<commit_before>---
title: Hips Don't Lie - How to Unlock Tight Hips
date: 2017-08-23 14:45:00 Z
categories:
- blog
description: Whether you to sit all day at work or you've just killed leg day at the
  gym, you've likely experienced issues with tight hips. Here are 5 ways to unlock
  those tight hips!
layout: blog_post
---

Whether your job requires you to sit all day or you've just killed leg day at the gym, chances are you've complained about tight hips recently. Shakira knew this all along when she released the record-breaking single "Hips Don't Lie". Corny you might say, but it's true. If your hips are constantly held in a static position (hence the statement, if you don't use it you lose it) or you place the surrounding muscles through constant grueling activation, the joint and surrounding musculature will end up getting hypomobile. They sure won't lie to you!

### HELP!

Your body will constantly let you know by crying out for help. The body is smarter than we give it credit for. It will send signals to your brain asking you to move your tight hips around in every which way in hopes of relieving the symptoms. You have two options, take action or ignore. Don't ignore this calling because your hips will only get tighter which will cause chain reactions of other potential injuries. We definitely do not want that to happen!

### What makes up the hip joint?

In order to start improving the mobility of your hips and how to they move, you have to know what makes up this important body part.

The hip is a ball-and-socket synovial joint (fancy name for two bones jointed together with fluid that allows smooth movements) that allows the greatest amount of range of motion compared to any joint in the body besides the shoulder.  It consists of the femur (head of the femur makes the ball) and the acetabulum of the pelvis (which is the socket). Surrounding this joint is a large amount of muscles, ligaments, and cartilage that have attachments to the hip.

As [physical therapists](/#team) we're taught to always check the areas above and below the target joint. This gives you a better picture and assessment of what you're dealing with.

Above your hips you have your core. Believe it or not, in order to move the pelvis efficiently, you must know how to stabilize the spine. The abdominals will help you do this. The core acts like a corset consisting of the transverse abdominals, rectus abdominals, and internal and external obliques. When activated, will hold everything together tightly and keep everything stabilized.

Below your hips you have all the major muscles with attachments to the legs that assist in freeing up the hips.  You have major muscle groups such as the quadriceps, iliopsoas, adductors, hamstrings, and glutes. Located in front of your hip you have your hip flexors, these muscles often get tight and stiff when sitting for long periods of time. In the back you have your glutes and hamstrings, these are activated everyday during walking and using the stairs. On the inside of your leg are your adductors; these muscles are responsible for bringing your legs towards your body's centerline (line that divides your body into left and right). Lastly, on the outside of your legs are your abductors, used anytime your move your legs away from centerline. These muscles all play a huge role in the lower body movement in every day tasks.
<commit_msg>Updated Hips Dont Lie How To Unlock Tight Hips<commit_after>---
title: Hips Don't Lie - How to Unlock Tight Hips
date: 2017-08-23 14:45:00 Z
categories:
- blog
description: Whether you to sit all day at work or you've just killed leg day at the
  gym, you've likely experienced issues with tight hips. Here are 5 ways to unlock
  those tight hips!
layout: blog_post
---

Whether your job requires you to sit all day or you've just killed leg day at the gym, chances are you've complained about tight hips recently. Shakira knew this all along when she released the record-breaking single ["Hips Don't Lie"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUT5rEU6pqM). Corny you might say, but it's true. If your hips are constantly held in a static position (hence the statement, if you don't use it you lose it) or you place the surrounding muscles through constant grueling activation, the joint and surrounding musculature will end up getting hypomobile. They sure won't lie to you!

### HELP!

Your body will constantly let you know by crying out for help. The body is smarter than we give it credit for. It will send signals to your brain asking you to move your tight hips around in every which way in hopes of relieving the symptoms. You have two options, take action or ignore. Don't ignore this calling because your hips will only get tighter which will cause chain reactions of other potential injuries. We definitely do not want that to happen!

### What makes up the hip joint?

In order to start improving the mobility of your hips and how to they move, you have to know what makes up this important body part.

The hip is a ball-and-socket synovial joint (fancy name for two bones jointed together with fluid that allows smooth movements) that allows the greatest amount of range of motion compared to any joint in the body besides the shoulder.  It consists of the femur (head of the femur makes the ball) and the acetabulum of the pelvis (which is the socket). Surrounding this joint is a large amount of muscles, ligaments, and cartilage that have attachments to the hip.

As [physical therapists](/#team) we're taught to always check the areas above and below the target joint. This gives you a better picture and assessment of what you're dealing with.

Above your hips you have your core. Believe it or not, in order to move the pelvis efficiently, you must know how to stabilize the spine. The abdominals will help you do this. The core acts like a corset consisting of the transverse abdominals, rectus abdominals, and internal and external obliques. When activated, will hold everything together tightly and keep everything stabilized.

Below your hips you have all the major muscles with attachments to the legs that assist in freeing up the hips.  You have major muscle groups such as the quadriceps, iliopsoas, adductors, hamstrings, and glutes. Located in front of your hip you have your hip flexors, these muscles often get tight and stiff when sitting for long periods of time. In the back you have your glutes and hamstrings, these are activated everyday during walking and using the stairs. On the inside of your leg are your adductors; these muscles are responsible for bringing your legs towards your body's centerline (line that divides your body into left and right). Lastly, on the outside of your legs are your abductors, used anytime your move your legs away from centerline. These muscles all play a huge role in the lower body movement in every day tasks.

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