg and your torso come towards one another, you are flexing your hip. The muscles responsible for hip flexion are your quadriceps, as well as your iliopsoas muscle group, sartorius, and tensor fascia latae. Hip flexion occurs during activities like walking, running, squatting, and one particular activity we all do too much of–sitting. Sitting shortens and traps hips in flexion, leading to aches and discomfort, as well as possible muscular imbalances.

Extension

The opposite of flexion, extension describes your hips ability to open and move behind you. Unfortunately, many of us are limited in hip extension because we are stuck in hip flexion, leading those long, taut hamstrings–our primary hip extensors– to pull on the low back. If this is the case, strengthening with exercises like glute bridges will bring as much benefit, if not more, than stretching alone. 

Abduction and Adduction

Hip abduction  describes the leg moving out and away from the body’s midline while adduction describes the opposite, the leg moving toward the midline. They are essential frontal-plane movements, driven by our hip stabilizers: the glute medius and minimus and the adductor muscle groups. 

Rotation

An often overlooked capacity, hip rotation describes the ability for the femur to move freely in its socket. External rotation turns the thigh outward, while internal rotation turns the thigh inward and a limitation in either can result in too much twisting and tugging on the knee structures or the low spine, potentially creating problems and pain. 

Kait’s Five Favorite Stretches for Tight Hips

Elevated Pigeon

The elevated pigeon stretch targets the glutes , deep hip rotators like the piriformis, and hip flexors. By placing the front leg on a bench or chair, it effectively improves hip external rotation and relieves tight hips and back pain.

How to do it:

1. Place one foot/shin on an elevated surface, such as a bench, table, or sofa.
2. Ensure the toe of leg being stretched is pulling back toward your shin and your standing leg is straight, with your hips square and facing forward.
3. Slowly lean forward, keeping your back straight to intensify the stretch in the glute of the elevated leg. Hold for 1-2 mins per side.

Front Foot Elevated Lunge

The elevated lunge is a dynamic, multi-joint stretch that primarily targets the hip flexors, quads, glutes, and hamstrings to improve mobility and flexibility. By elevating the front foot or back knee, it deepens the stretch in the hips, releases lower back tension, and strengthens the legs.

How to do it:

1.  Stand 2–3 feet from a bench, box, or step. Place your front foot securely on the surface.
2. Lunge forward, letting your knee drift over your toes and your hip to drop as deeply as you can towards the floor. 
3. Keep your torso upright to feel the stretch in the back leg’s hip flexor and the front inner thigh. Hold for 1-2 mins

Toes Elevated Elephant Walks 

Toes-elevated elephant walks enhance traditional hamstring stretches by lifting the forefoot , which increases neural tension, intensifies the stretch, and reduces the required forward-folding range of motion. This variation deeply targets the hamstrings, calves, and lower back while strengthening the front of the shins as well. 

How To Do It:

1. Place the balls of your feet on a raised surface (e.g., a small weight plate or rolled up yoga mat), keeping your heels on the ground.
2. Hinge at the hips, bending forward to place your hands on the floor or an elevated block.
3. Keep both legs straight, then bend one knee while keeping the opposite leg locked out (knee straight).
4. Alternate bending knees, focusing on the stretch in the hamstring of the straight-legged side. Repeat for 20 reps

Kickstand Rocks

The kickstand rock specifically targets the adductor muscles, stretching the hip and groin, increasing hip flexibility, and alleviating tension from long-term sitting. 

How To Do It:

1. Begin on hands and knees in a quadruped position.
2. Extend one leg straight out to the side, keeping that foot flat on the ground, or tuck the toes under for added stability and tension.
3. Slowly push your hips backward toward your heel. Go only as far as your mobility allows.
4. You should feel a stretch in the inner thigh of the extended leg.
5. Rock back forward to the starting position 10 to 20 times. 

Internal Rotation Twists 

Hip internal rotation is one of the most overlooked aspects of hip mobility and often a missing piece of the puzzle. Effective hip internal rotation stretches increase total hip mobility for better movement, particularly in walking, lifting, and high torque activities like golfing.

How To Do It:

1. Stand in front of an incline bench set at a 45 degree angle. 
2. Bring your foot up on a bench and lean your shin against the incline. Keep your hips and torso square to the bench.
3. Increase internal rotation by twisting towards your lifted leg. Twist back and forth for 10-20 reps.

It’s never too late to prioritize your hip health! Incorporating these simple stretches into your routine can help you combat the natural decline in mobility, alleviating pain and preventing stiffness.

If you are unsure on how to perform these stretches or want more personalized guidance on your own flexibility, feel free to reach out to me or any of our trainers at the wellness center. Let’s work together to keep you moving freely and comfortable for years to come!