9 Simple Exercises To Reduce Lower Back And Hip Pain

Hip and lower back pain affect over 30 million people between the ages of 20 and 64 all around the world. It's one of the most serious health concerns we're currently facing in the modern era.

Our current lifestyles are mostly sedentary, and this leads to tightness and pain between the shoulders and it weakens the lower back, abdominals, as well as glutes.

The most common muscle that causes tension is the psoas. It's the deepest flexor in the body and directly linked to the lumbar spine.

If it's tight, it causes aches, stiffness, and intense hip pain. Luckily, you can relieve this pain and tension in a completely natural way by using the beneficial effects of stretching.

Here are the best stretching exercises you can perform:

1) Child's Pose

Start on all fours, with your toes together, and your knees open wide towards the outside.

Sit back on your heels, walk with your hands towards outside, and try to touch the floor with your forehead while your hands are stretched.

Start walking with your hands even further, but keep your arms straight. Relax, and hold for half a minute.

2) Supine Figure

Lying on the ground on your back, bend your knees and place your feet on the floor.

Bend your left knee and put the left ankle over your right knee. Then, place your hand between your legs and grab the other one behind your right leg.

Hold your shoulders and head on the floor, and draw your right thigh towards you. Hold for a minute and repeat with your other leg.

3) Happy Baby

Lay down on the back, bend your knees and bring them to the chest. Try to reach and grab your toes or ankles with your arms, while pressing the floor with your back. Hold for half a minute.

4) Seated Twist

While sitting on the floor with your knees bent and your feet on the ground, place your right heel close to your left sit bone and cross your other leg over it.

Place your hand on the floor for support, and the elbow of the other hand on the top knee, and push to twist your upper body.

Be gentle and breathe deeply. Your back should be straight. Hold for half a minute, then repeat with your other leg.

5) Runner's Lunge

Start on all fours, step your left foot outside of the left hand, with the toe a bit further upfront from the knee.

Your right knee should be on the floor and both hands inside of your left hand. Start pressing towards the floor with your hips, hold for half a minute, and repeat with the other leg.

6) Figure Twist

Lay down on your back, with your feet on the ground, hip-width apart, and your knees bent. Bend your left knee and place your left one above it, and place your arms on the sides to form a cactus-like shape.

Your feet should be flexed, the knees slightly falling to the left, and the left ankle over the right thigh, to be able to twist the body. Hold for thirty seconds, and repeat on the other side.

7) Adductor Opener

Stand tall with your feet wider than hip-width, your heels are in and your toes facing outwards, making a 45-degree angle.

Go down a bit like when you're doing a squat, put your hands on the thighs right above your knees, and add pressure on your thighs to open up your muscles. Hold for thirty seconds.

8) Wide-Legged Forward Fold

Stand tall with your feet wider than your hips, and your toes pointed straight. Bend your knees as you go down with the torso to bring your hands on the ground.

Your knees should be slightly bent, and your head hanging freely. Let the weight of your body stretch your lower back, hamstrings, and glutes.

Hold for half a minute, and then use your arms to come back straight.

9) Cow Face Legs

Sit down, bend one knee and put it on top of your other bend knee, and press the ground with your sit bones on your butt. Straighten your back while breathing deeply, put the hands on the side, and hold for 30 seconds.

Reference: Higher Perspectives