Do you suffer from a tight lower back or muscle stiffness and pain? This pain could be the result of tight hips. Keeping your hips strong and healthy is essential for sitting, standing, walking, and most physical activities. The hip joint is your body's largest ball-and-socket joint, and it is crucial to have healthy hips for all stages of life.
Muscle imbalance in the hips can lead to abnormal movement and cartilage damage over time. Muscle-strengthening also helps improve bone density, which can be an issue for many of us as we age.
Yoga is a great low-impact workout that can help build both strength and stability in your hip muscles. Try these 3 simple yoga poses for healthy hips:
The Warrior One Pose
The Warrior One pose builds power, flexibility, and stability in the hips and legs. Keeping your feet parallel and toes pointing to the top of the mat, bend your knee into a lunge. Raise your arms above your head, keeping your shoulders down while squeezing the shoulder blades together. Looking up to the sky, hold the pose for 20-30 seconds, and switch legs from left to right.
The Frog Pose
The Frog pose targets your adductors (inner thigh muscles), hips, and core to increase circulation and improve posture while opening up the pelvis. Get on to all four legs, placing palms and knees down on a mat. Widen the knees until a comfortable stretch is reached. Keeping the ankles in line with the knees and inside of the calves, lower to your forearms and hold this pose for 30 seconds.
The Pigeon Pose
The pigeon pose releases tension and maintains hip flexibility. It stretches both the hip rotators (buttocks area) and the hip flexors (the muscles that run along the front thighs and pelvis). Begin pose in a downward-facing dog. Slide the right knee forward toward your right hand, with the knee at an angle. Slide your left leg back as far as your hips will allow. Keep your hips square to the floor to keep your back safe, and open your hips to their fullest ability. Hold the pose for ten deep breaths or 3 minutes.
Yoga stretches can help with inflexibility, pinched or compressed feelings in the hips, and lower back and knee pain. Practice yoga to enjoy some self-care time while working towards having healthy hips and a more flexible, muscular body.
Dr. Benjamin Domb is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine and Hip Arthroscopy. He is the Founder and Medical Director at American Hip Institute and is rated amongst the Top Doctors in the USA by the NY Times, US News & World Report, and Castle Connelly. Dr. Domb is a global leader in Hip Arthroscopy and Robotic Surgery for over a decade.
