Seated Hip Stretches: Chair Yoga

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Chair Yoga And The Hips

The hips are a highly mobile joint- meaning we get a lot of range of motion from them that allows us to perform a host of functional tasks. But, they can also be a source of pain and discomfort for a variety of reasons. We may not even think too much about our hips until we have a problem. Maybe it starts to get a bit harder to get up and down the stairs, stand up from a chair, or get in and out of the car. Pain or weakness in the hips can cause your posture to suffer and that can result in problems in the rest of the body.

Alternatively, problems in other parts of the body can result in issues with the hip as we may compensate our movements to eliminate pain or weakness. When we have pain, we move less. Always see your healthcare provider if you have concerns- that way you can work to solve problems before they become a bigger issue.

If we find that we are spending a great deal of time sitting during the day, we may start to notice the muscles in the front of the thighs feel tight or shortened when we stand up. Or, we can start to experience some upper or lower back pain. I have touched on the issues with prolonged sitting here- Chair Exercises for Better Posture.

Always keep in mind that when it comes to the hip, there are a variety of issues that can be causing pain. When it comes to seated hip stretches, not every exercise will be right for everybody. One source of hip pain can be arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. If you are interested in learning more, take a look at these resources:

CDC-Osteoarthritis

NIH-Osteoarthritis

If you have osteoarthritis, it can be a natural response to want to decrease movement when we have pain. Why would we want to move a body part that is in pain? But our joints don’t have their own blood supply. Our joints surfaces are covered with articular cartilage. When a joint is loaded and unloaded that cartilage receives oxygen and nutrients  from the surrounding joint fluid. It can go against our natural inclination when we are in a state of discomfort-but we need to keep moving to keep our joints healthy.

Keep in mind that there are other forms of arthritis and they will each come with their own set of movement and treatment recommendations. Take a look here if you would like more information. As always, it is best to speak with your healthcare provider if you have concerns.

While standing up and moving your body is a top choice to keep the body healthy, it is not always possible for a number of different reasons. However, the good news is that there are a number of chair exercises that you can do for the hips. Take a look at these 5 Seated Hip Stretches that we can do to get some hip mobility and stretching that are accessible from the chair. Then, keep reading for some quick general tips to help keep the hips healthy.

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When practicing seated hip stretches, remember to always go at your own pace, never force or strain, and be mindful of any personal range of motion limitations that you may have. Always consult with your healthcare provider before starting this or any exercise program. If you have had a hip replacement, there may be specific movements that you will need to avoid depending on the type of procedure that you have had. Always stop immediately if you experience pain, shortness of breath, or dizziness. 

Chair Yoga: 5 Seated Hip Stretches

1. Seated Hip/Torso Circles

This movement can help to soften and relax the muscles in the spine and the hips. It can serve as a warm-up for further mobility. Be sure to stay firmly and evenly in your seat. Bring awareness to your “Sit” bones– the bony knobs at the base of the pelvis. Our ideal sitting posture in when we are sitting on our “sit’ bones with a neutral pelvis or slightly forward. It is a bit tricky to get the idea of this exercise from the photos- but think of keeping those “sit’ bones on the seat as you draw circles with the top of the head. Moving to the back may seem more challenging as it requires a great deal of core engagement to keep the spine neutral-decrease the range as needed.

A woman seated in a chair near a window leaning forward and to the side with a long spine for seated hip circles exercise. A woman seated in a chair near a window leaning back and to one side with a long spine for seated hip circles chair exericse.

  • Begin seated in Mountain Pose with a long spine and both feet planted evenly on the floor
  • Place your hands on your thighs and lengthen the spine, lift up from the pelvis and keep the chest lifted
  • On an inhale begin to rotate the upper body in a circle. Inhale as you come forward and exhale as you move back- The movement is coming from the hips, not the shoulders
  • Take 4 circles in a clockwise direction and 4 in a counterclockwise direction
  • Do not worry if it is not a big movement -just focus on initiating the movement from the hip joint.

2. Hip Circles

Here we will move the hip into flexion, adduction, and abduction. Start small and then increase the range of motion as you are able.

A woman seated in a chair near a window in chair yoga Mountain Pose with a long spine and both feet planted firmly on the ground.

A woman seated in a chair near a window with one knee lifted in the air for chair yoga low lunge pose.

A woman seated in a chair near a window for chair yoga hip external rotation on one leg.

A woman seated in a chair near a window in chair yoga Mountain Pose with a long spine and both feet planted firmly on the ground.

  • Begin seated with a long spine in your Mountain Pose
  • Ground down through one foot to stabilize and engage the core
  • Inhale as you raise the opposite knee up towards the sky
  • Exhale as you move the thigh out to the side and lower the foot to the ground
  • Inhale as you slide the foot back to center and lift it up towards the sky again
  • Repeat 3-5  times or as desired and then reverse the direction as able
  • Repeat on the other side

Modification- If you are unable to lift the knee up, try letting it fall out to the side and then back into the center (with as much control as you can).

3. Windshield Wipers

This can be a great movement to get in some internal and external rotation. There are a few ways you can do it. I have shown it with the knee straight, but you can keep the knees bent and rotate them side to side as well. 

A woman seated in a chair near a window with one knee extended with the heel resting on the floor and internally rotated for a chair exercise.

A woman seated in a chair near a window with one knee extended and the heel on the floor with the hip externally rotated for a chair exercise.

  • Begin seated toward the edge of your seat in Mountain Pose with a long spine
  • Extend one knee and place the heel on the ground
  • Rotate the hip externally as you point the toes away from the center
  • Rotate the hip internally as you point the toes inward
  • Move slowly as you initiate the movement from the hip and not the kne
  • Do 4-6 rotations in each direction, or as desired.
  • Repeat on the other side

Modification- You can extend the knee and raise the foot in the air. This may be a good option if coming to the edge of the chair is not available:

A woman seated in a chair neat a window with one knee extended and the hip internally rotated while performing a chair exercise.

A woman seated in a chair near a window with one knee extended and the hip externally rotated for a chair exercise.

4. Goddess Pose

Here we will get a stretch through the inner thigh muscles as we actively work the abductors and external rotators on the outside of the hip.

A woman seated in a chair near a window in chair yoga pose, Goddess Pose, with the hips apart and externally rotated.

  • Begin seated in Mountain Pose with a long spine
  • Inhale as you lift one knee up towards the sky and bring it out to the side
  • Exhale as you place the foot on the ground
  • If you would like a deeper hip stretch, rotate the hip outward so that the toes are pointing toward the side of the room
  • Inhale to a long spine and repeat with the other side
  • Stay here for 2-3 breaths or as desired as you feel the opening in the hips
  • On an exhale, return both feet back to center and repeat 2-4 times or as desired

5. Modified Pigeon

This is a deep stretch to the hips so it is best to practice this one after you have warmed up the hip joint with some of the other gentle movements. Take the variation that works for you and do not force or strain. As you can see in the second image, I do not not have to hinge forward very far to feel a stretch in my hips!

A woman seated in a chair for chair yoga easy pose with one ankle crossed over the opposite knee.

A woman seated in a chair near a window with one ankle crossed over the opposite knee and slightly hinging forward at the hips for chair yoga pose.Modified pigeon.

  • Begin seated in Mountain Pose with a long spine
  • Ground down through one foot to stabilize and inhale to raise the opposite knee up towards the sky
  • Use your hands to help you guide the foot and place the outside of the foot on the opposite thigh
  • This may be enough of a stretch- stay here for a few breaths as desired as you keep the chest open and the spine long.
  • On an exhale use the hands to release the foot from the thigh and gently place the foot back to the floor
  • Repeat on the other side
  • For a deeper stretch, inhale to lengthen the spine and exhale to hinge forward at the hip creases- keep the spine long

Modification is to use books or blocks as shown. You can use as many or as few as needed and place them closer or further away from the opposite foot. If you are looking for yoga blocks, here are two inexpensive options-single yoga block or a set of 2 yoga blocks.

A woman seated in a chair for modified easy pose with one ankle resting on a yoga block for modified easy pose.

10 Tips For Healthy Hips

  1. Practice good posture when both standing and sitting
  2. Maintain a healthy weight
  3. Keep moving with regular exercise including strength training
  4. Check your sleeping posture
  5. Be sure your footwear is fitting properly and is appropriate for you
  6. Address balance issues and home safety issues to prevent falls
  7. If you use an assistive device, ensure that it is the proper height and is maintained properly
  8. Ensure your exercise program is right for you- see your healthcare provider or an exercise professional if you are unsure. There are many low impact options.
  9. Maintain a healthy diet– enlist help from a nutritionist or your healthcare provider
  10. If you smoke -work towards quitting

Want More?

I hope you enjoyed these seated hip stretches, take a look at Chair Yoga To Improve Mobility for some tips on standing up from the chair.

If you are interested in some more lower body chair yoga exercises, take a look at Power Up The Lower Body

Or if you would like a few upper body tips, take a look here at All About The Upper Body

Check out 5 Healthy Aging Resources for some more ways to help you or someone you care for to stay active.

You may be interested in these 5 Standing Chair Yoga Poses For Beginners

Or, visit The Peaceful Chair YouTube Channel for more seated chair yoga vidoes.

Finally, take a look at The Peaceful Chair Etsy Shop for health and wellness related printable pages and fun things for all stages of life.

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Namaste!

Disclaimer: The Peaceful Chair and thepeacefulchair.com strongly recommends that you consult with your physician before starting this or any exercise program.The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not to be used in place of medical advice or information from your healthcare provider. Neither The Peaceful Chair, the peacefulchair.com, nor any of its contributors shall be held liable for any improper or incorrect use of the information described and/or contained herein and assumes no responsibility for anyone’s use of the information contained in any links, videos, or any content on this website.