Have you been practicing yoga for years, or are you new to yoga? Have you been to a yoga class and heard the teacher say, “This is a great hip opener.” Did you stop to consider what the term hip opener means, and is loosening your hips an effective approach to healthy happy hips? We must also remember that not all bodies are built the same, so one person’s anatomy might allow to get into a position a lot easier than another person’s anatomy. For example, the angle of which the femur (large upper leg bone) goes into the hip socket, as well as the depth of the hip socket vary from person to person.
Historically in classic yoga practices, there has been a lot of emphasis on stretching and flexibility. But, in the long term, over stretching, particularly static stretching, without considering stability and strength can have negative results. Yoga practitioners often confuse joint pain for stiffness.
If your hips aren’t functioning effectively, the structures above and below them will adjust to compensate. Weakness and tightness in the lower back, and pain in the knees, ankles, and feet are just a few of the problems that may arise from hip dysfunction. The hips consist of a system of bones, joints, nerves, muscles, and fascia that all need to work together to keep the body moving.
If you have been sitting working at a desk all day, your hips will be in a flexion position for a large part of the day. Think of the effect this may have on your spine and the weakness this can cause in the glutes. You cannot just get up and stretch, do a lunge, put your hip into extension to fix the pattern. You need to consider overall posture, stability, strength, mobility, and overall movement patterns throughout the day.
Also, it is important to remember that our hips need to be strong in order for us to walk. If we emphasize stretching and flexibility, we may be causing weakness and instability. The body is smarter than the brain. It will find a way to compensate for movements, causing pain or poor movement dynamics in other areas of the body.
If you are curious to learn more, book a private yoga therapy session with me today. Or come explore with me on zoom or in person.
Some things to remember…
-Your primary hip muscles include the glutes, hip flexors, adductors, and the tensor fasciae latae. So, when considering hip stretches and hip exercises, we must take all of these muscles into consideration.
-Pay attention to your glutes. The gluteus medius and minimus, the deeper side butt muscles, play a large role in stabilization. If they aren’t strong enough, other muscles and joints must compensate.
-Your hip muscles link to, and affect, the whole body. So, when considering freedom of movement in the hips, we can’t ignore how they connect to other areas of the body.
-Are you considering all the ways your hips can move, and are you practicing a combination of mobility and stability, versus only flexibility.