Tight hips from sitting: a 5-minute routine that actually helps

Sitting is not bad for you, but sitting still for eight hours is. The hip flexors at the front of the hip sit shortened all day, the glutes at the back switch off, and by evening the hips feel stiff, the lower back is grumbling and the first few steps after standing up are awkward. Hip tightness is one of the most common things we find in CBD office workers, even those who train hard before or after work.

Why the hips tighten

When you sit, the hip is bent to about 90 degrees. The hip flexors (iliopsoas and rectus femoris) are held short, and over months they adapt to that length. The gluteal muscles are stretched and inactive, so when you stand the hip flexors keep pulling the pelvis forward and the lower back arches to compensate. Add a stiff mid back and you have the classic desk posture. The fix is not only stretching the front but also waking up the back.

The 5-minute routine

Do each movement for about a minute, in comfortable clothes, at your desk or at home.

1. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch. Kneel on one knee with the other foot forward. Tuck your tailbone under, squeeze the glute on the kneeling side and shift forward gently until you feel the front of the hip stretch. Hold 30 seconds each side. The tuck is what makes it work; leaning forward with an arched back stretches nothing.
2. 90/90 hip switches. Sit on the floor with both knees bent at right angles, one leg in front and one to the side. Rotate the knees across to the other side without using your hands. Slow, 8 to 10 switches.
3. Glute bridge. Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Push through the heels and lift the hips until your body is straight from shoulders to knees, squeezing the glutes at the top. 12 to 15 slow repetitions.
4. Deep squat hold or supported squat. Hold a door frame or desk edge and sink into as deep a squat as is comfortable, heels down, for 30 to 60 seconds, gently shifting weight side to side.
5. Walking lunges or step-ups. Ten each side, controlled, to take the new range into a movement your hips will use for the rest of the day.

Stand up and walk for a minute every 30 to 45 minutes as well. No stretch undoes a day of stillness as well as regular movement does.

When tight hips are something more

Tightness that keeps returning despite the routine, pinching at the front of the hip in a deep squat, a deep buttock ache that spreads down the leg, or hip pain at night can point to hip impingement, gluteal tendon problems, piriformis irritation or a lower back issue. Those respond well to treatment, but they need an assessment rather than more stretching. Our hip pain page describes the common conditions, and an initial appointment will tell you which, if any, applies to you.