The Truth About Your Tight Hips—and What Actually Helps

If your hips feel tight, stiff, or just plain tired of sitting…you’re not alone.

Most of us spend more time sitting than our bodies were ever designed for. Over time, that leads to a familiar set of complaints:

• Stiffness when you get up from a chair
• A pinching sensation when you try to stretch
• Low back discomfort that seems to radiate from the hips
• Or just that vague feeling of being “locked up” in your lower body

So what do we do? We stretch. And stretch. And stretch some more.

But what if stretching isn’t the full story?

Why your hips feel tight (even if they’re not)

Let’s bust a common myth: tight doesn’t always mean short.

Sometimes, the muscles in your hips feel tight not because they need more length—but because they’re weak, underused, or trying to stabilize for other areas of imbalance.

In other words, your hips might be holding tension not because they’re tight—but because they’re trying to help.

When that happens, more stretching (especially without strength) can actually lead to more instability… and more discomfort.

How sitting impacts your hips (and what you can do about it)

Most of us are sitting more than our hips would prefer.

Between work, driving, meals, and binging the latest Netflix series… it adds up.

Even when I was teaching movement all day, I still felt it.

When I first moved back to Texas from New York, I took a job as the fitness and yoga coordinator at a large senior living center in Fort Worth. I designed and taught the yoga and movement programs across assisted living, memory care, and independent living, which meant I was on my feet most of the day.

But here’s the thing: I had a nearly hour-long commute through traffic each way.

And despite all the movement I was doing at work, I still noticed my hips (and honestly, my whole body) feeling tight and tense. My shoulders crept up toward my ears. My low back ached. And my hips? They felt locked, like they were stuck in that sitting shape long after I’d gotten out of the car.

That experience really helped me see how much lifestyle patterns like prolonged sitting—especially under stress—can affect the body, even when you’re otherwise active!

Long periods of sitting (especially without breaks) can create a perfect storm of tight hip flexors, sleepy glutes, and overall stiffness.

Research supports this: a 2021 study found that adults who sat more than 7 hours per day had significantly less hip extension range than active adults—suggesting that prolonged sitting can literally shorten the hip flexors over time.

Here’s why that matters:

When you sit for long periods, one of the muscles that gets most affected is the psoas—a deep hip flexor that connects your lower spine to the front of your pelvis and thigh. It’s involved in both hip movement and low back support, and when it stays in a shortened position (like when you’re sitting), it can start to feel tight or achy when you finally stand up.

But the psoas isn’t just a physical player—it’s also closely linked to your nervous system. So tension here can show up as that “locked up” feeling in your hips and your low back, often carrying a layer of emotional stress, too.

💡 Did you know? The psoas is sometimes called the “muscle of the soul” because of its deep connection to both physical tension and emotional holding. No wonder it needs more than just a good stretch.

At the same time, your glutes are switched off in this position, which means they can weaken over time. And your low back often tries to compensate—doing work it wasn’t designed for, leading to discomfort or that vague sense that something just feels off.

There’s also something interesting that happens on a more subtle level: Your joints rely on movement to stay healthy. Specifically, the hip joint is lubricated by something called synovial fluid. But here’s the catch—it only circulates well when you move. So when you’re stuck in one position for hours? The hips aren’t getting the lubrication they need.

What actually helps when yours hips feel stiff

Flexibility is helpful—but it’s only part of the picture.

First of all, consider your lifestyle habits. If you sit a lot, could you take a few short movement breaks throughout your day? It doesn’t have to be anything intense or entailed; just simply getting up and walking around is incredibly beneficial.

Intentional movement throughout the day keeps your hips happier, your joints healthier, and your body more supported.

Then, beyond that: Healthy, pain-free hips need a balance of mobility, stability, and strength—all working together to support your body in motion.

That means your yoga practice should include:

• Targeted strength work (especially for the glutes and deep hip stabilizers)
• Smart mobility exercises that encourage movement in multiple directions
• Joint-friendly stretches that don’t force or strain
• Focus on the foot to core connection
• Support for surrounding areas—especially the core, low back, and knees

This approach creates true freedom in your hips—not just more range, but more control, more ease, and more confidence when you move.

Why more “hip openers” aren’t the answer

I see this pattern all the time in my students and yoga therapy clients.

They come in thinking that what they need is more “hip opening.” More deep stretches. More pigeon pose. As if the answer to every bit of hip tension is to stretch more.

But here’s the thing—most of the time, that’s not what actually helps. And sometimes, it can even make things worse.

A lot of yoga sequences tend to overemphasize external rotation of the hips—think pigeon pose, figure four, butterfly. These can feel good, but when that’s all we do, we miss something big: internal rotation and balanced hip strength.

And your hips need both.

When we neglect internal rotation, the hip joint doesn’t move through its full range—and that lack of movement variety can contribute to tightness, instability, or discomfort that shows up in everyday life. Plus, too much external rotation (especially passively) without support can increase strain on the knees or low back.

This is why I build therapeutic yoga sequences that move the hips in all directions—strengthening as well as stretching, and including joint-friendly internal rotation. Because balanced hips aren’t just flexible… they’re functional!

Why this matters more than you think

Your hips are everything.

Hips don’t just exist in isolation…they affect your walking, your balance, and they influence what’s happening above and below, too. When your hips aren’t supported well, your knees and low back often take on extra strain.

A 2021 systematic review highlights this connection too, noting that tight hip flexors—often caused by too much sitting—can alter posture and increase stress on the lumbar spine, contributing to back pain.

In daily life, that can look like:

• Feeling stiff after sitting for a while
• Noticing extra effort in your knees when climbing stairs
• Achiness in your low back when walking or standing for too long

And as we age, these patterns can creep in quietly. One day, you’re stepping easily onto a curb… the next, it feels a little more challenging, and you notice yourself using a bit more caution.

But here’s the thing: your body is incredibly adaptable.

You can build strength, mobility, and confidence at any age—when you use practices that meet your body where it is.

What therapeutic yoga can offer

Therapeutic yoga isn’t about pushing yourself into deep stretches or doing fancy poses. It’s about:

• Teaching your body how to move well again
• Creating steadiness and support through functional movement
• Rebuilding strength in the muscles that keep your joints healthy
• Giving your nervous system a sense of safety—so your body can finally relax
• Restoring your body’s movement patterns with intention, not intensity

This is why I teach the way I do. Because real healing comes from understanding how the body actually works, and what it truly needs to thrive. Rooted in science, guided by real-life experience, and always centered on what helps you feel better—not just in class, but in everyday life.

Even short daily yoga can make a difference. In a 2023 study, home-office workers who practiced just 10 minutes of yoga each day for a month reported significantly less hip and low back discomfort than a control group—proving that consistency matters more than intensity.

Try these 5 poses to support your hips (FREE masterclass)

If you’ve been nodding along, wondering where to start—this is a great first step:

Sign up for my free masterclass: Yoga for Healthy, Pain-Free Hips. You’ll learn 5 essential poses for hip health—each one chosen to help you move better and feel better, without pushing or forcing.

Plus, you’ll get a printable PDF so you can keep the poses on hand anytime you need a reset.

It’s especially helpful if you’re navigating stiffness, aging joints, or just want a more supportive approach to movement.

You’ll feel the difference in how you move, how you sit, and how your whole body supports you—without pain, pressure, or perfection.