Getting your hips mobile

Being aligned stationary is one thing, but then being able to continue being aligned, using your body optimally, whilst moving is really what the aim is in restoring strength and mobility to your body.

Just as it’s better to learn to walk before you can run, it is easier to work on correct alignment and gain the strength, mobility and control needed to use your body optimally during movement.

In standing, the muscles in your bum and the backs of your legs need to be strong to support you and whilst walking they are the power that drives you forward.

Excessive sitting, high heels and postural habits that mean that hip extension is limited and without this hip extension your gluteals and hamstrings will be unable to gain the strength they need.

Excessive sitting also means that your hips are in a constantly flexed position and their ability to extend is diminished. Not being able to extend the hip means your body compensates for this in a variety of ways. From using the knee and hip flexor to bring your legs forward, which creates overuse of the knee joint and the constant pulling forward motion of the hip flexor moves the pelvis into a posterior tilt. You may find you twist your hips side to side to allow your legs to move forward. You may sway your hips from side to side, leaning to one side to be able to swing your leg forward. You may use your feet to push off twisting the ankle to give you the propulsion you need. You may bend your knees to bounce from one foot to the other or you may hinge at the lumbar spine. You could do any of the above in any combination and you can see the different pressures, stresses and strains these movements can put on your body.

Hip extensor or the lunge