How to Hydrate and Release Tight, Painful Hips

I originally learned this technique from Jen and Casey over at Fusion Pilates in Asheville, and it's gotten very popular over the years because it's a very effective technique!

This exercise is the perfect supplement, and maybe even the missing key, to any hip stretches you are already doing.

It helps to hydrate and release tight, congested muscle and fascial tissues in the back of your hips in ways that traditional stretching bypasses.

Try incorporating this routine 2-3 times a week for the next three weeks and let me know how it goes in the comments below.

See you in the studio,

Sydney

Picture of Sydney

Sydney

I’m here to help you get stronger and more flexible through alignment-based restorative exercise so you can enjoy all the activities you love in life. You can work with me in two convenient ways: digitally through the Pilates Tonic Online membership or personally with in-person Restorative Movement Sessions.

16 Responses

  1. Hi Sydney,
    We love your video blog. You are a bright light in the industry. Thanks for mentioning us. Come and visit us soon.

    Love,
    Jen and Casey

  2. Great demo and Matthew did a great job. I would have moaned and groaned!!! Especially liked the very end out-takes.

  3. Fun to watch and so encouraging, practical and helpful! This is good for that slight groin pull I experience from time to time.

  4. I love your videos. They are so clear and helpful.

    I have chronically tight hips, especially in the front of the hips. Do you have anything like this ball exercise for the muscles in front? (Psoas and TFL in particular?) If so, I’d be very interested.

    In any case, keep up the good work, and thank you!

    1. Hi Molly, the technique in this video is fantastic for the TFL, lateral hip area. Just tilt your hips a little to one side and place the ball under that side of your hip. Keep your knees bent, and let the leg of the side you are releasing slowly drop out to the side and hold there and breathe. This may be very tender! For me the spike ball or tennis ball is a little too intense for the psoas, but a larger massage ball could work. Thanks for your question. Hope this answer was helpful!

  5. I’m very grateful to have found you today! I just had stem cell therapy on my knees. I’m trying to avoid a knee replacement. I’m a week and a half out and so have to be super careful not to do anything to stress the cells as they create new tissue! So looking for not to much weight baring stretches to fix the imbalance is created from six years of hobbling on bad knees!! I found you and I’ve been going through your videos doing them and they are wonderful! I’m realizing so much of the pain I’ve been having in other areas is tied to the knee issues. I have such tight inner and out thigh muscles they are painful to touch inspite of stretching but many of these are new to me so very hopeful! My calves are also very tight even though I can put my hands on the floor with straight legs! If you can point me to any specific ones you think would help during this early rehab I would be really grateful!

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