{"id":629457,"date":"2026-10-13T16:06:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T16:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/629457\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T16:06:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T16:06:20","slug":"these-are-three-of-the-best-exercises-to-ease-hip-stiffness-from-sitting-for-too-long-says-this-physical-therapist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/629457\/","title":{"rendered":"These are three of the best exercises to ease hip stiffness from sitting for too long, says this physical therapist"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your hips can suffer from stiffness and feel uncomfortable after sitting for long periods. But not moving enough isn\u2019t the only cause.<\/p>\n

Often pain comes down to a \u201cmismatch between what your body is currently prepared to handle and what you\u2019re asking it to do,\u201d explains physical therapist Raj Suppiah.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cYou might sit most of the week and then play three hours of pickleball on Saturday,\u201d he says. \u201cYou might suddenly increase your running mileage. Or you might start a new gym program and do significantly more than your hips are accustomed to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Latest Videos FromFit&Well<\/p>\n

The hip likes movement, says Suppiah, co-founder of Foundation Physiotherapy & Wellness<\/a>, but it also needs to be strong and supple to tolerate the demands we put on it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are obviously other reasons for hip pain,\u201d he tells Fit&Well. \u201cArthritis can contribute to pain and stiffness as we get older. Tendons around the hip can become irritated. And sometimes what feels like hip pain is actually coming from the lower back.\u201d<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

If your hips need some care, Suppiah has three stretches that can help ease stiffness and discomfort associated with prolonged sitting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI commonly recommend these three stretches because together they target the front, back and inside of the hip,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox.<\/p>\n

1. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch<\/p>\n

Bulletproof Step-by-step Guide to the Half Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch” [stretching advice] – YouTube
\n\"Bulletproof<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n

Reps: 5-6 each side Hold: 10sec<\/p>\n

Start in a half-kneeling position with your right knee on the floor and your left foot flat on the floor in front of you, with your left knee bent to 90\u00b0.Gently tuck your pelvis and lean forward until you feel a stretch through the front of your right hip.Avoid arching your lower back when leaning forward.Hold the stretch, then swap sides.<\/p>\n

Why it helps: \u201cWe spend a lot of time with our hips in a flexed position,\u201d says Suppiah. \u201cThis stretch gets the hip moving in the opposite direction and can be especially helpful if you feel stiff through the front of your hips after sitting for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Figure-four glute stretch<\/p>\n

Figure Four Glute Stretch – YouTube
\n\"Figure<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n

Reps: 5-6 each side Hold: 10sec<\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.Cross your right ankle over your left thigh.Take hold of the back of your left thigh with both hands and gently pull it toward you until you feel a comfortable stretch through your right glute and right hip.Hold the stretch, then repeat on the other side.<\/p>\n

Why it helps: \u201cThis is a simple way of improving mobility through the back and outside of the hip,\u201d says Suppiah. \u201cThe glutes [buttock muscles] and deeper muscles around the hip are important for everything from walking and running to climbing stairs and getting out of a chair.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. All-fours adductor stretch<\/p>\n

Adductor Stretch #adductors #innerthigh – YouTube
\n\"Adductor<\/p>\n

Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n

Reps: 8-10 each side Hold: 6sec<\/p>\n

Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.Extend your right leg out to the side, with your foot on the floor.Keeping your back neutral, slowly rock your hips back toward your heels until you feel a stretch along the inside of your thigh.Hold the stretch, then repeat on the other side.<\/p>\n

Why it helps: \u201cWe often focus on the front and back of the hip and forget about the inner thigh\u2014the adductors,\u201d says Suppiah. \u201cThese are an important part of how the hip moves and controls load. I like the rock-back element because you\u2019re not just stretching, you’re taking the hip through a comfortable range of motion.\u201d<\/p>\n

For all movements, stay within a comfortable range and seek advice if the exercises cause you any pain.<\/p>\n

Suppiah advises against relying on stretching alone, adding: \u201cIt can help you maintain mobility, but strength and capacity are just as important for keeping your hips healthy,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

These five hip-strengthening exercises<\/a> are a great place to start for building strength, stability and hip mechanics.<\/p>\n

\u201cRegular movement, strength exercises\u2014like squats\u2014also strengthen your back and core, and play roles in preventing hip pain.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your hips can suffer from stiffness and feel uncomfortable after sitting for long periods. But not moving enough…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":629458,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[565,134,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-629457","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-fitness","tag-health","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/629457","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=629457"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/629457\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/629458"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=629457"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=629457"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=629457"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}