Stretching the hips is beneficial for many people, including office workers who sit much of the time, runners and cyclists, and older people who are less active. It can reduce back pain and increase gluteal muscle vitality. For women, hip stretching can train the pelvic floor muscles and promote uterine blood circulation.
Hip stretching doesn’t require equipment and can be done at home or the gym.
Hip Structure and Relation to the Meridians
The hips are the regions located on both sides of the pelvis, including the hip joint and the surrounding muscles. The muscle groups involved include the pelvic floor, gluteal, inner thigh, and iliopsoas muscles. As a ball and socket joint, the hip is connected by multiple ligaments and muscles that provide a wide range of motion, ensure stability, and reduce the risk of dislocation.
According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the liver meridian passes through the hip area. Starting from the instep of the big toe, it runs along the inside of the ankle, lower leg, and thigh, enters the groin, and continues up to the abdomen and chest. Therefore, stretching the hips can stretch the liver meridians.
TCM believes that “the liver governs dispersion,” and the liver meridian is responsible for promoting the flow of qi (energy), blood, and body fluids throughout the body to avoid blockages, the so-called “once through no more pain.” If qi and blood are blocked, it is a precursor of blood stasis, leading to aches, pains, and other discomforts.
TCM has found that the human body has a meridian system responsible for transporting qi and blood throughout the body. They are the basic substances that constitute the human body and maintain all physiological activities. The meridian system has 12 main meridians, and the liver meridian is one of them.
Those who work long hours while sitting and older people who often sit for extended periods may develop weakness in the glute and leg muscles and poor blood circulation. This is one main cause of back pain and stiff hip joints, and also affects one’s posture, resulting in problems such as sagging hips and enlarged thighs.
For women, sitting for prolonged periods could lead to weak pelvic floor muscles and poor blood circulation in the uterus. If combined with stress or depression, weak pelvic floor muscles could lead to gynecological diseases such as fibroids and cysts.
Hip stretching is easier said than done for certain adults. It also needs to be done regularly, slowly, and step-by-step.
