Hip stiffness can have many causes, including long periods of sitting. These seven options focus on comfortable movement and on noticing sensations. They are not treatment, and they will not tell you what is causing your stiffness. If your hips hurt rather than feel stiff, read the last section first.
1. Notice your hips before stretching them
Stand and notice: is your weight even? Does one hip feel different from the other? A minute of tracking can help you describe what you feel. It cannot tell you what is causing it. If you notice nothing, that is fine too.
2. Rock the pelvis gently
Standing or on all fours, rock the pelvis slowly forward and back, in a small, fluid, unforced movement. Keep it small and comfortable, and do not strain. Stop if anything hurts. If you are not comfortable on all fours, try it seated on a firm chair.
3. Open the front of the hips gently
Some people feel stiffness after sitting. You could try a low, supported kneeling lunge with cushions under the knee, for as long as it feels comfortable, with slow breathing. Avoid it if it is painful or if your clinician has advised against it. A mild pull is fine, and sharp or pinching sensations mean stop. If kneeling is not comfortable, a standing version with one foot on a low step may suit you better.
4. Try a gentle figure-four
Lying on your back, rest one ankle on the opposite knee and draw the leg in until you feel a mild stretch in the outer hip. Breathe naturally. Hold for as long as it is comfortable, then change sides. Stop if you feel pain. If you have had a hip replacement or other hip surgery, follow your surgeon’s advice before trying any stretch. Optional breathing practice is fine, with no counts.
5. If emotion arrives
Sometimes feelings come up during movement: sadness, irritability, a memory. If that happens, you can stop, breathe, and track what you notice. There is no need to analyse it mid-stretch, and you can talk to someone if it is difficult. You may also feel nothing but a stretch.
6. Break up the sitting
Stand for a minute each hour: get some water, look out of a window, feel your feet on the floor. Changing position often is a simple way to give your hips a rest from one posture. A timer or phone reminder can help you remember.
7. Walk
Walking is an easy way to keep the hips moving: a relaxed stride, arms swinging, ideally outdoors. A daily walk is a good option if it suits you. Follow your clinician’s plan if you have one.
Checking that a movement suits you
A good test is how you feel during and after, not whether you reached a certain position. You should be able to breathe normally, the sensation should be a mild stretch or none at all, and afterwards you may feel the same or a little looser. If you feel sharper pain, a pinch at the front of the hip, or discomfort that lingers into the next day, ease off or skip that movement. Different people need different things, so what helps one person may not suit another.
Everyday changes that may help
A few ordinary changes might make sitting less of a strain. You could change your chair height, sit on a firm cushion, switch between sitting and standing, or alternate which leg is crossed. Different bodies like different set-ups, so there is no single right position. If you have a desk job, an occupational health adviser or physio can look at your set-up with you.
If the hips hurt rather than pull
See your doctor if hip pain stops you doing normal activities or affects your sleep, is getting worse or keeps coming back, has not improved after about 2 weeks of home care, or comes with stiffness that lasts more than 30 minutes after waking. Get urgent medical advice for severe hip pain that started suddenly without a fall or injury, a swollen hip that feels hot, skin around the hip that has changed colour, or hip pain with feeling generally unwell and a high temperature. Call your local emergency number for severe hip pain after a fall or injury, if you cannot walk or put weight on your leg, or if you have tingling or loss of feeling in the hip or leg after an injury. Do not drive yourself.
Related: somatic stretching.
