If you have lower back pain, tight hips is a common reason behind it. Often, these problems begin when we are young and worsen over time as we age. There are many causes, with the feet being most common. Other bad habits in western societies such as sitting for long periods of time and a lack of squatting as a regular part of our activities may be one of the reasons behind poor flexibility which can damage our knees, hips and lower back joints later in life. As we adapt, go through growth spurts and recover from injuries or from athletic activity, without the proper activities to loosen the hips, the lack of motion will be responsible for lower back injuries, chronic neck pain and even common problems such as plantar fasciitis due to tight legs and a lack of impact absorption into the knees and hips. Many articles blame tight hips on sitting. I believe that sitting may be an aggravating factor rather than a cause. Some flexibility issues have followed us from childhood with occasional back or shin pain being the symptom rather than the problem. Unfortunately, these warning signs are often ignored medically even though an off the shelf orthotic can help balance the pelvis and improve how the child feels and moves. Seeing a sports chiropractor may be a good first choice of providers to help prevent problems in the future. Recently, the NY Times offered some exercises to improve tight hips. You can check out the article below to watch the videos that the NY Times offered. Tight Hips? These Moves Can Help. The fascial system is part of the problem. Stretching and movement alone can be helpful to joints keeping them lubricated. In older adults, addressing the lack of flexibility in the fascial lines can improve this flexibility beyond what the NY Times suggests. Generalized stretching has limited value. Stretching with a goal of improving symmetry and gait can make an enormous difference over time. Developing good habits that increase our amount of squatting as we see in other cultures has an effect on the mechanical health of our knees, ankles and hips. We often develop bad habits such as locking up the upper body when we squat. One of the exercises I teach people is to squat in front of a mirror with the hands to the side and keep the upper body level and relaxed. Come down and allow your heels to come off the ground. With practice beginning with 6 reps and graduating to 20 or 25, you can now learn to control the squat while keeping the upper body relaxed. Then, whenever we go into a store or need to get something off a lower shelf, we do the same squat while are doing those activities instead of getting on our knees or bending down and reaching which is bad for our backs. This maneuver alone has helped many patients improve balance and improve hip flexibility while keeping them healthy. With repetition, this helps improve the flexibility of the fascial system that guides movement. Hip capsule stretches. – These are commonly given to patients who have restricted hips. The stretches are extremely effective at improving hip joint flexibility. Combined with foam rolling to loosen the fascia surrounding the joint, when performed consistently, can greatly improve how you move and prevent lower back episodes in the future. Hurdlers, and modified hurdlers stretches. These help address tight fascia and if performed regularly, can improve overall hip and body flexibility which improves how we move and feel. Foot orthotics. Pelvic imbalances for mechanical problems in the feet is a common cause of back pain and hip tightness. As part of our initial evaluation, we explain why level hips are important and often suggest orthotics to improve how we move. Shoe size – The other day, I was in the dermatologists office and the PA who screened me chatted a bit about shoes and she was unaware that her shoes were a half size small. This is a common correctable problem. Watch our video on how to size a shoe. These are some of the ways we address problems such as back pain, hip tightness and the many ramifications that can result in plantar fasciitis and even upper body pain into the shoulders. Everyone is different so our chiropractic offices approach is different as we Taylor our care to the individual for optimal results. How our chiropractic office improves hip flexibility. Understanding someone’s problems begins with a thorough holistic history and evaluation. Once we perform our evaluation, we use the following methods to personalize the care to your individual needs including Manipulation of the spine and extremities to improve how you move. Soft tissue techniques to improve flexibility and loosen tight fascia that is restricting movement. Exercises tailored to your unique adaptations and problems. Taking care of these problems while you are younger will help you avoid many common knee, hip and foot problems later on. Even older patients can benefit and many have avoided hip and knee replacements with the right advice and care. Need help due to poor flexibility, hip tightness and the resulting issues with balance? Call either of our offices today or book online.