Healthy Hips

The hip is a ball and socket joint and has great range of motion, moving in all three planes of movement

• Forwards (flexion) and Backwards (extension) — Sagital plane
• Side to side, Abduction/Adduction — Coronal plane
• Rotation — Transverse plane

Our hips tend to hold a lot of the tension in our body — along with the shoulders — so it’s important that they remain flexible and strong.

This means that we need to be aware of all the muscles that affect our hips and work to keep them in balance by both stretching and strengthening each muscle involved.

Hip Flexors
Muscles

• Psoas (primary hip flexor)
• Iliacus
• Quadriceps (only Rectus Femoris) The Vastus Intermedius, Vastus Lateralis, and Vastus Medialis extend the knee
• Sartorius (longest muscle in the body, rotates externally)

Function

• Prime movers
• Lifts leg forward
• We spend a lot of time with our hips in flexed position (sitting, driving), this leads to tightness and restriction of hip extension.

Asanas

• Poses that will stretch the hip flexors include: Vira I (back leg), Pigeon (back leg), Extended Low Lunge, Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, Ardha Bhekasana, etc.
• Poses that will strengthen the hip flexors include those that lift the leg forward: Navasana, Utthitha Hasta Padangusthasana, etc.

Hip Extensors
Muscles

• Hamstrings (all 3)

1. Semimembranosus (extension, slightly internal rotation, knee flexion)
2. Semitendinosus (extension, slightly internal rotation, knee flexion)
3. Biceps Femoris (extension, slight external rotation, knee flexion)

• Gluteus Maximus (extension, external rotation)

Function

• Lifts leg backward
• Often restricted movement due to tight hip flexors from sitting all day.

Asanas

• Poses that strengthen the hamstrings include backbends, Utkatasana, etc.
• Poses that stretch the hamstrings include forward bends

Abductors
Muscles

• Gluteus Medius (abducts and internally rotates)
• Gluteus Minimus (abducts and internally rotates)
• Tensor Fascia Latae – TFL (internally rotates and counters posterior tendency of Glute Max)

Function

• Move the leg away from the centerline of the body
• “Firm in the side hips”
• Keep pelvis stable and aigned when standing on one leg
• Contract with every step you take and tend to be stronger than Adductors

Asanas

• Poses that will strengthen the Abductors: Any standing pose, Vrksasana (standing leg), etc.
• Poses that will stretch the Abductors: Garudasana (top leg), Supta Hasta Padangusthasana (when leg crosses over the body), etc

Adductors
Muscles

• Adductor Magnus
• Adductor Brevis
• Adductor Longus
• Pectinius (restricts extension and rotation…what restricts Vira I)
• Gracilis

Function

• Move the leg towards the centerline of the body and provide hip joint stability
• Origin at pelvic bone and attaches along femur

Asanas

• Poses that will strengthen Adductors: Garudasana, Neutral Rotation Poses with block between thighs (Tadasana, Utkatasana, Navasana, backbends), Arm Balances (Bakasana, Bhujapidasana, Tittibhasana), etc.

Hip Rotators
Muscles

• Gluteus Maximus (also a hip extensor, is the strongest external rotator)
• Deep 6

1. Piriformis (sits atop sciatic nerve)
2. Gemellus Superior
3. Gemellus Inferior
4. Obturator Internus
5. Obturator Externus
6. Quadratus Femoris

Function

• Externally rotates the leg
• Lots of power, propels you when running
• Other sports tend to make them really tight
• Can be a problem in Yoga
• When the Piriformis is tight or shortened, it can compress the sciatic nerve causing pain in the sacrum and down the back of the leg.

Asanas

• Poses that will strengthen the Hip Rotators: Externally rotated poses, Vira II (bent leg), Trikonasana (front leg), transition between Trikonasana & Ardha Chandrasana
• Thread the Needle and Supasana (forward) will stretch

Safety
In general standing poses are the safest hip openers, followed by reclined hip openers, then seated hip openers.

Transitions that are easiest on the body are moving from Externally Rotated Standing Postures to External Balances to Neutral Standing Postures to Neutral Balances.


Namaste.