An Exercise to Reduce Hip and Back Tightness

If you don’t have a labor-intensive job, you most likely sit a fair amount during the day. Given enough time, your back and hips may begin to feel tight or uncomfortable.

Typical stretching exercises may provide a few brief moments of relief with the tightness returning or even getting worse.

A better solution is to use your own muscles to reverse the tension in your body caused by sitting. You can do this with a simple cross connect activity.

Here’s what you do.

• Step your foot up onto a box, bench, or chair. The height of the step-up is your choice based on your personal flexibility and comfort.
• Take the opposite elbow to the up-side knee.
• Push long through your extended supporting leg to feel the upper hamstring (the back of your thigh) and your back pocket area become active.
• Hold this position and breath quietly in through your nose and exhale fully through your mouth.
• As you breathe in, make the back of your rib cage big by filling it with air.
• Hold this position for 5-10 breaths and repeat the process on the other side.
• Do 2-3 sets, 2 times a day or as needed to stay loose.

If you know someone who’s dealing with an ongoing pain issue that’s interrupting their active lifestyle, let them know that they can come into IFAST Physical Therapy for a free injury consultation. We’ll help determine why they’re still having pain and how to get back to the activities they enjoy most.

Call IFAST Physical Therapy at 317-578-0998 or email us at [email protected]