Stiffness in the muscles around the hip joint can be the cause of much chronic pain and loss of mobility. Shortened hip muscles can lead to lower back pain, misalignment of the spine and poor posture, and if left uncorrected can result in serious physiological complications. Keep your hip muscles long and supple by performing hip flexibility exercises at least three times per week.
Leg Swings
Leg swings stretch the hip flexors on the front of the thigh and pelvis and the hip extensors in the buttocks and back of the thigh. Stand next to a wall or door frame -- something sturdy that you can hold onto. Keep your shoulders positioned over your hips, standing tall with good posture. Keeping your pelvis immobile and moving from the hips, begin to swing one leg back and forth in small swings. Keep the leg leg straight and gradually increase the range of motion. Do this for about 10 seconds and then switch legs.
Lunges
Lunges strengthen and stretch your hip muscles at the same time for a double effect. Stand in a split stance with one foot about 3 or 4 feet behind the other. Lift your back heel up off the floor, coming up onto the ball of your foot. Keep your front foot planted firmly. Slowly begin to bend both knees until your front knee comes to a right angle and your back knee comes to the floor. Make sure that your front knee does not come in front of your front foot. If it does, lengthen your stance. Perform 10 repetitions and then switch sides. You can also try performing these with a straight back leg, which will deepen the stretch in the hip flexors of the back leg.
Forward Bend
Hamstring flexibility is a key factor in hip joint mobility, but many people have chronically tight hamstrings. An easy forward bend is a good place to start increasing hamstring flexibility. Stand up tall with your hands on your hips just above your hip creases --t he area at the top of your thigh where your leg meets your pelvis. Keeping your head up and your chest out, slowly begin to bend forward at your hip creases. If your back starts to round, you should stop and hold. Otherwise you can continue down and release your hands or fingertips to the floor. Note that you do not want the bend to come from your back; you want to keep your spine straight all the way down. You can bend into your knees a little bit to work more in the top of the hamstrings. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Come up slowly to avoid dizziness.
Thread the Needle
This is an effective stretch for lengthening the buttock muscles. Lie on the floor on a mat or carpet. Bend both knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Take your left ankle across and place it on your right thigh just above your knee. You can stay here if this is enough of a stretch, or you can take it further by interlacing your fingers around the back of your right thigh and pulling it in to your chest. To do this you will reach your left hand between your left and right legs. Hold here for 15 seconds and then switch sides.
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