Essential Stretches for Desk Workers to Promote Hip Flexibility and Mobility
Sitting for long periods can take a toll on our bodies, particularly our hips. According to Charlotte Hazelwood, a strength and mobility coach, a sedentary lifestyle is a major hindrance to healthy living and can lead to stiff hips. To help office workers combat this issue, Hazelwood recommends three specific hip stretches that can be easily incorporated into daily routines.
The 90/90 Heel Taps
To perform this stretch, rest your foot, lower leg, and knee on a low bench or sofa, so it's perpendicular to your body. Flex your front foot by lifting your toes, and gently lower your torso forwards to increase the stretch, pulsing in and out of the stretch for 30-60 seconds.
Frog Internal Lift Offs
Sit with your back against a wall, the soles of your feet together, knees out wide, and your heels as close to your groin as possible. Press down gently on your knees with your hands, easing into the stretch. Perform 8-10 reps.
Seated Good Mornings
Sit on the floor with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor, wider than hip-width apart. Twist your body to one side, drop both knees to that side, extend your hips to lift your butt off the floor, lower to the floor under control, and repeat on the other side. Perform 8-10 reps on each side.
These stretches are beneficial because they target hip mobility issues common in people who sit for long periods. Sitting often leads to shortened and tightened hip flexors, an anterior pelvic tilt that can cause back pain, limited hip range of motion, and difficulty performing movements like squatting. By regularly performing these stretches, office workers can improve their hip mobility, reduce stiffness, relieve back discomfort, and restore their hips to a more fluid, “buttery” state, as Hazelwood describes it.
In addition to these stretches, it's recommended to get up and move around every hour. Another solution to combat the effects of a sedentary lifestyle is to do three minutes of brisk walking for every 15 minutes spent sitting down.
The Psoas stretch is another stretch suggested by Hazelwood to lengthen the hip flexors. To perform this stretch, stand with a wall or sofa behind you, face away from it, step forward, bend both knees to lower until your rear knee is on the floor, lift your heel behind you to your butt, shuffle your back knee as close to the wall or sofa as you can, press your hips forward, and hold the position for 30-60 seconds before switching sides.
Charlotte Hazelwood demonstrates these stretches in a video posted to her more than half a million followers. She suggests performing these stretches at the end of the working day to help unwind and alleviate any tension built up throughout the day. Tight hips can be linked to a sore lower back and even bad knees, so incorporating these stretches into your daily routine can lead to a more comfortable and pain-free workday.
- Science has shown that a sedentary lifestyle, such as sitting for long periods, can hinder healthy living and lead to issues like tight hips and back pain.
- To promote workplace wellness and contribute to a healthier and more active lifestyle, flexible fitness and exercise practices, like the 90/90 Heel Taps, Frog Internal Lift Offs, and Seated Good Mornings, can be incorporated into daily office routines.
- In addition, adopting habits such as getting up every hour to move around and doing three minutes of brisk walking for every 15 minutes spent sitting, alongside practices like the Psoas stretch, can further aid in maintaining a well-rounded health-and-wellness routine.
