The tension in tight hip muscles limits range of motion and blocks comfortable movement; walking, running, sitting, and even standing become painful. Your hips are attached to your spine and thighbone, so in this sequence, you will be simultaneously doing spine and hamstring stretches. The hip sequence will loosen and stretch a chain of muscles that attach your torso to your legs.
1. Stand diagonally behind your chair and place the outside leg on the seat of the chair.
2. Bend both knees while holding the back of the chair for balance.
3. Lift and lower your hips as though you were swaying your hips side to side.
4. As you sway your hips, you may feel a loosening within your hip socket.
5. Repeat 4 times.
6. Change your spine’s position for a new series of spine exercises.
7. Start by rounding your spine, dropping your shoulders forward, and tucking your bum under.
8. Slowly shift your spine into the reverse position, arching your back and sticking your bum out while shifting your weight forward. Note: The more you exaggerate the hip shifts, the better the results in loosening the joint. This sequence shifts the thighbone back and forth in the socket during these stretches, helping rebalance and loosen any tightness in the hip muscles.
9. Return to the original position, with your back rounded and your bum tucked under.
10. Repeat the full arching and rounding of the spine sequence 4 times.