Sitting down for lengths of time means that our hip flexors are always in a flexed and shortened position. Muscles are pliable and pretty smart things, keep your hip flexors in that position, it’s where they will want to stay. A lot of us have desk jobs, which means that our hip flexors are in a constant shortened position.
Eight hours a day at a desk without break is tough on the hips, and a common reason for tight hips. Tight hip flexors in particular lead to back pain, and are often a hidden cause and overlooked. The hip flexors attach to the lower back and when they become tight put abnormal pressure on the lumbar spine. This is why a lot of people who have to sit down all day suffer from lower back pain.
Not only do the hip flexors get tight, your glutes and external rotators are on constant stretch and can get aggravated and tired as well, contributing to the feeling of stiff hips.
How To Relieve Stiff Hips
- Get up and walk around a bit more. Simply not being in a sitting position for too long will stop your hip flexors getting ridiculously tight. Try to take a break every 30 minutes.
- Stretch your hip flexors regularly. Check out this post on how to stretch your hip flexors.
- Release your hip flexors, glutes and TFL. Check out my Self Massage Guide which will give you a very detailed explanation on how to achieve that.
It doesn’t take much to relieve the feeling of tight hips, and if you follow the three points above you will be pain free and moving better within a week.