Tight hip flexors can cause numerous problems and discomfort. The hip flexors are made up of a group of muscles, and just like any muscles in the body, they need to be properly stretched out to prevent them from getting tight.
When the hip flexors are extra tight, they can cause pain in the low back and down into the hamstrings and legs. Tight hip flexors also put a lot of tension on the posture, negatively affecting it as time goes on.
So what can you do to loosen your hip flexors?
There are so many yoga poses out there to try, and many are specifically meant for increasing mobility and flexibility in the hips. You can see some of these poses demonstrated in the video above. This video demonstrates a great hip-opening sequence for absolute beginners.
Movement keeps the hips mobile. If you feel your hips are tighter after sitting down for a while, try including more movement and stretches throughout your day. If you find that a normal yoga practice is too much for you, you can even try chair yoga for opening up the hips.
In order to really increase mobility in any muscle, it is important to keep your body up and moving. This is why taking walks and/or runs, biking, and even swimming can be great for increasing flexibility in the body. However, these may help to enhance mobility, but the best thing you can do for tight hips is to make sure you are properly stretching.