Use Your Hips to Relieve Tension From Your Spine
Tight hips spell pain for your lower back
It can go both ways: a tight set of hips is a signal contributor to lower back pain by creating a pull on the lower back that leads to instability at the base of the spine. Tight hips, in tandem with anterior pelvic tilt, wreak havoc with your posture and cause the muscles of your lower back to work overtime to maintain spinal alignment. On the other hand, mobile hips allow you to stabilize and transfer forces more effectively; less tension in the hips translates to more strength at the base of the spine and helps prevent injury. It’s time to put more effort into keeping your hips open.
Lower body stretches open the hips and relieve pain and tension in the lower back
One stretch that you can do daily is the hip rotation:
- Start by laying on your back
- Cross one ankle across the opposite knee
- Rotate your hip in and out
This is a low-key way to condition the muscles surrounding the hip joint and warm them for the deeper stretches that will come later. Let’s work together to restore mobility to the hips in support of your spine. If you are interested in finding out more about the unique relationship between your hips and spine, give our office in Westwood a call to schedule an appointment today.