A personal trainer says these two simple hip stretches can soothe a sore back

Lower back pain and tightness are common issues for lots of people, desk workers and active adults alike. While you might think that stretching the area will resolve the problem, personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist Matt Hsu suggests targeting your hips and legs instead.

Tightness in these areas can put additional stress and strain on your lower back, causing pain, but these two stretches from Hsu could help.

"These [stretches] are very helpful for people who are generally stiff and inflexible," Hsu says. "They’re a good place to start to help you restore some of your hip mobility and flexibility, and that’s going to make your back feel a whole lot better."

How to do Matt Hsu’s hip stretches

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Hsu uses a cushioned platform in his demonstration, but you can use any chair, couch, or table that’s an appropriate height.

Quad stretch

• Stand in front of an elevated surface, facing away from it.
• Lift your right leg and place the top of your right foot on top of the surface. Keep your spine neutral and your core engaged—avoid any arching in the lower back.
• Squeeze your right glute until you feel a stretch in the front part of your right thigh.
• Slowly bend the knee to deepen the stretch, if necessary.
• Hold in this position for 30-60 seconds then repeat on the left side.

Trainer tips: "Feel the stretch through the thigh, not directly in the knee joint," Hsu advises. "You don’t want to feel like that’s popping or exploding, so be gentle with it and then you can just work on sinking a little deeper so that stretch is going all around the quad."

Modified pigeon pose

• Stand in front of an elevated surface, facing it.
• Lift your right leg, bend your right knee, and rest your leg parallel to your body on top of the surface. You should feel a stretch in your hips and glutes.
• Keeping your spine neutral, slowly bend forward at the hips to increase the stretch.
• Hold in this position for 30-60 seconds then repeat on the left side.

Trainer tips: "You don’t have to have your knee flat down, in fact it can be really helpful to have something under your knee to help you get a better stretch into your glutes." says Hsu. "That helps take some of the strain away from the knee." You can also perform pigeon pose on the floor if you need a deeper stretch.

Benefits of hip stretches

Stretching the hip muscles will improve your range of motion and decrease tightness—not only in your pelvis, but in other parts of your body as well. The more efficiently your hips and legs can move, the less strain you’ll experience in the lower back.

"Depending on your lifestyle, you may need to do stretches every single day," Hsu advises. "You might benefit from doing them multiple times a day, especially if you’re sitting in a chair."