Trauma survivors may notice they have tight hips or low back pain. With gentle hip opening poses and supportive practices to calm your nervous system, it’s possible to find relief and a more stable, grounded presence.
I invite you to join me as this post explores how to release hip tension after trauma and poses for effective relief.
How Stress, Emotions, and Trauma Can Affect Your Hips
You may hold your body a certain way after triggers or from constantly being on guard (hyper-vigilance). This happens because when your nervous system senses danger, your body may brace to protect you, even if you’re not entirely aware this is happening.
You might clench your jaw, hunch your shoulders, hold your breath, or tighten your hips. Overtime, this can lead to tension in your body. If you’d like to learn more about your nervous system after trauma, I welcome you to explore my Guide to Nervous System Regulation.
Some may also find that stress and trauma can affect multiple areas of their body, not just one area like their hips. While everyone’s experience is unique, it’s common to notice tension in your jaw, shoulders, hips, or low back. If you’d like to learn more about the connection between trauma and body tension, I welcome you to explore my guide to How Trauma Becomes Stored in Our Bodies.
Our Unique Body Connections
Sometimes, we may notice that when one area of our body begins to soften, other areas may start to feel more relaxed as well. This study from the National Library of Medicine found that releasing jaw tension was linked with increased hip mobility. While more research is needed, this explores how interconnected our bodies are, and that we’re much more than a bunch of parts pieced together, but an entire being with all parts connected.
We also may notice emotions tied to physical release. Many people, myself included, have had experiences when releasing an area of tension also led to an emotional release.
While yoga isn’t a replacement for professional mental health support, it can be a gentle way to reconnect with your body, emotions, and sensations after trauma. For more resources and support options, I welcome you to explore my Survivor Support Page.
Understanding Your Hip Anatomy
Your hips are a ball and socket joint, meaning you can create movement in many directions (circular movement). When yoga teachers say hip opening, they typically mean to stretch parts of our hips that may be stiff. Yoga has many hip opening poses to support more mobility and release.
It’s supportive to also stretch the muscles surrounding your hips to create balance in your body. I welcome you to add poses that include twists and stretching your hamstrings, psoas muscles, and low back.
To release your psoas, I invite you to explore these 7 Yoga Poses for Psoas Release After Trauma.
Gentle Signs Your Hips May Benefit From Release
According to Orthopedic Specialists and Sports Medicine, and Healthline, your hip flexors might benefit from gentle release if you notice:
- Not much flexibility in your hips
- Lower back, hip, or knee discomfort
- You live a sedentary lifestyle
- Tightness in the front of your hips when standing, walking, or other movements
Another way to explore your hip mobility is through the Thomas Test, which is a simple way physical therapists determine if you have limited mobility. I recommend seeing a specialist for your most accurate evaluation and to determine your specific causes for tension, but you can still explore this at home.
Thomas Test Steps:
- I invite you to begin sitting near the edge of a firm surface, like a bed or table, with your legs hanging down.
- In your own time, bring one knee toward your chest and gently hold it.
- Slowly lower your back down onto the surface while keeping your knee to your chest.
- Allow your opposite leg to relax and gently hang toward the floor. There is no need to make anything happen or stretch further than feels comfortable. When you’re ready, switch sides and explore the same movement with your other leg.
If your leg hanging (the one you’re not holding) lifts off the surface of the bed or table, this may be a sign of limited hip flexor flexibility.
Another Way to Explore Signs of Hip Tension:
Another sign that may show you have tight hips is if you’re physically uncomfortable sitting cross legged. If your knees sit high from the floor, you may find gentle release supportive.
This doesn’t mean any distance from the floor means you have tight hips, as your natural anatomy and how your bones are structured can influence this.
I also offer a gentle reminder that not all tension is related to trauma, and tension is not the same as pain. If you ever experience sharp pain, it’s best to speak with a care provider.
Chakras and Your Hips
Your hips are part of your sacral chakra region, located in your lower belly and lumbar spine area. in Yoga Philosophy, this is viewed as an emotional energy center that governs your sexuality and creativity.
When exploring an imbalanced sacral chakra from a yoga philosophy lens, you may notice emotions like:
- Fear
- Stress and Anxiety
- Unresolved trauma
- Anger
- Sadness and grief
- Shame/Guilt
Since this is a powerful energy center in your body, unblocking this chakra can also cause powerful emotions to release. Many hip opening postures in yoga directly work with your sacral and root chakras. I welcome you to learn more about how to Unblock Your 7 Chakras After Sexual Trauma for more information on each chakra and practices for balance.
4 Yoga Poses To Release Hip Tension After Trauma
For many sexual trauma survivors, doing any yoga pose that exposes the pelvis may be unsupportive. I’ve only included yoga poses that provide a gentle wonderful stretch poses that expose this area.
You’re always welcome to skip any poses that don’t serve your practice, or even place a blanket over you to provide safety and comfort. Feel free to add any additional props to make this the most comforting pose for you.
These steps are offered from a trauma-informed lens, which offers more choice and options. I welcome you to learn more about the Fundamental of Trauma-Informed Yoga to learn more about this style of teaching and how it supports trauma survivors.
Reclined Pigeon/ Figure Four Stretch (Sucirandhrasana)
- From a comfortable lying down position, I invite you to bring both soles of your feet flat to the mat. In your time, cross your right ankle over your left knee.
- You can either stay in this shape, or energetically think of pressing your right knee away from you (This prevents you from pressing on your knee which may be harmful.)
- You also have the option to gently grab behind your left thigh or shin, reeling in your legs closer to your chest.
- You might explore pressing your low back into the mat, and keeping slight engagement in your right foot (flexing). I invite you to keep soft shoulders until you are ready to release.
- Gently release in your time and repeat on the other side.
Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)
This stretches the same muscles as the figure four stretch, but may be less accessible depending on your anatomy. I included both so you could explore which one you prefer.
- Begin in tabletop position
- When you’re ready, I invite you to glide your right knee behind your right wrist. Gently slide your left knee back to your level of comfort, and gently lower onto your right leg.
- You’re welcome to adjust your right shin to your comfort level (it does not need to be parallel with the short edge of the mat).
- I welcome you to square your hips and see if your back foot extends straight (without veering left or right).
- From here, you can explore either staying upright using your arms to lift you, or gently lower to your forearms or to the mat. You could explore resting your forehead on your hands or using a block to support your head.
- Remain here for a few breaths or as long as you like, perhaps using each exhale to soften tension in your shoulders, jaw and hips. Repeat on the other side when you’re ready.
Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana)
- I invite you to find a comfortable seated position, gently bringing the soles of your feet to touch.
- As you adjust to your comfort level, maybe you explore elongating through your spine
- I welcome you to have slight energy in your feet as they press into each other, and you are welcome to experiment with how close/far you wish to have your feet in proximity to your body.
- You have the option to massage your feet, rest your hands where you choose, and experiment with hinging forward from your hips.
- You may wish to add a blanket or bolster under your seat to provide more length in your spine. Once you are comfortable, you might explore rounding forward for a more restorative fold.
- I invite you to stay here as long as you choose, or for 4 breaths.
Deer Pose (Mrigasana)
- I invite you to start in butterfly (baddha konasana), seated position.
- In your time, I invite you to send your right leg out behind you
- You might wish to explore adjusting the placement of your knees until you find a comfortable level of stretch (hips and low back).
- I welcome you to focus on grounding both of your hips, or perhaps adding a bolster or blanket underneath you to bring you more comfort.
- Remain here as long as you choose or for a few breaths.
- Repeat when you choose on the other side.
Gentle Hip Release Practice for Deep Support
For a restful class that offers deep hip tension release, I welcome you to join my free trauma-informed yoga class.
This 20 minute practice releases hip tension and regulates your nervous system. We’ll explore fluid movements followed by restful poses to release emotions from your hips, calm your nervous system, and give you the time and space to feel more grounded and present. I invite you to add a bolster or thick cushion for this practice, and if you’re ready to get started, I welcome you to join me below.
