If your lower back and hips feel stiff after long days of sitting, nine gentle stretches can help: child's pose, supine figure four, happy baby, seated twist, runner's lunge, figure-four twist, adductor opener, wide-legged forward fold and cow face legs. Hold each one for about 30 seconds per side, breathe slowly, and stop if anything causes sharp pain. Done together, they take around ten minutes.
Below you will find why these areas tighten up, how to stretch safely, clear step-by-step instructions for each move with video demonstrations where they are still available, a simple routine to string them together, and the warning signs that mean you should talk to a doctor instead of stretching it out.
Why the lower back and hips get so tight
Back pain is extremely common. The World Health Organization estimates that low back pain affected 619 million people worldwide in 2020, makes it the leading cause of disability on the planet, and expects the number to reach 843 million by 2050, largely because populations are growing and ageing.
In about nine out of ten cases, no specific disease or structural problem can be found. Doctors call this non-specific low back pain. The WHO lists low physical activity, smoking, obesity and heavy physical strain at work among the risk factors.
Long hours in a chair play a part for many people. When you sit, your hips stay bent for hours at a time. One muscle often blamed is the psoas major, which runs from the lower spine, across the front of the pelvis, to the top of the thigh bone. Together with the iliacus it forms the iliopsoas, the main muscle that flexes the hip. Because it attaches directly to the lumbar vertebrae, a tight or irritated psoas can pull on the lower back. Weak glutes and core muscles add to the problem, leaving the spine to do more work than it should.
Stretching cannot fix every cause of back pain, but for everyday stiffness it is a low-cost, low-risk place to start.
How to stretch safely
- Warm up first. A few minutes of walking or marching on the spot makes muscles more willing to lengthen.
- Go to mild tension, not pain. You should feel a pull, never a sharp or shooting sensation.
- Hold, don't bounce. Ease into each position and stay still for around 30 seconds.
- Breathe. Slow breaths out help the muscles relax further.
- Work both sides. Most of these stretches are one-sided, so repeat them on the other leg.
- Be consistent. A short daily session does more than one long session a week.
Kneeling and seated stretches
1. Child's pose
Kneel on the floor with your big toes touching and your knees spread wide. Lower your hips back towards your heels and walk your hands forward until your arms are long and your forehead rests on the floor or a cushion. For a deeper stretch, keep your arms straight and creep your fingertips a little further away. Relax your shoulders and stay for around 30 seconds. This pose gently lengthens the lower back and the outer hips.
2. Seated twist
Sit on the floor with both knees bent. Fold your right leg so the heel rests near your left buttock, then cross your left foot over the right knee and plant it on the floor. Put your left hand behind you for support and hook your right elbow against the outside of your left knee. Sit tall, then turn your chest gently towards the left. Keep the spine long rather than rounded and hold for about 30 seconds before switching sides.
3. Runner's lunge
From hands and knees, step your left foot forward to the outside of your left hand, so the toes sit slightly ahead of the knee. Keep your right knee down and both hands on the inside of the front foot. Let your hips sink towards the floor until you feel a stretch at the front of the back hip, where the hip flexors attach. Hold for 30 seconds, then change legs. This is one of the most direct ways to stretch the psoas.
4. Cow face legs
Sit on the floor and stack one bent knee on top of the other, with your feet out to the sides. Press both sitting bones into the floor, lengthen your back and rest your hands beside you. Breathe deeply for around 30 seconds, then swap which knee is on top. You should feel this deep in the outer hip and buttock. If the full stack is too much, keep the bottom leg straight.
Stretches lying on your back
5. Supine figure four
(The video originally embedded here is no longer available on YouTube.)
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor. Rest your left ankle across your right thigh, just above the knee, to make a "4" shape. Thread your left hand through the gap between your legs and clasp both hands behind your right thigh. Keeping your head and shoulders down, draw the right thigh towards your chest until you feel the stretch in the left buttock. Hold for up to a minute and repeat on the other side.
6. Happy baby
(The video originally embedded here is no longer available on YouTube.)
Lying on your back, bend your knees in towards your chest. Hold the outsides of your feet, your ankles or your shins, whichever you can reach comfortably, and let your knees open wider than your body. Keep your lower back resting on the floor. Stay for around 30 seconds, rocking gently from side to side if it feels good.
7. Figure-four twist
Lie on your back with feet hip-width apart and knees bent. Cross your left ankle over your right thigh and open your arms out to the sides, elbows bent, like a cactus. Flex your feet and let both knees drop slowly towards the left, keeping your shoulders on the floor. The twist reaches the lower back and the outer hip together. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat to the other side.
Standing stretches
8. Adductor opener
Stand with your feet wider than your hips, heels turned in and toes turned out at roughly 45 degrees. Bend your knees as if starting a squat and place your hands on your thighs just above the knees. Press gently on the thighs to open the inner legs and hips. Keep your back long and hold for 30 seconds.
9. Wide-legged forward fold
Stand with your feet wide and your toes pointing forward. Bend your knees a little and fold forward from the hips, bringing your hands to the floor or to blocks. Let your head hang and allow gravity to lengthen the lower back, hamstrings and glutes. After about 30 seconds, put your hands on your hips, bend your knees and come up slowly with a flat back.
A ten-minute routine
To make the sequence flow, start standing, move to the floor, and finish lying down:
- Adductor opener, then wide-legged forward fold (standing).
- Runner's lunge on each side, then child's pose (kneeling).
- Seated twist and cow face legs on each side (sitting).
- Supine figure four, figure-four twist and happy baby (lying down).
Many people like doing this in the evening or after a long stretch at a desk. Pair it with movement during the day: standing up every half hour, a daily walk, and some strengthening work for the glutes and core. The WHO's guidance for non-specific low back pain stresses exactly this mix of exercise for strength and mobility, more general activity, good sleep and a healthy diet.
Common myths, and when to see a doctor
"Rest until it stops hurting." Long periods in bed tend to slow recovery. The NHS advises staying as active as you can and carrying on with daily activities.
"Painkillers are the main treatment." The WHO says medicines should not be the first-line treatment for low back pain and work best alongside other approaches. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before taking anything, especially if you are older or have other health conditions.
"A tight psoas causes most back pain." It can contribute, but most low back pain has no single identifiable cause, which is why a varied routine works better than focusing on one muscle.
The NHS notes that back pain usually improves within a few weeks. Talk to a doctor if it does not, if it disturbs your sleep or daily life, or if it comes with unexplained weight loss, swelling or a change in the shape of your back. Get urgent help if you have numbness or weakness in both legs, loss of feeling around the genitals or bottom, changes in bladder or bowel control, chest pain, or pain after a serious fall or accident. The WHO also recommends a proper clinical assessment when back pain first begins.
Sources: World Health Organization: Low back pain fact sheet; NHS: Back pain; Wikipedia: Psoas major muscle; stretch selection originally featured by Higher Perspectives; videos via YouTube.
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