Have Hip Pain? Here Are The 10 Best Yoga Poses To Ease Achy Hips

Unfortunately, these inevitable muscular imbalances and the sheer complexity of demands we place on our hips leave a lot of possibility for lack of strength and flexibility to develop. And this is what causes discomfort, stiffness, and in some cases, even persistent pain. 

If you move too little, maintain the same position for long periods of time, or repeat identical movement patterns over and over (as can happen when you specialize in one particular sport or activity), your body adapts to make you as efficient as possible at that specific set of movements and postures. Unfortunately, this makes you inefficient at all the rest. Some muscles get stronger, others become relatively weak, and sensations of tightness and discomfort develop as a consequence.

Incidentally, this explains why yoga can be uncomfortable for people new to the practice. Most of the time, we're transitioning through unfamiliar movements and holding awkward postures for several breaths at a time. The happy result, if we stick with it, is that we broaden our movement possibilities and restore capabilities that are our birthright.

In order to stay pain- and injury-free, our hips need to be both strong and supple. This gives us a powerful foundation from which to move with intention, agility, and control. In this sequence, we move the hips through all planes of motion, to build strength, flexibility, and resilience.

We'll begin our sequence in wide-knee child's pose. Touch your big toes together, bring your knees out wide, sit back on your heels, and rest your forehead on the mat. Seal your lips and start to take long, slow breaths, in and out through your nose. Breathe deep into your pelvis—letting go of tension on every exhalation. Hold the pose for 5 to 10 breaths.

Come up to all fours for some hip rotations. Stack your shoulders directly on top of your wrists and your hips on top of your knees. Start to draw slow circles with your hips one way, 4 to 8 times. And the other. Move slowly and mindfully through your full range of motion—as if you're scraping around the inside of a bowl.

Walk your hands forward about a foot, tuck your toes, and lift your hips up into downward-facing dog. Walk out your feet, slowly and mindfully—pressing one heel back down toward the mat, then the other, stretching the backs of your legs. Repeat 4 to 6 times on each side—connecting back to your breath.

Inhale, sweep your right leg up to the sky. Exhale, step your right foot in between your hands. Drop your left knee and release your back foot. Inhale, bring both hands up to rest on your front thigh. Exhale, relax into the pose. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths—breathing into the stretch in your left hip flexors. Draw your ribs in to protect your lower back. Repeat on the other side.

Inhale, sweep your right leg up again. Exhale, bend your knee and draw 3 or 4 big circles—into your belly—out—and round, moving with your breath. You can keep a bend in your left leg. And draw 3 to 4 big circles the other way, moving slowly and mindfully through your full range of motion. 

Inhale, sweep your right leg up again. Exhale, step your right foot in between your hands. Check that your feet are hip-width apart and not on a tightrope. Inhale, sweep your arms out and up into high lunge. Exhale, relax into the pose. Try to bring your front thigh parallel with the mat—as you feel your hips working hard to stabilize you. Hold the pose for 3 to 5 breaths.

Bring your hands back to the mat and step back to downward dog. Repeat downward dog hip rotations, high lunge, and silver surfer on the left side. Step back to downward dog. And drop down onto all fours.

Cross your right ankle on top of your left knee and flex your right foot. Thread your right hand through the triangle between your legs and hold the back of your left thigh with both hands. Gently pull your left leg in toward you—breathing deep into your right outer hip. Hold the pose for 3 to 5 breaths, and then switch sides. Hug your knees into your chest.

Keep your feet together, open your knees, and stretch your hands through to take hold of the outsides of your feet. Bring your feet out over your knees and gently pull them down toward the mat. Flex your feet, press your lower back into the mat, and stay here for 5 to 10 breaths—letting go of tension in your groin and adductors (the insides of your thighs).

Bring your knees back to center and hug them into your chest. Now you can move back into your day.