Like all joints in our body, our hips are designed for lots and lots of regular movement.  Historically, all this movement was a requirement to survive. We often had to walk long distances, squat, crawl, run, leap, climb… all simply to survive.

And then in the past 200 years we have innovated such an abundance of amazing machines to help make our lives easier and safer, we’ve almost entirely removed the need to move!

Now I’m a huge fan of all this human ingenuity and progress… but the inconvenient reality is that for 100’s of thousands of years, we (or more accurately – our ancestors) had to move a lot, simply to survive… These movement demands for survival shaped our bodies and brains so that we are perfectly adapted to those demands. Which means when we stop moving, our bodies (and brains) suffer.

The practical downside to all these energy-saving devices is that our body can get deconditioned when we don’t use it.  When muscles aren’t used, they get weak.

The downsides don’t stop there. When joints aren’t used, they seize up.  Ultimately when we don’t move, our bodies stop working properly.

One of the worst impacts on our hips comes from sitting, especially the amount of sitting most of us clock up day after day… being stuck in this flexed position for hours at a time is pretty destructive to your hips and spine.

The good news is you can regain what you’ve lost by starting with some basic hips mobility exercises.

Here are my go-to recommendations, I share these 5 movements with almost every client!

Top 5 Mobility Exercises For Tight Hips

1. Couch Stretch

2.  Easy Pidgeon

3. Hamstring Flossing

4. Windshield Wipers

5. Supported Squat

Dr. John MacPhee is a Chiropractor, speaker and passionate health and wellness expert. He has inspired thousands of people to take control of their own health using the Life By Design method. Dr. John is co-owner of The Wellness Group, the largest Life By Design Certified Chiropractic office in Canada. Apart from full-time practice, John maintains a busy speaking schedule, with a particular emphasis on improving productivity and focus at work. Otherwise, you can find John training hard at CrossFit 613, exploring Gatineau Park, or holed away studying the latest research at various cafes across the west end.