This Weird-Looking Routine Unlocks Stiff Hips After 50

Will Harlow, the over-50s specialist physio, has a surprisingly beneficial morning routine for us:

The “hip reset” routine

First, test your internal hip rotation: sit near the edge of a sturdy chair with your knees bent and thighs level, then move each foot outward while keeping your thigh still to assess how far your hip rotates inward; remember how it feels so you can compare afterward.

Next, the exercises:

1. Lower-back press: lie on your back with your feet against a wall, knees bent, and a pillow under your head if needed; gently press your lower back into the bed while engaging your deep core and pelvic floor, hold for 5 seconds, then relax while breathing normally.
2. Alternating leg lifts: press your lower back down, engage your core, and lift one foot away from the wall until you first feel stiffness, not pain; hold briefly, lower it, relax, and repeat on the other side to work on hip flexion.
3. Pillow squeezes: place a folded pillow between your knees, press your lower back down, squeeze the pillow, hold briefly, then relax while breathing normally to strengthen your hip adductors and groin muscles.
4. Pillow squeeze with leg lifts: keep the pillow between your knees, press your lower back down, squeeze the pillow, and lift both legs away from the wall without rounding your spine; lower them, relax, and repeat to strengthen the hip adductors while working on hip flexion.
5. Hip internal rotation with a pillow: keep the pillow between your knees, press your lower back down, and maintain the squeeze as you lift one foot from the wall and rotate your leg inward, allowing your foot to swing outward; return your foot to the wall and alternate sides.
6. Hip internal rotation without a pillow: remove the pillow, keep your lower back anchored, lift one foot from the wall, and rotate your leg inward while keeping the other foot on the wall; return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
7. Hip opener: keep both feet against the wall and your lower back anchored, then let one leg fall outward as far as your hip muscles comfortably allow; bring it back in and alternate sides, exploring your available range without forcing the movement.

If you do this daily for about 6 weeks, we are advised, you should be able to notice a significant difference, as compared to your initial test.

For more on all of this plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

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Take care!