I often wake up with stiff and achy muscles. Sometimes it’s because I’ve exercised—lifting weights or playing tennis—but more often, it’s because I’ve spent the previous day hunched over my laptop. I work from home full-time and spend most of my day sitting, and the impact this has on my body is undeniable.
My hips, in particular, have become noticeably tight. Long periods of sitting can naturally weaken and shorten the hip muscles, so I’m always looking for ways to undo some of the damage that comes from working at a desk.
One stretch that always feels especially great in my hips is the figure four. It feels great in the moment, but one-off stretches aren’t enough to make long-term improvements to my mobility and flexibility. So I decided to try the figure-four stretch every day for 30 days.
What is the figure-four stretch?
This version of the movement is done lying down (it can also be done seated), which makes it ideal to do at the start or end of the day in bed—I did it first thing before even getting out of bed.
“This figure-four stretch is predominantly a stretch of the gluteal muscles. However, it also opens up the lower back so people often find that it gives relief from a stiff back as well,” explains Helen O’Leary, a physiotherapist at Complete Pilates.
The buttocks and lower back interconnect with the hips so tightness in one area can show up as stiff hips. “As well as stretching muscles and other soft tissues such as fascia and ligaments, this stretch can also help work on your hip joint mobility,” O’Leary says.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Place your left ankle on top of your right thigh, just below your right knee, letting your left knee drop to the side.
- Place your hands behind your right thigh and gently pull it toward your chest.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- Release, then perform on the other side.
I held the stretch for 30 seconds on each side, then repeated that two or three times.
What happened when I did the figure-four stretch every day for 30 days
It reduced my hip stiffness
Improving my hip mobility was my main goal and after a month, there was a significant difference, which I’m pleased about.
After about two weeks, I noticed I could pull my leg closer toward my body—a good sign that my hip mobility had improved. I also noticed I could get deeper into moves like squats and lunges.
Half way through the month, I also noticed my hips weren’t as stiff on waking and by the end of the 30 days, my hips felt less tight while sitting at my desk throughout the day.
Although the discomfort returned occasionally, it was dramatically reduced.
It eased my lower-back tightness
My lower back is nearly always bothering me. There’s often a niggle that only eases through a big stretch (and usually a satisfying crack).
Although back pain wasn’t my motivation for starting this challenge, I noticed this daily stretch had a positive impact on it. While it didn’t specifically target the area, my back felt less stiff over the 30 days, especially when I woke up.
This makes sense. Mobilizing the glutes and hips can support the lower back. When these muscles are tight, the lower back often compensates.
It reduced my DOMs
I exercise most days, including three or four strength training sessions a week, so it’s not unusual for me to have delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMs), particularly in my lower body.
Throughout the month, I noticed an overall improvement in the intensity of the DOMs, especially in the mornings when it feels the worst. That little bit of movement before getting out of bed helped me feel less stiff.
All this has convinced me to continue stretching every morning.