Few exercise modalities provide therapy to the hip region as well as yoga. In addition to increasing range of motion of the hip joints, yoga poses can resolve tightness and pain in the muscles that comprise the outer hips. If the pain you're experiencing is muscular, you will find relief with yoga postures -- but yoga can do little to relieve bone pain or pain associated with torn ligaments. Consult a doctor to discuss the nature of your injury and to find out which treatments are best for your particular condition.
Gauge Your Discomfort
Step 1
Sit on the floor, or on a yoga mat, with crossed legs. Sit tall and let hands rest on the knees. Close your eyes and take 10 breaths as you scan the body for any pain. This is called easy pose. If you feel discomfort here, lift the hips by sitting on a pillow. Relax the hip muscles with each exhalation.
Step 2
Take hands to the floor in front of you in easy pose and, with each exhalation, walk yourself a little bit farther. Once you reach your point of resistance, relax your head and neck, sending breath directly to where you feel tension. Notice that each exhalation brings an increment of relief and relaxation.
Step 3
Stretch legs out in front of you. Take the right heel to the groin, knee bent out to the side. As long as it's reasonably comfortable, lift up your heel and place it on the thigh of the left leg to make a figure four. Sit tall and then walk yourself down the length of the left leg in a forward fold. If you feel very tight, sit on a pillow. If you feel quite flexible here, bring your right heel farther up toward your left hip, finding half lotus pose.
Stretch Farther
Step 1
Take the bottoms of the feet together, knees wide apart. Bring the heels about 10 inches away from the groin to target the outer hips. Find the sit bones and sit tall here. If you already feel pain, place a blanket or pillow under each knee to support the posture. Close eyes and breathe for one minute, trying to relax the muscles of the outer hip with each exhalation. If there is no pain in the hips, take this posture farther by hinging forward from the hips, finding a forward fold. Let head and neck relax, and take at least 10 breaths.
Step 2
Starting in a cross-legged position, bring your left ankle on top of the right knee. Your left knee should fall on top of the right ankle -- this is ankle to knee pose. If your left knee flies high in this position, without coming close to the right ankle, your left outer hip is especially tight. Place a block or blanket underneath the knee. If this still hurts, take legs wider. Ankle to knee pose is among the best at targeting the outer hip area. If you can't get all the way into the posture, take it slowly and breathe deeply. Try to release involuntary contraction of the outer hip muscles with every breath.
Step 3
Sit with legs stretched in front of you. Bend the left knee and take a step over the right leg, placing the left foot on the floor next to the right thigh. Lift the right arm and twist to the left. Now, either hug the knee to the mid-line of the body or, for more stretch, place the right elbow on the outside of the left knee. Place the left hand on the floor behind you. With each breath come deeper and deeper into this seated twist, eventually gazing over the left shoulder. Take your twist on both sides.
Step 4
Beginning with legs outstretched, take the left toes underneath the right sit bone, sliding the left knee to the mid-line of the body so that it's pointing directly forward. Now bend your right knee, placing your right ankle on top of the left knee. If this is reasonably comfortable, come fully into cow face posture by placing hands on the floor, lifting the seat and stacking the right knee on top of the left. Finally, sit back down. If this is too much to bear, place a pillow or block underneath you, and try again. If there is no pain at all, slowly walk yourself forward.
Things You'll Need
- Two blankets, pillows or yoga blocks.
