Photographed by Alexandra R. Gavillet. We office-bound folk face a common foe on a daily basis: The energy-suck that is sitting for eight-plus hours at a time. Not only does this position drain whatever energy we got from our morning coffee; it can also be a major source of hip pain.
“Sitting accelerates the breakdown of multiple physiological systems in your body, and it weakens your core and hips,” explains Jill Miller, creator of the Yoga Tune Up program and the upcoming book, The Roll Model: A Step-by-Step Guide to Erase Pain, Improve Mobility, and Live Better In Your Body.
Since you might not have a foam roller stashed under your desk (or the budget for a weekly massage), Miller says you can turn your office chair into a rehab tool to release too-tight hip flexors. Her go-to move? The chair lunge.
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Click to the next page to see how to perform the feel-good stretch that helps loosen tight hips after a long sit-session.
Photo: Courtesy Of Jill MillerChair Lunge
Place your right foot flat on the seat of a sturdy chair. Walk your left foot back two to three feet behind your body. Bend your left knee, lowering it toward the ground while gently pushing your hips forward. You should feel a nice stretch along the front of your left hip. Be sure to keep your core tight and your chest upright. Hold for 30 seconds to one minute; then switch sides.