Walking is the simplest thing I do to take care of my physical and mental health, and the only form of exercise I do every day.

I generally walk for no longer than an hour and because it’s low-impact and I don’t break a sweat, I assumed that I didn’t need to do anything to recover afterwards, in the way I do with other workouts.

However, since moving to a hilly area, I noticed that I was sometimes experiencing stiffness in my legs, hips and back after walking. It may be low-intensity, but regular walking can still take its toll.

So, I’ve started doing two post-walk stretches: child’s pose and a forward fold. They only take a few minutes, but they help me feel less stiff for the rest of the day.

Plus, by connecting these two behaviours (walking and stretching) together, a technique called habit stacking, I’m also stretching every day.

The two stretches I do after every walk

I decided to add these stretches to my day because they target the legs and hips. They also mobilize my back, which is always the stiffest area of my body. I hold each pose for about a minute

Here’s how to do them.

1. Child’s pose

• Kneel with your knees wider than hip-width apart.
• Reach your arms as far forward as you can and sit your butt back onto your hips.
• Hold this position.

2. Standing forward fold

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Slowly lower your arms towards your feet, keeping a bend in the knees.
• Stop when you feel a stretch in your hamstrings and hold.

Why is stretching after a walk beneficial?

“It is quite common to feel a bit stiff or achy after walking, particularly following a long walk, and certain stretches can alleviate that discomfort,” explains physiotherapist at Complete Pilates Helen O’Leary. “Child's pose and forward fold can be particularly beneficial since they put your spine in flexion, which opens out the space between the tiny joints in the spine, and stretches the soft tissues of the lower back.”

When you’re standing, your lower back is in a neutral or slightly extended position, which loads the small joints, which is why you might experience stiffness in this area of the body after walking.

“You can add a bit more of a targeted stretch into either of these two positions by adding a side bend,” O’Leary says.

“In child's pose, if you place your arms on the mat overhead, you can walk your hands to one side, so that your body starts to curve. Now really sit back into the hip on the opposite side of where your hands are—this will stretch a little more into one side of your lower back,” she suggests.

Make sure you repeat the movement on the other side, too.

I take as many fitness tests as I can. That’s not so I can feel smug about being a fitness editor who’s reasonably fit (it would be a bit embarrassing if I wasn’t), but so I can identify where I don’t measure up.

For instance, while editing a piece on the old man test a few years ago, I realized my balance was seriously lacking. Since then, I’ve committed to pulling my socks on while standing on one leg, which has resulted in a significant improvement.

So I was glad when I failed one of five fitness tests from coach Yancy Culp, Spartan DEKA co-creator and senior director, who’s also trained many of the top obstacle course racers.

Culp designed these tests to help people “check in with their body and understand whether it’s still doing the basics well.”

Here are the five tests:

1. Can you stand on one leg while doing a task?
2. Can you sit on the floor and stand back up without using your hands?
3. Can you hold a plank for 30 seconds?
4. Can you perform two reverse lunges?
5. Can you walk briskly for 20 minutes?

I failed the second one and ended up rolling around on my back like an upside-down tortoise.

It’s a variation of the sitting-rising test, developed by Brazilian researchers in the 1990s to measure muscular strength and flexibility. Failing the test has some negative implications—a 2014 study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found an association between lower test scores and higher mortality rates.

So I asked Culp over email what I could do to improve.

“Improving hip and overall mobility is very important for this one,” Culp wrote to me. “A drill that I call knee rolls is a great one to start doing daily. I use this simple drill when working with all levels of athletes and clients.

“Start seated with knees and lower legs on the ground, both knees pointing to your right, and the soles of your feet pointing left. Lift your knees and roll them to the left until both knees are touching the ground and the soles of your feet now point to your right. Your feet will remain in contact with the ground during this transition. Continue repeating back and forth for 20 reps every day.

“You may need to use your hands as stabilisers to help during the transition, but if possible, keep the arms and hands held up during the transition. At the end of every roll, lean your body as far forward as possible toward the leg that’s on the ground in front of your body. In a short time, you’ll be able to roll forward using that leg as your support as you step right up from the ground.”

He shared a video coaching the move, too.

If you spend most of your days seated, your hips could be paying the price.

“When we're in a seated position for hours at a time, the hips remain bent for a prolonged period, and it's common to stand up at the end of the day and feel stiffness or tightness,” says Dr Marivi Lao, a physical therapist with Spear Physical Therapy.

To fix that, she suggests moving around regularly and doing targeted stretches, like the three below.

“A good starting point is doing one to three repetitions of each stretch, holding for about 20-30 seconds per side, two to four times per week,” she says. “If someone enjoys stretching and it feels good for their body, they can certainly incorporate these into a daily routine.”

Mobility is different for everyone and Lao says you should bear that in mind when working on your flexibility.

“I think of mobility as having enough comfortable range of motion to move through your day without feeling restricted,” she explains. “I also tell people that stretching shouldn't be a competition with themselves.”

In each stretch, you should feel a gentle-to-moderate pulling sensation, but you shouldn't be forcing your way into a position or feeling pain.

“If you find yourself holding your breath, tensing your entire body, or fighting to get farther into the stretch, that's usually a sign to back off a little,” Lao advises.

For the best results, the physical therapist recommends teaming this mobility routine with some targeted hip-strengthening exercises, like resistance band marches.

Here’s how to do the stretches.

1. Figure four

Sets: 1-3 Hold: 20-30sec each side

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Cross your left leg over your right, with your left ankle resting above your right knee.
• Lift your right foot off the floor.
• Grasp your right thigh with your hands.
• Gently pull your right knee towards your chest until you feel a stretch in the left hip.
• Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Switch sides and repeat.

Therapist tips: “I like to keep the crossed foot flexed and encourage people to relax their shoulders and pelvis rather than trying to force themselves deeper into the stretch,” Lao recommends.

“You should feel this mostly through the glute and outer hip. If you're feeling it in the knee or getting a pinching sensation in the hip, that’s a sign to back off and adjust your position.”

If you struggle to get down to the floor for this move, try performing it on your bed.

2. Kneeling hip flexor stretch

Sets: 1-3 Hold: 20-30sec each side

• Kneel on the floor.
• Place your right foot on the floor in front of you, with your knee bent to 90°.
• Tilt the front of your pelvis up slightly.
• Move your torso forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your left hip.
• Squeeze your left glute to deepen the stretch.
• Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Switch sides and repeat.

Therapist tips: “One of the most common things I see [with this move] is people arching their low back and pushing their hips forward to get a bigger stretch,” says Dr Lao.

“It might feel like you’re getting more range, but you’re often just borrowing the movement from your low back. The movement should come from the hip.”

If you prefer a standing stretch, you can do this lunge version instead.

3. Supine hip twist

Sets: 1-3 Time: 20-30sec

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Slowly lower your knees to the left.
• Pause for a few seconds.
• Lift your knees back to the starting position.
• Gently lower your knees to the right.
• Pause for a few seconds.
• Lift your knees back to the starting position.
• Continue slowly alternating between your two sides for 20 to 30 seconds.

Therapist tips: “Think of this as gently exploring rotation rather than trying to get your knees all the way to the floor,” Dr Lao suggests.

“I like to encourage people to move slowly and breathe through it. Let the hips rotate while keeping your upper body relaxed. Your shoulder may lift a little depending on your individual range, and that’s okay.”

This is another one you can perform on your bed if you struggle to get down to the floor.

You’re not a flamingo, so why would you worry about your ability to balance on one leg?

“Balance is one of the clearest indicators of how well the body is functioning day to day,” says Yancy Culp, Spartan DEKA co-creator and senior director, who’s also trained many of the top obstacle course racers.

“It underpins confidence in movement, reduces risk of falls, and becomes increasingly important as we age.”

It’s why standing on one leg while doing a task is the first of Culp’s five fitness litmus tests, a way of helping people assess if they’ve got all the bases covered (the others cover cardio fitness, strength and mobility).

“If you struggle to stay steady while doing a task such as tying your shoe, it can be a sign that your balance and coordination need attention. The good news is that balance is something you can improve with practice—standing on one leg regularly can help you build your balance and coordination.”

I’m proof that this simple prescription works.

After I edited an article on the old man test, I tried it and realized I couldn’t put on a sock and shoe while standing on one leg.

All I did to remedy this was to almost always put on my socks while standing on one leg. It took months, but my balance has noticeably improved.

However, what if you’re not comfortable standing on one leg at all?

Culp has suggested two simple drills that, when practiced consistently and with the difficulty progressed gradually, should help you see a similar improvement.

Two balance drills

1. Delayed walking

“Many don’t think about it, but walking requires balance and coordination skills that we developed at a very early age,” says Culp.

“It’s a contralateral movement that requires opposite limbs working together to produce movement.

“For several minutes every day, do what I call delayed walking. Walk very slowly so that you’re forced to balance on one foot for a longer period of time compared to your normal walking pace during your leg transitions.

“During every session, challenge yourself to increase the amount of time for each step transition. Your balance will definitely improve!”

2. Slow high knees

“Take the traditional high knee drill and slow it way down,” says Culp.

“Slowly raise your knee and take three seconds to cycle the high knee before returning the foot to the ground.

“Continue cycling for two minutes daily.

“Every fifth day, increase your leg cycle time by one second. In 35 days you’ll be doing 10-second leg cycles and your balance will be greatly improved.

“Challenge yourself during this drill by doing things like closing your eyes for a brief period of time and reaching down and touching your foot with both hands during your leg cycles.”

If you spend extended periods looking down at a device or slouching forward in front of a screen, you might have experienced discomfort in your neck—now widely known as tech neck.

Raj Suppiah, a physical therapist at Foundation Physical Therapy and Wellness, says this is the “strain of neck muscles as a result of a prolonged flexed [looking down] posture”.

“Spending a lot of time hunched over phones and computers can cause the muscles of the neck to become tight and overloaded, which can cause stiffness, pain or headaches,” he says.

To avoid developing tech neck, Suppiah recommends the following four points:

1. Take short movement breaks, every 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Adjust your screen so the top third aligns with your eyes or forehead.
3. Keep your keyboard and mouse close enough that you’re not forced to look down or reach forward.
4. Commit to regular exercise—specifically walking, strength training and mobility work for your neck, shoulders and upper back.

While you adopt Suppiah’s preventative measures, I asked Ashley Katzenback, a doctor of physical therapy and the owner of Cape Concierge Physical Therapy, what are the best exercises to ease screen-related neck discomfort and why they work.

1. Side neck stretch

The side neck stretch can ease tightness between your neck and shoulder, encouraging comfortable sideways movement.

Reps: 3 Hold: 5sec each side

• Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and shoulders relaxed.
• Hold the right side of your chair with your right hand.
• Carefully move your left ear toward your left shoulder, keeping your chest facing forward.
• Feel a gentle stretch down the right side of your neck.
• Hold for five seconds, repeat twice more.
• Move gently within a comfortable range and stop if there’s any pain.

Why it helps: “The side neck stretch works on your upper traps, levator scapulae, scalenes and sternocleidomastoid,” says Katzenback. “When these muscles are tight, your head migrates forward, leading to headaches, jaw pain and upper-back pain.

“I encourage this stretch to be done actively rather than passively because you work on recruiting the opposite side muscles while stretching the side in question.”

Active stretching is when you use your neck muscles to move your head into the stretch, rather than pulling it with your hand.

“For example, when you actively side-bend your neck to the right you are stretching the left side, while strengthening the right side,” says Katzenback. “This has been shown to be more effective than pulling on your neck.”

2. Chin back tuck

Reps: 5-10 Hold: 2sec

• Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and shoulders relaxed.
• Place your finger on your chin.
• Move your neck and head backward, moving your chin away from your finger.
• Hold for a couple of seconds.
• Release the position and repeat.

Why it helps: The chin tuck helps to gently lengthen the back of your neck, and draws your head back from a forward position. It’s a movement exercise as well as a stretch.

“This exercise activates the deep neck flexors that become weak and shortened from excessive sitting with forward head posture,” Katzenback says. “It also stretches tight suboccipital muscles that tend to cause headaches and tension radiating down into your shoulder blades.”

3. Seated chest stretch

Reps: 5 Hold: 5-10sec

• Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and shoulders relaxed.
• Extend your arms down by your sides, palms facing forward.
• Lift your chest slightly to feel a stretch across the front, without arching your lower back.
• Hold for 5-10sec, then release.

Why it helps: The chest stretch targets tightness rather than pain, stretching chest muscles to counteract the forward slouch towards a keyboard or device.

“Sometimes no matter how hard we try to strengthen the posterior chain [muscles in the back of your body including the neck and upper back], if your anterior chain [muscles in the front of your body including the chest and shoulders] is too tight, it's like pushing against a brick wall,” Katzenback says.

“When you do this stretch while seated at your desk, you must actively recruit your mid-back muscles [rhomboids, lats, mid traps, delts] to help pull your shoulders back.

“As the day progresses while you work at your computer, your lower back tires of supporting you, causing the thoracic spine to round, pulling everything forward. These stretches are all geared toward keeping your spine in optimal position.”

Your hips can suffer from stiffness and feel uncomfortable after sitting for long periods. But not moving enough isn’t the only cause.

Often pain comes down to a “mismatch between what your body is currently prepared to handle and what you’re asking it to do,” explains physical therapist Raj Suppiah.

“You might sit most of the week and then play three hours of pickleball on Saturday,” he says. “You might suddenly increase your running mileage. Or you might start a new gym program and do significantly more than your hips are accustomed to.”

The hip likes movement, says Suppiah, co-founder of Foundation Physiotherapy & Wellness, but it also needs to be strong and supple to tolerate the demands we put on it.

“There are obviously other reasons for hip pain,” he tells Fit&Well. “Arthritis can contribute to pain and stiffness as we get older. Tendons around the hip can become irritated. And sometimes what feels like hip pain is actually coming from the lower back.”

If your hips need some care, Suppiah has three stretches that can help ease stiffness and discomfort associated with prolonged sitting.

“I commonly recommend these three stretches because together they target the front, back and inside of the hip,” he says.

1. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch

Reps: 5-6 each side Hold: 10sec

• Start in a half-kneeling position with your right knee on the floor and your left foot flat on the floor in front of you, with your left knee bent to 90°.
• Gently tuck your pelvis and lean forward until you feel a stretch through the front of your right hip.
• Avoid arching your lower back when leaning forward.
• Hold the stretch, then swap sides.

Why it helps: “We spend a lot of time with our hips in a flexed position,” says Suppiah. “This stretch gets the hip moving in the opposite direction and can be especially helpful if you feel stiff through the front of your hips after sitting for a long time.”

2. Figure-four glute stretch

Reps: 5-6 each side Hold: 10sec

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Cross your right ankle over your left thigh.
• Take hold of the back of your left thigh with both hands and gently pull it toward you until you feel a comfortable stretch through your right glute and right hip.
• Hold the stretch, then repeat on the other side.

Why it helps: “This is a simple way of improving mobility through the back and outside of the hip,” says Suppiah. “The glutes [buttock muscles] and deeper muscles around the hip are important for everything from walking and running to climbing stairs and getting out of a chair.”

3. All-fours adductor stretch

Reps: 8-10 each side Hold: 6sec

• Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
• Extend your right leg out to the side, with your foot on the floor.
• Keeping your back neutral, slowly rock your hips back toward your heels until you feel a stretch along the inside of your thigh.
• Hold the stretch, then repeat on the other side.

Why it helps: “We often focus on the front and back of the hip and forget about the inner thigh—the adductors,” says Suppiah. “These are an important part of how the hip moves and controls load. I like the rock-back element because you’re not just stretching, you're taking the hip through a comfortable range of motion.”

For all movements, stay within a comfortable range and seek advice if the exercises cause you any pain.

Suppiah advises against relying on stretching alone, adding: “It can help you maintain mobility, but strength and capacity are just as important for keeping your hips healthy,” he says.

These five hip-strengthening exercises are a great place to start for building strength, stability and hip mechanics.

“Regular movement, strength exercises—like squats—also strengthen your back and core, and play roles in preventing hip pain.”

Rarely does a day pass when I don’t reach for one of my long-loop resistance bands.

This simple bit of exercise equipment, which is discounted in the Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale, is one of the smartest investments you could make for your health and fitness.

It’s often the first thing I’ll reach for at the start of my workouts to prepare my body for action, or to simply ease stiffness in my neck and shoulders after a long day at work.

I’ve used it with virtually every client I’ve ever coached to unlock tight shoulders.

And since I first introduced my 75-year-old relative to its potential to reverse years of poor posture, it’s now the first thing he asks to borrow whenever he visits.

The name of the exercise that has worked wonders for my step father-in-law? Shoulder dislocations.

Don’t let the name put you off. Here I am demonstrating the move earlier in the year, as part of another shoulder routine I recommended to readers.

How to do shoulder dislocations with a resistance band

• Hold the band in front of your thighs with your arms straight and your palms facing you.
• Gently pull your hands apart to create tension in the band.
• Lift the band over your head.
• Maintaining tension in the band, bring your hands behind your body, until the taught band taps your behind.
• Reverse the motion to return to the start.

Bringing the band over your head and behind your body gently forces the socket joint in your shoulders to explore a range they rarely get asked to venture into.

As a result, the first few reps will feel especially sticky as the joint re-familiarizes itself with its full range of motion.

Take those first few reps slowly, giving your body a chance to adapt.

Pretty quickly your range will improve and you should feel a nice sensation as synovial fluid lubricates the inner workings of the socket, making it easier to pass overhead each rep.

As this move becomes easier, bring your hands closer together to add tension and challenge your shoulders to explore an ever greater range of motion.

Shop resistance band deals

The downsides of long days spent hunched over your desk are well documented: rounded shoulders, tight hip flexors, lower back grumbles.

Using a standing desk, taking regular breaks and strengthening vulnerable areas can lighten some of this load.

But the best remedy to counteract the dreaded desk slump is to mobilize your body in all the ways it isn’t moving while you’re at your keyboard.

This 15-minute routine from certified trainer Maxwell Thompson of David Lloyd Clubs is designed to do just that.

“It’s ideal for anyone who spends six-plus hours a day at their desk or screen,” Thompson tells Fit&Well.

He recommends slotting the routine into your lunch break or whenever you feel your body seizing up.

How to do the workout

You will need a long-loop resistance band for the third move in this routine. Alternatively, you can use a towel to create tension in your upper back muscles.

Perform each exercise in order as a circuit, doing three or four rounds in total.

“It’s suitable for all training levels, including complete beginners,” says Thompson.

“Move slowly, lead with your breath and allow aches and pains to gently melt away.”

1. Cat-cow

Reps: 10 Rest: 30sec

• Start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Inhale, then exhale to round your back, pressing your palms into the floor.
• Exhale as you arch your back, relax your belly and raise your chin.
• Continue flowing, synchronizing your movement and breath.

2. Thread the needle

Reps: 8 each side Rest: 30sec

• Start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Raise your right hand overhead and rotate your torso to look at your right hand.
• Lower your right hand under your body to the other side, lowering your right shoulder to the floor.
• Breathe into the stretch, feeling it in your mid-back.
• Complete all the repetitions on one side, then switch.

3. Band pull-apart

Reps: 15 Rest: 30sec

• Stand or kneel with your feet or knees hip-width apart.
• Hold a long-loop resistance band with arms extended in front of your chest.
• Adjust your hand position to create tension in the band.
• Retract your shoulder blades slightly to engage your upper-back muscles, then pull the band wide apart out to your sides.
• Control the band back to the starting position and repeat.

4. Wall slide

Reps: 10 Rest: 30sec

• Stand with your back flat against a wall and your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees and lower your buttocks into a quarter squat.
• Raise your arms out to your sides so your elbows are at 90° angles level with your shoulders, with your palms facing forward and fingers pointing up.
• Keep your lower back pressed into the wall, slowly slide your arms up and down, working through a comfortable range of motion.
• Keep your arms in contact with the wall throughout.

5. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch

Time: 30sec each side Rest: 30sec

• Kneel on the floor, then step one leg forward, keeping your knees bent.
• From this half-kneeling position, tuck your pelvis (the reverse of sticking your butt out), then gently lean forward over your front knee into a deep lunge.
• Feel a stretch in the front of your hip on your back leg—avoid arching your lower back.
• Sink deeper into the stretch with each breath.
• After 30 seconds, switch sides.

6. Standing chest opener

Time: 30sec Rest: 30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Interlock your fingers behind your back.
• Roll your shoulders back and lift your chest.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together to stretch through your chest further.
• Avoid arching your lower back.

Tai Chi is a mindful movement practice that focuses on slow and intentional exercises to support physical and mental wellbeing.

“It works to gently release deep-seated joint stiffness, muscle tightness, and mental stress,” explains Tai Chi teacher Brian Thompson. “It can even help quiet an overactive mind and bring you back into a grounded, present state.”

While you can practice Tai Chi at any time of day, a morning practice can be particularly helpful for waking up stiff joints, boosting energy and improving focus.

“It can help establish a calm, focused mindset and steady breathing to navigate the day without feeling rushed,” adds Thompson, who is the founder of bnew4life.

Thompson has shared his go-to five-minute Tai Chi practice to start the day.

“Try not to rush the experience. This practice will help set you up for the morning with a clearer mind, creative outlook, and feeling happier and open,” he adds.

Try the five-minute morning Tai Chi practice

1. Self-massage and Qigong body cupping

• Sit on a chair or off the side of your bed.
• Relax your shoulders and begin massaging your neck, arms, midsection and legs, to wake up your body and stimulate circulation.
• Cup your hands and pat up and down your shoulders, arms, chest, torso and legs, creating a suction motion.

Posture tip: Maintain a relaxed upright posture. Keep your wrists relaxed so your cupped hand creates a gentle, hollow tapping sensation without harsh impact.

2. Lifting water

Reps: 3-5

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, shoulders relaxed, a slight bend in your knees, and spine extended.
• With your hands relaxed and fingers loosely hanging down, raise your arms gently to shoulder height as you inhale.
• Extend your wrist joint so your palms face forward, and gently lower your arms, keeping your elbows soft.
• Exhale through your nose as you lower for at least a count of four.

Posture tip: Keep your arms relaxed, and your knees and feet in alignment.

Breathing tip: Nasal breathing helps to regulate your breathing and calm your nervous system.

3. Silk reeling (chan si gong)

Set up:

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, shoulders relaxed, chest upright and chin slightly tucked.
• Bend your knees slightly, with your weight centered.
• Rest your left hand on your left hip or waist.
• Hover your right hand in front of you at waist height, palm down, keeping your elbow lower than your wrist.

Four steps of silk reeling:

• Turn 1: Rotate your waist slightly toward your left, and rotate your right hand so your palm faces up.
• Weight shift 1: Shift your bodyweight toward your left leg, bending your left knee, and moving your right hand across your body and up to shoulder height.
• Turn 2: Turn your palm down, and move your right hand across your body to your right, then lowering your right hand to waist level as you rotate it so your palm faces up.
• Weight shift 2: Shift your bodyweight to your right leg, bending your knee slightly.
• Switch sides after practicing slowly on one side first.

Posture tip: Practice slowly so the motion is smooth and continuous, like unwinding and winding silk from a cocoon without jerking or locking your joints. Keep your joints and limbs soft.

Breathing tip: Inhale through your nose as your hand draws inward toward your body. Exhale through your nose as your hand arcs outward away from your body.

4. Gather and release

Reps: 3-5

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, shoulders relaxed, chest upright and chin slightly tucked.
• Bend your knees slightly, with your weight centered.
• Turn your palms up and raise your arms to the sides and overhead, leading with your fingers and looking up.
• Turn your palms to face down and slowly lower your hands back to waist level, gently flexing and extending your wrists in a wave-like motion as they descend.

Posture tip: Imagine a calm, peaceful energy going over your head and body as you float your hands up and down.

Breathing tip: Inhale and exhale through the nose so you do not release too much carbon dioxide.

Stiff, achy backs are a common complaint. In fact, the CDC reports that almost 40% of adults over 18 have experienced back pain.

While you may be tempted to end a long workday with a few back stretches, Dr Andrew Gorecki, DPT, FAFS, a physical therapist and cofounder of MovementRX, says that stretching may not fix the problem.

“Stretching isn’t useless, but it is the tool everyone reaches for first and it’s the one least suited to a back that feels locked up,” he explains. “The muscles around a stiff lumbar spine are guarded. Stretching a guarded muscle asks it to let go while you’re actively pulling on it, which is close to the opposite of how a nervous system decides something is safe.”

Instead, he suggests the following three exercises to relax your spine: cat/cow, seated spinal rotations and lumbar rocks. “What these movements all share is that they are active and repeated. Guarding backs off when the brain watches a movement happen 15 times without anything bad following it.”

How to do the three exercises

Before starting any new activity, consult your medical team. “None of these are dangerous movements, but two of the three move in a direction that can be wrong for specific people,” says Gorecki.

He cautions that those with osteoporosis or a known vertebral compression fracture, acute disc herniation, spondylolisthesis, pars stress fractures, spinal stenosis, or recent spine surgery should avoid the exercises and work with a doctor on alternatives.

These exercises can be done by all fitness levels, but if you’re a beginner, consider meeting with a certified personal trainer or physical therapist to learn proper form.

The only equipment you’ll need for these exercises is a chair and a yoga mat.

Gorecki suggests doing 10 reps of cat/cow twice a day, 8-10 reps of seated spinal rotations once a day, and 10-15 reps of lumbar rocks twice a day, in the morning and evening.

Here’s how to do the exercises.

1. Cat/cow

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees on an exercise mat.
• Round your spine towards the ceiling.
• Pause briefly.
• Arch your spine, lowering your belly button.
• Pause briefly.
• Continue, alternating between the two positions for 10 reps.

Therapist tips: “Start from a flat, neutral back rather than from a slump,” suggests Gorecki. “Start the motion at the tailbone and let it travel up the spine one segment at a time. Most people rock the pelvis, arch the neck, and leave everything between the shoulder blades completely still. That middle section is the part that needs it.”

He says that going slow and breathing with the movement is crucial. “Exhale into the rounded cat, inhale into the arched cow. The ribcage moves better when the breath cooperates.”

“Do not chase the biggest possible arch,” he cautions. “Extra range at the ends almost always comes from the neck and the lowest lumbar segment, the two places that already move too much.”

2. Seated spinal rotation

How to do it:

• Sit in a chair and extend your spine, becoming as tall as you can.
• Cross your arms across your chest.
• Gently twist your torso to the left.
• Pause briefly.
• Gently twist your torso to the right.
• Pause briefly.
• Continue for 8-10 reps in each direction.

Therapist tips: “Seated rotation is not really a low back exercise,” says Gorecki. “Almost all of the turn is happening in the thoracic spine above it. Most low backs that feel stiff are doing work the mid back and hips have stopped doing. Give that motion back to the parts built for it and the low back stops being the compensator.”

“If a hip lifts as you turn, you are rotating the pelvis instead of the spine,” he continues. “Squeeze a small ball or a rolled towel between the knees, or sit with the outside of the knees against a wall. Now the turn has to come from the ribcage.”

“Lead with the sternum, not the head. Let the eyes and neck follow last. Cranking the head first gives the illusion of range without producing any,” advises Gorecki.

Again, breathing makes a difference. “Exhale as you rotate. There is another 10° or 15° available once the ribcage empties.”

3. Lumbar rock

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Carefully drop your knees to the left side, moving with control.
• Pause briefly.
• Return to the start and repeat on the right side.
• Continue alternating between the two sides for 10-15 reps

Therapist tips: “Start small,” says Gorecki. “In the first few reps, your knees should barely leave the center. Range comes from repetition, not from forcing the first rep.”

“Keep both shoulder blades on the floor,” he continues. “When one peels up, you have gone past where the spine is actually moving.”

“Create a smooth arc in both directions,” Gorecki concludes. “No dropping the legs and catching them. The catching is where people tweak themselves.”

For the past few months, I’ve been waking up with stiff joints. I don’t know whether this is just one of the many perimenopause symptoms I have to get used to or simply a sign of getting older (I’m fast approaching 50).

Either way, I usually feel better once I start moving, so I created a quick mobility flow to do before beginning my day. It takes just five minutes and you can even do it in your pajamas. I also find it a relaxing way to wind down, so I’ve started doing it before bed, too.

Mobility exercises can be particularly helpful in the morning, after your body has spent hours relatively still during sleep. Gently moving your joints through a comfortable range of motion warms the surrounding muscles and connective tissues, encourages circulation and helps distribute synovial fluid which lubricates your joints. This can help your body feel looser and your movements more comfortable and coordinated.

In the mobility flow below, you’ll perform six moves, one after another. Complete the circuit once, or repeat it if you have more time. I may not spring out of bed quite as easily as I did in my 20s, but this routine is definitely helping me start the day feeling more flexible.

How to do the five-minute mobility routine

1. Arm twist and neck turn
2. Arm circles
3. Standing cat-cow
4. Windmill
5. Hip opener
6. Squat to heel raise

Complete each move for 45 seconds, allowing five seconds to transition to the next exercise. Perform one full circuit—or repeat it twice if you have more time.

1. Arm twist and neck turn

Time: 45sec Rest/transition: 5sec

How to do it:

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and extend both arms out to the sides at shoulder height.
• Hold your left arm so your palm faces down, rotate your right arm so your palm faces up and gently turn your head to face right.
• Rotate your arms so your right palm faces down and your left palm faces up, and turn your head smoothly so you look left.
• Continue, alternating sides in a smooth, controlled rhythm.

2. Arm circles

Time: 45sec Rest/transition: 5sec

How to do it:

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and extend both arms out to the sides at shoulder height.
• Circle both arms backwards, gradually making the circles larger.
• Change direction halfway through, keeping your shoulders relaxed and your movements controlled.

3. Standing cat-cow

Time: 45sec Rest/transition: 5sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, soften your knees, hinge forward from your hips and place your hands on your thighs.
• Round your spine, tuck your pelvis and drop your chin towards your chest.
• Arch your back, press your chest forwards, draw your shoulders back and gently lift your head.
• Flow slowly between the two positions.

4. Windmill

Time: 45sec Rest/transition: 5sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
• Lift your arms to waist height and rotate your torso to the right, letting your arms swing loosely, and moving your head so your eyes follow the direction of the turn.
• Rotate your torso to the left, letting your arms swing loosely.
• Continue, rotating from side to side, keeping the movement relaxed but increasing the movement of your arms and letting your right heel lift as you rotate left, and vice versa.

5. Hip opener

Time: 45sec Rest/transition: 5sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips (or hold on to a chair or other sturdy surface for balance if needed).
• Lift and bend one knee in front of you, then rotate it out to the side, moving from your hip, then lower your foot back to the floor.
• Repeat with the other leg, Alternate legs, keeping your torso upright.
• Reverse the movement halfway through by lifting each knee out to the side and circling it back to the front.

6. Squat to heel raise

Time: 45sec Rest/transition: 5sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and turn your toes out slightly.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower, reaching your hands towards the floor.
• Push through your feet to stand upright, sweep your arms out to the sides and lift both heels to rise onto your toes.
• Lower your heels to the floor with control.

Most racket sport enthusiasts follow the same routine.

They lace up their trainers, smash a few balls from the baseline, jump into a full-blooded hour or more of tennis, padel or pickleball, then retire to the clubhouse for liquid refreshment.

What's missing? An effective warm-up or restorative cool down that will ensure they can keep doing what they love, week after week.

As we get older, it becomes harder for our bodies to simply pick up where we left off. The same is true for the soccer pitch, the driving range or the batting cage.

And it's something I've felt first-hand after an action-packed vacation with Neilson Active Holidays.

Rotating from the tennis court to padel to pickleball at the five-star Neilson x Mangia's Torre del Barone resort in Sicily left my shoulders and lower back feeling especially tender.

"It's really important to maintain your core and your posture for all racket sports," says Carla Gibert, a certified yoga instructor working with Neilson.

"The shoulders are also really important for tennis," she adds. "I see a lot of people aggravate their shoulders because they simply haven't maintained strength and mobility."

One solution, she says, would be to simply perform a plank exercise daily, adding some scapular retractions to maintain mobility.

Another option is to perform a four-move spine and shoulder mobility routine before and after time on the court.

Having used this drill after two days of back-to-back serves and volleys, not to mention countless smashes out of the court or into the net, I can vouch for it.

How to do this mobility routine

Gibert says you can use this routine to warm-up up for a match, as well as recover afterwards. You just need to adjust the timings.

Before, she suggests cycling through the four exercises two to three times, spending 30 seconds on each, while keeping movements dynamic to prepare for the in-game action.

After, she recommends slowing the tempo right down, performing each move once but spending around three minutes on each stretch.

"That will really help open up your fascia—the layer of tissue that surrounds your muscles—that can get a bit dehydrated after exercise," she explains.

"You see so much more progress if you hold the stretch for longer. It can also be quite meditative and relaxing, triggering the same kind of recovery benefits as having a good night's sleep."

Here is the sequence of four moves that Gilbert recommends.

1. Child's pose (Balasana)

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees with your knees slightly wider than hip-width apart and your big toes touching.
• Sit your hips back toward your heels.
• Walk your hands forward on the floor, arms extended.
• Gently lower your chest toward the mat, lowering your forehead toward the floor.
• Relax your shoulders away from your ears and let your torso soften between your thighs.
• Breathe slowly into your sides and back, feeling your ribs expand with each inhale and soften with each exhale.
• Once the time is up, slowly walk your hands back and lift your torso with control.

2. Downward-facing dog (Adho mukha svanasana)

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees, with your wrists under your shoulders, knees under your hips, and your spine neutral.
• Tuck your toes under so you can press your upper foot into the floor and lift your knees and hips up to form an inverted V-shape with your body.
• If your hamstrings feel tight, keep a slight bend in your knees, focusing on lifting your hips and creating length through your back rather than forcing your heels down.
• Press through your hands, keeping your arms straight, to create separation between your ears and shoulders, and length in your spine.
• Breathe slowly and steadily, then gently lower your knees back down to the mat to come out of the position with control.

3. Cobra (Bhujangasana)

How to do it:

• Lie face down on the floor with your legs straight and the tops of your feet pressing into the floor.
• Place your hands beside your lower ribs with your elbows bent and tucked close to your sides.
• Press through your hands to straighten your arms, lifting your chest and torso.
• At the same time, roll your shoulders down and back to open the front of your chest.
• Lengthen your spine and keep your neck long with your gaze straight ahead.
• If you feel a sharp pinch in your lower back, bend your arms to bring your chest closer to the floor.
• Breathe slowly and steadily for the allotted time, then gently release by lowering your torso and bending your elbows to come back down to the mat.

4. Thread the needle (Urdhva mukha pasasana)

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees, with your wrists under your shoulders, knees under your hips, and your spine neutral.
• Reach your left hand out to your left side and rotate your upper body to the left raise your left arm as high as you can manage.
• Reverse the movements, and thread your left hand to your right side, moving it between right wrist and right knee.
• As you bring your arm under your body, slide your hand along the floor and lower your left shoulder and the left side of your head to the mat.
• Keep your hips stacked over your knees while your torso gently rotates, feeling a comfortable twist through your upper back and the back of the shoulder.
• Keep the supporting hand on the floor for balance—you can press lightly into it or walk it a little further forward to deepen the stretch.
• Breathe slowly and evenly, then press into your supporting hand to unwind back into tabletop, and repeat on the other side.

When we’re kids, we fall all the time and can bounce back almost instantly. Once we hit our teenage years, falls become rare, but if we do trip over, we can still brush it off most of the time. But in later life, a fall can have more serious consequences that can take longer to recover from.

So it’s imperative that older adults stay on their feet, but physical changes we all go through can make that a challenge.

“As we age, balance and body awareness decrease through natural age-related declines in muscle mass and joint stiffness,” says yoga teacher Lauren Anderson.

She adds that slower reaction times become a factor too, which can make it harder for older people to catch themselves if they do lose their balance.

But we don’t have to just accept these changes. “Loss of balance isn’t an inevitable part of aging—it’s often the result of moving less, becoming weaker and challenging ourselves less over time,” she says.

Anderson tells Fit&Well that consistent yoga practice can help improve your balance and mobility at any age.

“With regular practice, adults can improve their balance, strength and confidence well into their 60s, 70s and beyond.”

To get you started, Anderson suggests three accessible poses: tree pose, chair pose and supported crescent lunge.

“Tree pose is one of the best exercises for improving single-leg balance, ankle stability, core strength and proprioception—the body’s awareness of where it is in space,” says Anderson.

“These skills play an important role in reducing fall risk and improving confidence during everyday activities like climbing stairs or walking on uneven ground.

“Chair pose can help with lower-body strength in the glutes, quadriceps and core while reinforcing functional movement patterns needed for standing, climbing stairs and sitting down and standing up repeatedly.”

Supported crescent lunge “can help you build lower-body strength while improving hip mobility, balance and core stability,” says Anderson.

“Many adults lose hip mobility with age, which can shorten stride length and make walking less efficient. A supported version allows people to build confidence safely before progressing.”

Here’s how to do each pose.

1. Tree pose (Vrksasana)

Sets: 2-3 Time: 20-30sec each side Rest: 20-30sec

How to do it:

• Stand next to a wall or chair (for support if you need it) with a straight back and your feet hip-width apart.
• Take a moment to notice the pressure points in your feet and distribute your weight evenly between them.
• Slowly shift your weight onto your right foot, lifting your left heel. Focus your gaze on one fixed point to help maintain your balance.
• Leaving the toes of your left foot on the floor, rotate your left knee out to the left so that your left heel rests against your right ankle. If comfortable, you can slide your foot higher up your right shank.
• Place your hands wherever feels most comfortable, eventually aiming to have your palms together in front of your chest or raised overhead.
• Hold this position, breathing steadily.
• Repeat on the other side, then rest before starting the next set.

Make it easier: Keep your fingertips on a wall or sturdy chair for support.

Make it harder: Try closing one or both eyes.

2. Chair pose (Utkatasana)

Sets: 3-5 Time: 15-30sec Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart.
• Bend your knees and hinge at your hips, pushing your butt back, as if beginning to lower onto a chair. Keep your chest up and your weight in your heels.
• Raise your arms if comfortable, or keep your hands at your sides or your palms together at chest level.
• Hold this position, breathing steadily.
• Press through your heels to stand, and rest before beginning the next set.

Make it easier: Sit back against a wall or use the wall as support for one or both hands.

Make it harder: Lift one or both heels, or raise one foot a few inches off the floor for several breaths.

3. Crescent lunge (Ashta chandrasana)

Sets: 2-3 Time: 20-30sec each side Rest: 20-30sec

How to do it:

• Stand side-on to a wall with one hip resting against it.
• Step your left foot behind you, making sure both feet are pointing forward.
• Bend your right knee while keeping your left leg as straight as possible.
• You can use the hand closest to the wall for support, if needed.
• Hold this position, breathing steadily.
• Press through your front heel to return to standing.
• Repeat on the other side, then rest before starting the next set.

Make it easier: This pose can be made easier by starting with a kneeling position or by placing a chair under your front thigh.

I've worked at a desk for more than five years and sitting hunched over my laptop every day has taken its toll on my body.

I deal with stiffness in my shoulders, neck and, most frustratingly, my hips.

Another contributing factor to the physical strain is a habit of sitting cross-legged on my chair, rather than with both feet on the floor.

While sitting cross-legged occasionally isn’t a problem, doing it for longer periods can cause issues.

“As with any position, sitting for extended periods of time can cause discomfort, simply because we function best when we move regularly,” says Helen O'Leary, physiotherapist at Complete Pilates

After a particularly bad period of hip stiffness, I decided to kick the habit for good and challenged myself to avoid this position for 30 days.

What I noticed when I stopped sitting cross-legged

1. I developed greater body awareness

Changing my desk posture meant I had to be more aware of my position throughout the day.

It was easy to slip back into my familiar cross-legged set up but the goal was to find an alternative that was also comfortable.

There was lots of fidgeting and more getting up (never a bad thing) but overall I became more intentional over how I was sitting, and how often I was getting up for a break.

2. I experienced less hip stiffness

One of the reasons I prefer to sit cross-legged is because I’m hypermobile and the position opens my hips, which feels good on my joints.

You’d think that all that stretching would keep my hips feeling mobile, but for hypermobile people, too much stretching can lead to injury and discomfort. A physiotherapist once described my ligaments and muscles to me like an elastic band that was too loose. This meant I was flexible but lacked strength.

I suspect that too much stretching and not enough strengthening weakened my joints and contributed to me experiencing a lot of discomfort in my hips, especially while exercising and walking.

After a month of trying to reduce the time spent in a crossed-leg position, my hip stiffness has definitely reduced, both while sitting and when moving my body.

3. My knee pain got better

Sitting cross-legged puts your knees into flexion and with a long-standing knee injury, I didn't realize that sitting like this for long periods could be exacerbating my knee pain.

Since changing up my desk posture, I’ve experienced much less achiness in my knees. Win-win.

If you can’t sit cross-legged, you probably have some tight muscles limiting your movement.

“Instead of forcing the position, focus on improving hip mobility through slow, controlled Pilates movements,” suggests Nicolle Lopez-Lamberty, a Pilates instructor and the founder of NuPilates.

She recommends doing these five beginner-friendly exercises to stretch and strengthen your hip flexors, glutes, inner thighs and deep hip stabilizers.

“With consistent practice, you’ll notice it’s easier to sit cross-legged, along with improvements in everyday movements like walking, climbing stairs and getting up from the floor,” she says.

The exercises

“While performing these hip-opening exercises two to three times per week will help improve mobility, practicing them daily is the most effective way to increase flexibility and restore healthy movement,” says Lopez-Lamberty.

1. Supine figure four
2. Butterfly
3. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch
4. Happy baby
5. High-knee psoas hold

1. Supine figure four

Sets: 2-3 Hold: 30-60sec each side

Muscles targeted: Glutes and external hip rotators

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent.
• Cross your left ankle over your right thigh and interlace your fingers under your right thigh below your knee.
• Gently pull your right leg toward your chest until you feel a stretch in your left hip.
• Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, then release and repeat on the other side.

Regression: Keep your foot on the floor if pulling your leg toward your chest is too intense.

2. Butterfly stretch

Sets: 2-4 Hold: 30-60sec

Muscles targeted: Inner thighs and groin.

How to do it:

• Sit on the mat with your back straight and the soles of your feet pressed together.
• Relax your legs and allow your knees to fall to the sides. Notice where you begin to feel a stretch in your inner thighs.
• Hold your ankles and keep your back straight.
• Gently lean forward from your hips if comfortable and hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds.

Regression: Sit on a yoga block to elevate your hips to make the stretch less intense.

3. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch

Sets: 2-4 Hold: 30-60sec each side

Muscles targeted: Hip flexors

How to do it:

• Kneel on the floor.
• Place your left foot on the floor in front, with your left knee bent at 90°.
• Extend your right leg behind you, keeping your knee and shin on the floor.
• Keep your back straight and shift your weight forward so it is over your left leg.
• Tuck your pelvis slightly to deepen the stretch without arching your back.
• Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat on both sides.

Regression: Use a folded towel or yoga block under your rear knee to reduce pressure on your knee and improve balance.

4. Happy baby

Sets: 2-4 Hold: 30-60sec

Muscles targeted: Hip flexors, inner thighs and lower back.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your legs bent.
• Lift your feet off the floor and bring your knees toward your chest.
• Grasp the outside of your feet or ankles.
• Bring your knees toward your armpits while keeping your lower back on the mat.
• Hold for 30 to 60 seconds while breathing deeply.

Regression: Hold your shins or the back of your thighs instead of your feet.

5. High-knee psoas hold

Sets: 2-3 Hold: 20-30sec each side

Muscles targeted: Psoas, deep core and glutes.

How to do it:

• Stand with a straight back and your feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core and shift your weight onto your left leg.
• Lift your right knee to hip height and interlace your fingers on your shin, just under your knee.
• Keep your pelvis level and hold the pose for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Lower with control and repeat on the other side, alternating with each rep.

My shoulders and neck are prone to aches and pains if I don't move around enough, which makes long car journeys a nightmare.

Sitting in an upright position for hours leaves me incredibly stiff and it often takes days for my body to get back to normal.

I was struggling with this recently after a five-hour trip. I really wanted a massage to soothe my aches, but I decided that it would be cheaper and easier to try some stretching.

Searching for a cure, I came across a 30-minute practice created by Charlie Faulkner, a yoga instructor based in London.

It’s a gentle session designed to help you connect to your heart and emotions, but it also physically targets the chest area and upper body. Thankfully, this was just what I needed.

How to do the 30-minute yoga practice

You don’t need any equipment to do this routine—just a yoga mat—but I also used a yoga block for a couple of the movements to provide more support.

There’s one sequence that’s repeated throughout the routine, which involves holding the arms out to the side, with your elbows bent and hands pointing up, then gently arching your back to open your chest. You then round your back and extend your arms in front.

The variations on this sequence become more challenging throughout the practice, but you can always go back to the simplest version of the flow if you find any of the advanced poses too taxing.

How it helped

The sequence repeated throughout this routine both arches and rounds the upper body in the same way a cat-cow does.

The arching movement reverses the hunched posture I had during most of the car trip, providing some relief to my tight upper-body muscles, while the rounding lengthened my muscles and helped to decompress my spine.

This combination felt super satisfying for my upper body and the repetition of it throughout the practice meant that I could move deeper into the stretches each time.

By the end of the 30 minutes, my shoulders and neck felt significantly better than when I sat down on my mat.

I’m saving this routine so I can use it whenever I need some relief—after a long car journey or a day spent hunched over my laptop.

You don’t need to practice yoga for an hour a day to feel the benefits. You can work through all parts of your body and relax your mind in just five minutes, according to yoga teacher and founder of Wellness With La Rue, Jack Bryant.

“If you’re short on time, a five-minute yoga practice can help improve mobility and also leave you feeling better mentally,” says Bryant.

That’s why Bryant has created this five-minute flow. It moves through a dozen poses relatively quickly, so it suits someone who’s familiar with yoga and is confident joining them together dynamically.

“These yoga poses can shift your energy and ease tight spots or physical tension. It’s perfect if you spend a lot of time sitting during the day,” says Bryant.

“If you want to start a long-term practice, it has to be a sustainable and stackable habit within your life already, so this is a great place to start and see the benefits,” he says.

So whether you develop your asana (postures) practice, need a quick reset from your desk or want to start the day feeling energized, give Bryant’s five-minute yoga flow for mobility a try.

How to do the five-minute yoga flow for mobility

The flow begins by warming up your spine with cat-cow and downward-facing dog poses, before focusing on your right side with low lunge, a forward fold and twisted low lunge.

You transition back to downward-facing dog by way of eight-limbed pose, cobra and child’s pose, then repeat the lunges on your left side. The sequence finishes with a relaxation pose to settle your body back to balance.

Remember to breathe mindfully and gently as you move through the sequence, syncing your breath with each movement.

Ready to try it? Here’s a follow-along video with Bryant, followed by the full sequence and explanations of each pose, in case you would like to flow at your own speed.

Video: Yoga flow for mobility

Warm-up:

• Cat-cow
• Downward-facing dog

Right side:

• Low lunge
• Forward fold
• Twisted low lunge

Transition:

• Eight-limbed pose
• Cobra
• Child’s pose
• Downward-facing dog

Left side:

• Low lunge
• Forward fold
• Twisted low lunge

Transition:

• Cat-cow
• Child’s pose

Cool-down:

• Corpse pose

How to do the poses

Cat-cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)

• Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees.
• Inhale as you lower your belly, arch your back and lift your chest and chin.
• Exhale as you round your spine, tuck your chin and press your palms into the floor.

Benefit: Mobilizes your spine, improves posture, and gently stretches your back, chest and neck while warming up your core.

Downward-facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

• From your hands and knees, with your feet hip-distance apart, press your palms into the floor and straighten your legs as you raise your hips.
• Pedal your feet, lowering one heel as you raise the other.
• Keep your spine extended and neck loose. Bend your knees as much as you need.

Benefit: Strengthens your shoulders and arms, while stretching your hamstrings, calves, spine and the back of your body.

Low lunge (Anjaneyasana)

• Bring your right foot forward and place it flat on the floor between your palms.
• Lower your left knee to rest on the floor—your toes can be tucked or you can rest the top of your foot on the floor.
• Raise your arms overhead, bring your palms together in front of your chest, or rest them on your front thigh.
• Hold for a few rounds of breath.
• Bring your back foot forward flat on the floor close to your front foot.
• Let your head hang with your back folding forward over your legs, keeping a soft bend in your knees.
• Place your palms on your shins, lengthen your spine, gaze forward and open your chest.

Benefit: Opens your hips and hip flexors, strengthens your legs, and improves balance and stability.

Forward fold (Uttanasana)

• Bring your left foot forward next to your right foot.
• Hold your elbows and gently rock from side to side.
• Inhale as you stand up and raise your arms above your head.
• Exhale as you fold forward, placing your palms on the floor.
• Inhale as you place your palms on your shins and lift your torso so it is parallel to the floor.
• Exhale as you place your palms back on the floor.

Twisted low lunge (Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana)

• Step your left foot back and bend both knees to lower.
• Place your left hand on the floor.
• Reach your right hand overhead, rotating your torso to face right.
• Hold for a few rounds of breath.

Benefit: Improves your spinal mobility, stretches the hips, and opens your chest and shoulders while engaging the core.

Eight-limbed pose to cobra (Ashtanga Namaskara to Bhujangasana)

• Place your right hand on the floor, so both arms are extended and your hands are under your shoulders.
• Step your right foot back so your body is in a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Bend your knees and lower them to rest on the floor, keeping your tailbone raised.
• Bend your elbows to lower your chin and chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
• Press your palms into the floor and move your shoulders forward and up, lifting your chest to face forward, and rolling your shoulders down your back and squeezing your glutes.
• Hold for a few rounds of breath.

Benefit: Strengthens your arms, shoulders and back while opening the chest, stretching the front body and improving spinal mobility.

Child’s pose (Balasana)

• Widen your knees and slide your hips back toward your heels.
• Rest your forehead on the floor and reach your arms forward.
• Hold for a few rounds of breath.

Corpse pose (Shavasana)

• Lie on your back in a comfortable position, with your legs extended or knees bent.
• Place a bolster or cushion beneath your thighs for more support.
• Rest here for 30 seconds (or longer if you have time).

Benefit: Allows the body to fully relax, absorb the benefits of the practice, and calm the nervous system.

We often think that a good stretch will be the solution to lower-back pain, but it’s not that simple, according to yoga teacher Veronica Najera, who is also master trainer and director of education at YogaSix.

“Lower-back pain doesn’t work in isolation,” Najera tells Fit&Well. “The hips, glutes, core and even the way we breathe can influence how our back feels.”

Stretching can help ease tension but isn’t always going to address the problem.

“Instead, try a yoga practice that offers a well-rounded approach combining mobility, strength, breath and body awareness,” Najera says.

For the past few weeks, my lower back has been crying out for some TLC thanks to a combination of sitting for long periods at my desk and a lack of glute strength. So, I asked Najera for her top three yoga poses to release lower-back tension, build strength and improve mobility.

Her first pick is cat-cow, which encourages spinal mobility and can help reduce the stiffness that comes from staying in one position for too long.

Next is the supine figure-four. This pose is held and the stretch creates mobility through the outer hips and glutes, which can become tight and influence how the rest of the body moves.

Finally, bridge pose strengthens and improves the mobility of the glutes and the surrounding muscles that help support the pelvis and spine.

I moved through this sequence at the end of the day and it provided sweet relief, helping me to release tension and unwind from the stress of the day.

To build strength and mobility, I’d need to practice the routine consistently, but I can say that my lower back already feels much better.

If you have a back injury or existing condition, check with your physician before trying this yoga sequence.

Three yoga poses for lower-back pain

1. Cat-cow (Marjaryasana-bitilasana)

Reps: 5-8 guided by the breath

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Inhale as you lower your belly and lift your chest.
• Exhale as you round your back and look towards your belly button.
• Move between these two positions, letting your breath set the rhythm.

2. Supine figure four (Supta kapotasana)

Time: 30-60sec each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with both knees bent.
• Inhale as you cross your right ankle over your left thigh and flex your right foot.
• Exhale as you press your right hand into your right knee, or hold the back of your left thigh and gently pull it toward you for a deeper stretch.
• Keep your head, neck, and shoulders relaxed.
• Hold for time, then switch sides.

3. Bridge pose (Setu bandha sarvangasana)

Sets: 5-8 Time: 15-30sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart.
• Inhale as you press your feet into the floor and lift your hips.
• Exhale as you tighten your glute muscles and focus on length through the front of your body rather than lifting as high as possible.
• Hold for 15-30 seconds, then lower with control.

Dozens of exercises have been credited as the best (there's even a move that gym-goers refer to as the World's Greatest Stretch).

So I was intrigued but skeptical when mobility expert John Lindsey shared a move he described as the greatest hamstring stretch of all time.

“If your goal is to touch your toes or get your palms to the floor on a forward fold, this is the drill you need,” he says in a recent Instagram post.

The move in question is the elephant walk, presumably because it mimics the alternating straight and bent-knee gait of an elephant's hind legs when it walks.

Since spotting Lindsey’s post, I've been doing the elephant walk daily to promote recovery after workouts—especially after marathon training sessions—to see what difference it would make.

I've also been using the stretch on rest days to offset tightness built up after a long day at my desk and before bed.

Here is what I discovered after a week of walking like the biggest beast in the jungle.

How to do the elephant walk

First, let's take a look at the exercise.

If you don't have the flexibility to touch your toes with a straight leg, Lindsey suggests using an elevated surface like yoga blocks or a bench for this move.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Hinge forward at your hips, while keeping your legs straight.
• Place your hands on your support surface.
• Bend one knee slightly, allowing your hamstrings (muscles in the back of your thighs) to relax.
• On your straightened leg, drive your hip back and tense your quadriceps muscles (at the front of your thigh) to intensify the stretch down your hamstrings.
• Maintain this tension for two to three seconds, then switch sides.
• Lower your hands closer to the floor as your mobility allows.

Lindsey recommends performing 50 reps in total every day, keeping the movement slow and intentional.

“If you want to improve your hamstring mobility, commit to 25 reps per side, daily, for a month and see what changes,” he says.

“As you're able, you'll lower the surface. It probably won't happen in one session but as you do this consistently you'll be getting lower and lower and lower.”

Doing 25 per side takes a long time.

I did find that this quickly improved my mobility, but if you're new to movement, I'd suggest winding down the rep count to 10-15 per side and gradually building up.

What happened when I did the elephant walk every day for a week

The first time I tried stretching like Dumbo I found it tricky to tense my quads. Isolating those muscles in a forward fold can take a bit of getting used to.

But once I got the hang of it, while using my breath to deepen the stretch, it became pleasingly meditative.

That said, it's more of a workout than it looks.

I noticed the stretch most deeply just above the back of my knee joint, and 25 reps on each side can make the area heat up quickly.

That's because contracting one muscle to lengthen and relax the opposing muscle, known as active stretching, is an effective way to improve mobility rather than just flexibility.

Rather than passive hamstring stretches (like reaching for your toes), elephant walks will help you acquire the ability to control your knee joint through a fuller range of motion using your own strength.

Working in this way can make your knee and its surrounding muscles, tendons and ligaments more robust and less injury-prone.

After a few days of regular practice, I could feel the benefits through my posterior chain (all the back-of-body muscles), easing tightness in my calves after a run and lower back after sitting.

After five days, I was able to place my palms fully on the floor.

It also proved the perfect remedy after an arduous weekend of gardening.

So, what's my verdict?

As with any exercise described as the GOAT—greatest of all time—it's only effective when performed consistently.

It also needs to be part of a full-body workout that targets joints and muscles that the move misses.

That said, it's certainly earned its place in my post-workout wind-down routine.

After the birth of my son, the two exercises I struggled with the most were squats and lunges.

My hips were tight, my form felt off, and no matter what adjustments I made, I still felt pain during the movements.

I’m a certified personal trainer and a corrective movement and pre- and postnatal exercise specialist, so I’m well-versed in addressing form and mobility issues, especially during the postpartum period.

When the usual tricks weren’t fixing my squats and lunges, I decided to try something new—I did the 90/90 hip mobility exercise every day for two weeks to see if it would help.

Before I started, I checked in with Dr Michael Wang, a physical therapist with New Care Physical Therapy, for his thoughts on my experiment.

“The 90/90 exercise is an excellent exercise to help the hips move freely,” he says.

He explains that sitting for long periods forces our hips to stay in one position, which can negatively impact their range of movement. This can lead to stiffness, irritation and muscle cramping—so doing some mobility exercises to counteract this is a good idea.

“The 90/90 exercise is safe to do daily if it can be done without sharp pain or if there are no pre-existing conditions,” says Wang.

Though I’d been sitting a lot since my son was born, I was able to do the movement without pain, so I was good to go.

I hoped that a fortnight of 90/90 exercises would be a beneficial addition to my routine.

How to do the 90/90 hip mobility exercise

“People who have hip conditions like hip impingement, sciatica or history of hip surgery should consult an expert before attempting this exercise,” cautions Wang.

If you’re injury-free you can consult a certified personal trainer or physical therapist to ensure you’re doing the move correctly.

How to do the move:

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 5-10 each side

• Sit on the floor with your left knee resting in front at a 90° angle.
• Place your right knee at a 90° angle on the floor to your right side.
• Raise your right knee, then your left, rotating from your hips, until your feet are flat on the floor.
• Continue rotating until your right knee is in front and your left knee to your side.
• Reverse the movement to return to your starting position.

How I built mobility

Knowing my hips were exceptionally tight, I began my two-week experiment with just one set of five reps on each side.

Even this was a struggle at first, but by day four I started to move with more ease.

On day five, I upped my reps to eight, which felt great.

After a week, I was up to 10 reps and performing the exercise easily and smoothly.

Towards the end of the challenge, I decided to pay more attention to my pace.

I moved more slowly and intentionally through each part of the movement. This helped me identify trouble spots in my range that I’d previously missed.

On day 11, I added another set of 10 reps and by day 14, my final day, my hips felt looser and more limber.

Here’s what I observed after doing this 90/90 hip exercise every day for two weeks.

1. Squats and lunges got easier

Poor squats and lunges were what motivated me to try this 90/90 hip mobility challenge, so I’m happy to report that both have improved.

The tightness and discomfort I was experiencing at the bottom of the squat and on the descent were easing by day three. I also noticed I wasn’t shifting my torso forward as much—with more space and comfort in my hips, I was able to sink lower and keep my back more upright and chest lifted.

Lunges felt smoother too and I was able to get my knee closer to the floor.

By day 14, I was even able to use heavier weights during both movements.

2. My back pain improved

Due to a degenerative disk issue, I live with chronic lower-back pain, but by day seven of my experiment, my usual ache wasn’t as bothersome.

While my pain didn’t disappear completely, the improvement was enough to make my lower-body workouts feel easier than they had in a long time.

3. Running felt better

Running is my favorite form of exercise but tight hips can make it feel awkward and painful.

I’m aware my recurring bouts of IT band syndrome—that show up as pain on the outside of my knee when I run—has its root causes in my hips.

I ran on four days during the challenge, and while the first two runs felt typical with some discomfort and pain toward the end, the third and fourth runs were noticeably different.

I ran without the usual tightness at the start and was able to reach my top speed sooner.

On my fourth run, I even finished 10 seconds faster than usual with a pain-free knee.

That’s all the evidence I need to keep doing this exercise regularly.

Green-fingered readers will know that watering, weeding, deadheading and harvesting can feel like a full-body workout.

Unfortunately, that means that it can leave your joints and muscles as sore as a heavy gym session.

I’m a trainer, but I often feel achy after gardening, so I've started using this five-move mobility routine to loosen up my back, hamstrings, glutes and shoulders.

If you’re looking for relief after an outdoor session, spend a couple of minutes on each move below, breathing deeply into each stretch to encourage your body to release tension.

I recommend trying it shortly after you've put down your shears and a couple of times again over the following days.

Five best stretches to ease soreness after gardening

1. Child's pose with side reach

Time: 2min

Targets: Lower back, chest, shoulders and side body

• Start on your hands and knees with toes close together and knees wide.
• Sit back onto your heels and lower your chest toward the floor.
• Reach your hands forward to stretch your chest and shoulders.
• Inhale and exhale deeply, lowering your chest further to the floor if possible.
• Place your right hand over your left hand to stretch the right side of your torso.
• Take two breaths, then bring your right hand back to center.
• Place your left hand over your right to stretch the left side of your body.
• Take two breaths, then return to centre.

2. Lying supine twist

Time: 1min each side

Targets: Thoracic spine and lower back

• Lie on your back and hug your right knee into your chest.
• Take two deep breaths.
• Bring your right knee across your body while keeping both shoulders in contact with the floor.
• Rest your left hand on top of your right knee.
• Extend your right arm along the floor, in line with your shoulder.
• Look toward your right hand.
• Stay in this stretch for one minute, breathing deeply, then switch sides.

3. Supine quad stretch

Time: 1min each side

Targets: Quadriceps and hip flexors

• Lie on your right side with your head resting on your bent right arm.
• Bend your left knee and bring your heel to your glutes.
• Hold the top of your left foot in your left hand.
• Push your hip forward to feel the stretch in your hip flexor and the quadriceps on the front thigh.
• After one minute, switch sides.

4. Seated figure-four stretch

Time: 1min each side

Targets: glutes and hips

• Sit on a chair with feet flat on the floor.
• Bring your right foot to rest on top of your left knee and flex your toes.
• Place your elbow or forearm on the side of your right knee and gently lean forward. This will exert downward pressure on the right leg and increase the stretch through your glute and hip.
• After one minute, switch sides.

5. Forward fold

Time: 2min

Targets: hamstrings and lower back

• Stand, inhale and reach your arms up.
• Keeping your legs straight, hinge forward at your hips and fold your body forward.
• Grasp the back of your legs and gently pull your chest toward your shins.
• Take three breaths.
• Inhale and slowly lift your torso, one vertebra at a time, until standing.
• Reach your arms up and repeat.

Five minutes of Pilates might not sound like much, but in the middle of the working day it can do wonders to release physical and mental tension.

It’s less about getting a workout in and more about helping ease some of the strain built up in the body and mind.

“When we sit for long periods, our joints move less, the muscles around our hips and upper back become stiff, our glutes become less active, and even our breathing can become shallower as we slump into our desks,” explains Rebecca Dadoun, Pilates instructor founder of Pilates Prescription.

“Five minutes of movement gets the spine moving again, encourages circulation, wakes up muscles that have switched off and can leave you feeling both physically and mentally refreshed,” Dadoun tells Fit&Well.

She encourages desk workers to move every 45 to 60 minutes.

“Stand up to take a phone call, walk while waiting for the kettle to boil or perform a few gentle mobility exercises by your desk,” Dadoun adds.

Her short routine introduces gentle movement from your desk in a way that feels realistic when you’re busy at work—perfect when you only have five minutes between meetings.

How to do the five-minute desk-Pilates routine

This five-minute desk-Pilates routine features the following five movements. Perform each one for one minute.

1. Cat-cow
2. Arm opening
3. Side reach
4. Marching
5. Roll down

1. Cat-cow

Time: 1min

Benefit: Mobilizes your spine and relieves stiffness caused by prolonged sitting.

How to do it:

• Sit with your feet flat on the floor and your hands resting on your thighs.
• Inhale as you push your chest forward, extend through your spine and raise your chin.
• Exhale as you round your back and gently tuck your chin.
• Continue alternating slowly with your breath.

2. Arm opening

Time: 1min

Benefit: Improves spinal mobility and helps release tension through your upper back and shoulders.

How to do it:

• Sit with your feet flat on the floor and arms in front at shoulder height, palms facing.
• Sweep one arm out to the side and round behind you as far as it's comfortable, gently rotating your upper body too, while keeping your hips facing forward.
• Return to center and repeat on the opposite side.

3. Side reach

Time: 1min

Benefit: Stretches the muscles around your rib cage and improves side-body mobility, helping counteract desk posture.

How to do it:

• Sit with your feet flat on the floor and one hand holding the side of the chair.
• Reach the opposite arm overhead.
• Gently lean further over your head without collapsing forward.
• Return to center and repeat on the other side.

4. Marching

Time: 1min

Benefit: Activates your core and hip muscles while improving circulation after sitting.

How to do it:

• Sit toward the front of your seat with your feet flat on the floor and spine upright.
• Slowly raise one knee, then lower it with control.
• Repeat on the other side, then continue, alternating sides with each rep.

5. Roll down

Time: 1min

Benefit: Encourages segmental spinal mobility so your back feels looser and more mobile.

How to do it:

• Sit with your feet flat on the floor toward the front of your chair.
• Slowly roll your spine forward one vertebra at a time, reaching your arms down your legs.
• Pause briefly at the bottom.
• Slowly reverse the movement with control to the start.

Movement is good for everyone, but it is particularly vital for those living with a neurological condition like Parkinson’s disease.

I specialize in adapting yoga for people living with Parkinson’s and other neurological and long-term health conditions, and see firsthand how mindful movement and breathwork can reduce the impact of stress and help manage symptoms.

But, if you’ve never exercised before, it can be daunting knowing where to start.

That’s why charity Parkinson’s UK has launched the YouTube series Movement Your Way, a collection of bite-sized daily movement sessions led by four specialist coaches, including myself.

Over 21 episodes, the series offers a step-by-step guide that gradually builds confidence and helps you turn gentle exercise into a daily habit, no matter your fitness level or stage of the condition.

The series also includes breathwork and relaxation practices to calm the nervous system, supporting Parkinson’s non-motor symptoms like anxiety, depression and low mood.

Four seated exercises to improve your posture and spinal mobility

One way I support people with Parkinson’s through my work as a yoga therapist is through seated movement. I modify poses so they’re gentle, accessible and chair-based.

Mobilizing the spine is a central focus for most people I work with because Parkinson’s can cause significant stiffness and rigidity in the upper body; rounded shoulders and a stooped spine are also common in later stages of the condition.

In this video from the series, I share four spine movements that encourage flexion, extension, rotation and side bending. Performing these simple fundamental movements can help to maintain mobility in your spine.

1. Chest opener

Reps: 3-5

• Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
• Place your fingertips on your shoulders with your elbows pointing out to the sides at shoulder height.
• Keep your chest lifted and spine upright.
• Inhale, then exhale as you bring your elbows close together in front of your chest.
• Inhale as you return to the starting position.
• On your next exhale, bring your elbows close together in front of your chest and round forward.

2. Spinal rotation

Reps: 3-5 each side

• Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
• Cross your arms in front of your chest, placing your hands on opposite shoulders.
• Raise your elbows to shoulder height if that’s comfortable.
• Keep your chest lifted and spine upright.
• Inhale, then exhale as you rotate to your right.
• Inhale as you rotate back to center then repeat on the other side.

3. Overhead reach

Reps: 3-5

• Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
• Interlock your fingers and place your hands on the top of your head, either palms up or down, whichever is more comfortable.
• Inhale as you reach your arms overhead.
• Exhale as you lower your arms to in front of your chest.

4. Side bend

Reps: 3-5 each side

• Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
• Place your right hand on your right side, either on your ribs, waist or hip, whichever is more comfortable.
• Extend your left arm straight down by your left side, fingertips pointing down.
• Inhale, then as you exhale bend your spine to the left, lowering your left hand.
• Inhale as you to return to the starting position.
• Complete the repetitions on one side, then switch sides.

If you ever look wistfully back on the days you had the hip mobility to sit cheerfully for long periods cross-legged, you are not alone.

Most adults rarely sit in that position and some have lost the range of motion to even try.

Jill Drummond, a NASM-certified personal trainer and vice president of fitness at BODYBAR Pilates, explains that a cross-legged position requires a combination of hip joint mobility, and muscle flexibility and strength.

“If any of these qualities are compromised, an individual may experience tight hips and difficulty sitting cross-legged,” she says.

“To combat this, we must address tightness and strength in the glutes, hip flexors, inner thighs, hamstrings and surrounding connective tissue.”

She notes that if the natural shape of your hip joint also contributes to immobility, rather than your muscles, then a cross-legged position may never be the most comfortable position for you.

That said, you can still benefit from hip strengthening and stretching and can still gain some additional range of motion.

Drummond recommends trying the following movements to create more space and ease in your hips.

1. Elevated glute bridge

Reps: 15-20

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on a yoga block or step, hip-width apart.
• Squeeze your glutes and raise your hips, feeling your inner thighs activate too.
• Pause at the top of the movement, squeezing your glutes but without arching your lower back.
• Lower your hips to the floor with control.

Drummond says: “The glute bridge strengthens the posterior chain, with a primary focus on the glutes and hamstrings while also engaging the calves and core.

“It challenges stability and coordination as it promotes hip extension and opens the front of the hips, creating a powerful combination of strength, stability and mobility that supports healthy, resilient hips.”

2. Supine butterfly stretch

Time: 30-60sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your arms by your sides, your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Bring the soles of your feet together, letting your knees drop out to the sides.
• Relax your lower back and breathe deeply, holding the stretch for time.

Drummond says: “The supine butterfly stretch gently opens the hips and inner thighs while helping release tension through the adductors and hip flexors.

“The body is fully supported on the floor, so it encourages relaxation, deeper breathing and improved mobility without placing stress on the spine.”

3. Hip-strengthening series

Drummond says: “This series strengthens and mobilizes the muscles that support healthy hip function, including the gluteus maximus, the hip abductors (such as the gluteus medius), and the hip adductors (including the adductor magnus).

“Find a stable hands-and-knees position, then work through the following movements, performing 10 repetitions of each movement, then repeating on the opposite leg.”

3A. Donkey kick

Reps: 10 each side

• Start on your hands and knees, with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees.
• Squeeze your glutes and engage your core.
• Raise and extend your left leg behind you to hip height.
• Bend your knee to return to the starting position.

3B. Wide sweep

Reps: 10 each side

• Lift and extend your left leg behind you to hip height, pointing your toes—this is your starting position.
• Sweep your leg out the side, rotating from your hip.
• Return to the starting position.

3C. Lift and lower

Reps: 10 each side

• Lift and extend your left leg behind you to hip height, pointing your toes—this is your starting position.
• Raise your left leg without arching your back.
• Lower your left leg to tap your left foot on the floor.
• Continue, alternating between these two positions.

3D. Hamstring curl

Reps: 10 each side

• Raise your left leg behind you to hip height, keeping a 90° bend in your knee and your foot flexed—this is your starting position.
• Bend your left knee to move left heel toward your left glute.
• Extend your left knee to straighten your left leg.
• Continue, alternating between these two positions, keeping your thigh horizontal throughout.

4. Runner’s lunge

How to do it:

Reps: 8-10 each side

• Begin in a high-plank position with your shoulders over your hands and your legs extended behind you, balanced on your toes.
• Move your left foot forward to the outside of your left hand and place it flat on the floor.
• Let your hips gently sink toward the floor.
• Step your foot back to a plank position and repeat on the other side.
• Alternate sides, moving with your breath.

Modification: For less intensity, lower your back knee to the floor when in the lunge position.

Drummond says: “The runner’s lunge stretch lengthens the hip flexors, quadriceps and calves while improving mobility through the hips and ankles.

“It also helps counteract the effects of prolonged sitting by promoting greater range of motion and reducing tension in the front of the hips.”

One of the biggest misconceptions about aging is that stiffness is inevitable.

"In reality," says Cody Mooney, managing partner of mobility app pliability, tightness, discomfort and reduced range of motion is "often a result of moving less and moving in fewer ways over time".

The two-time CrossFit Games athlete says stiffness most commonly affects the hips, lower back, shoulders, neck and ankles.

"These joints tend to lose mobility when they aren't regularly taken through their full range of motion," Mooney tells Fit&Well.

Prolonged sitting can contribute to tight hips, reduced spinal mobility and weaker glutes—all of which can affect how comfortably we move throughout the day. The shoulders and ankles are especially vulnerable.

Rarely reaching overhead or behind you can limit mobility through your shoulders, making this range harder to access.

Ankle mobility, he says, is also often overlooked but it's vital for balance, walking efficiency and maintaining confidence in everyday movement.

"The good news is that mobility is highly adaptable. With the right movement practice, many people can improve how they feel and move at any age," Mooney says.

How to improve your mobility in stiff joints

Rather than using isolated stretches to spot-reduce joint stiffness, Mooney recommends practicing "movement sequences" that address multiple areas of the body at once—like how a squat, deadlift or push-up strengthens several muscles at once.

This approach is more efficient and trains joints, ligaments and muscles to move in harmony.

Six sequences Mooney often recommends for older adults include the beginner-friendly cat-cow and figure-four stretch, and the slightly more challenging pigeon and saddle poses.

The goal, he adds, isn't to force flexibility or push into discomfort.

"It's about helping your body move comfortably through its available range and gradually expand that range over time," says Mooney.

"Small, consistent improvements can have a meaningful impact on how you feel day to day."

How to do the six-move mobility routine for older adults

These six stretches will help address common areas of stiffness but avoid forcing any stretch and back off if you feel pain.

"One of the most common mistakes people make is trying to force the stretch," says Mooney.

"Mobility gains don't come from pushing harder, they come from creating an environment where the body feels comfortable exploring new ranges of motion."

Mooney recommends holding each stretch for 60 to 90 seconds to start, gradually increasing each hold as your mobility improves over weeks and months.

"For most older adults, just 10 to 15 minutes of mobility work, three to five times per week can lead to noticeable improvements within a matter of weeks," says Mooney, adding that if an area feels especially stiff, a little daily movement can be even more effective.

"A good rule of thumb is you should feel a gentle to moderate stretch, but never pain. Slow breathing, relaxed movement and patience are often more effective than intensity."

If you have a more specific need or injury, speak to an exercise professional who will be able to tailor movements to your particular goals, weaknesses, past injuries and exercise habits.

Here are the six stretching sequences Mooney recommends for older adults to reduce stiffness as you age.

1. Cat-cow flow

Time: 60-90sec

• Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees.
• Inhale, arch your back, drop your belly and raise your chin to look up.
• Pause then exhale as you reverse the movement, tucking your chin, rounding your back and pressing your palms into the floor.
• Continue moving gently between the two positions.

Trainer tip: Aim to mobilize and release tension from each vertebra in your spine.

2. Open-the-book thoracic rotation

Time: 60-90sec each side

• Lie on your right side with your knees bent and together, and your arms together, extended in front of you at shoulder height.
• Keeping your knees together and your right knee in contact with the floor, raise your left arm and sweep it in an arch over your body as you inhale.
• Rotate as far as you can without your knees or right shoulder lifting off the floor.
• Pause, then exhale as you sweep your arm back to the starting position.
• Continue for time, then switch sides.

Trainer tip: You should notice your range gradually improve throughout the exercise.

3. Lizard

Time: 60-90sec

• Start on your hands and knees.
• Move your right foot forward to the outside of your right hand and place it flat on the floor.
• Keep your left knee and foot on the floor—your right shin should be vertical.
• Shift your weight forward, feeling a stretch in your hamstrings and groin in your right leg.
• To deepen the stretch, shift your weight to the outside of your right foot, pressing your knee outwards.
• Complete the time on one side, then switch sides.

4. Supine figure-four glute stretch

Time: 60-90sec each side

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Place your right lower leg, just above your ankle, across your left thigh.
• Take hold of the back of your left thigh in both hands and gently pull it toward you to feel a gentle stretch in your right glute muscles.
• Keep your back and head on the floor and your right toes flexed to help protect your right knee joint.
• Hold for time, then switch sides.

5. Pigeon

Time: 60-90sec each side

If you’re comfortable performing the figure-four stretch, this is a slightly more advanced version, which you may wish to skip at first.

• Start on your hands and knees.
• Move your right leg forward, placing your right foot as close to your left wrist as is comfortable, and your right knee as close to your right wrist as is comfortable.
• Lower your hips while keeping your torso upright to feel a stretch in your right glute muscles.
• If comfortable, lower onto your forearms.
• Hold for time, then switch sides.

Trainer tip: Adjust the angle of your torso so it’s comfortable not painful.

6. Saddle

Time: 60-90sec

• Kneel with your legs together and the tops of your feet on the floor.
• With your hands on the floor for support, gently lower your body backward, lowering your buttocks toward your heels, to feel a stretch across the top of your thighs and in your ankle joints.

Make it easier: Maintain a more upright position and place a thin pillow under your feet or break this stretch up into smaller chunks to hit the target 60-90 seconds.

Finishing a workout feels great—whether from a sense of accomplishment or relief that it’s over. Either way, most people are ready to hit the showers after the final rep.

A cool-down (and its cousin the warm-up) can feel like an optional extra, but here’s why you should make it a non-negotiable.

According to physician Dr Cristina Sciavolino-Day, even a few minutes of gentle movement and targeted stretching after your session’s main event can help your body recover.

“One of the biggest mistakes I see is people finishing a workout and immediately sitting down,” she says. “I do the opposite. After one of my regular walks, I gradually slow my pace and continue moving around the house for a few minutes before sitting.

“It helps your body make a smoother transition from exercise back to rest.”

Read on for everything you really need to know about cool-downs, as well as the eight simple moves Sciavolino-Day recommends to help your body transition from exercise to rest.

What happens to your body during a cool-down?

“When you exercise, your heart rate increases, your breathing speeds up and more blood is sent to your working muscles,” says Sciavolino-Day. “A cool-down helps your body gradually transition back to its resting state instead of stopping suddenly.

“Think of it like slowly pulling your car into the driveway rather than slamming on the brakes. Cooling down allows your heart rate and breathing to gradually return to normal, may help reduce feelings of dizziness after exercise, and gives tight muscles a chance to relax and regain their normal length and movement.”

Is it dangerous to skip a cool-down?

For most healthy people, it’s not dangerous to skip a cool-down, reassures Sciavolino-Day.

“But some people may feel lightheaded, dizzy or uncomfortable if they stop intense exercise suddenly. This is especially true after activities such as brisk walking, running, cycling or interval training because blood can temporarily pool in the legs when movement suddenly stops,” she says.

“A few minutes of gentle movement after exercise helps keep blood circulating while your heart rate gradually comes back down.”

Ditching the cool-down may also leave some people feeling stiffer after exercise, although this will vary from person to person and on the exercise you're doing.

How long should a cool-down take?

“I recommend spending about five to 10 minutes cooling down after exercise,” says Sciavolino-Day. “But if you’re in a time crunch, even three to five minutes is better than nothing.”

“The harder the workout, the more beneficial it can be to give your body a little extra time to transition back to rest,” she adds.

Cool-down routine

Sciavolino-Day’s cool-down routine is suitable to help your body recover after general exercise such as a full-body workout, gentle run or brisk walk.

If you have osteoporosis, have had recent surgery, balance problems, joint replacements, or chronic medical conditions, talk to your healthcare professional to check which exercises are appropriate for you.

1. Slow march and hold

Time: 30-60sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Slowly raise one knee hip height and hold briefly.
• Lower and repeat on the other side.
• Continue alternating knee lifts in a slow and controlled way.

“This slow march helps to gradually lower your heart rate, keeps the blood moving and improves balance,” says Sciavolino-Day.

2. Cross-body shoulder stretch

Time: 15-30sec each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Cross your right arm straight across your chest and use your left hand to gently pull your stretched arm closer to your body.
• Keep your shoulders down and relaxed and avoid twisting your torso.
• Hold for time, then repeat on the other side.

“This stretches the posterior shoulder muscles and helps relieve upper-body tension,” says Sciavolino-Day.

3. Overhead triceps and side stretch

Time: 15-30sec

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bending your knees slightly for balance.
• Raise your right arm overhead and reach to the left, as you reach over your left arm across your body to the right.
• Return to the start and repeat the movement on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

“This stretches the back of your arms, shoulders, side of your back and waist all while encouraging better mobility through your upper body,” says Sciavolino-Day.

4. Calf raise

Time: 15-30sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and use a chair or sturdy surface for support.
• Raise your heels and pause briefly at the top of the movement.
• Lower your heels back down with control.

“This movement promotes circulation while gently pumping blood back toward the heart,” says Sciavolino-Day.

5. Quad stretch

Time: 15-30sec each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and use a chair or sturdy surface for support.
• Bend your right knee and bring your heel toward your buttocks.
• Keep your knees close together and gently push your hips forward.
• Avoid leaning your upper body forward.
• Hold for time then repeat on the other side.

“This relieves tension in front of each thigh and hip,” says Sciavolino-Day.

6. Calf stretch

Time: 20-30sec each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart with your hands on a wall or sturdy surface.
• Step your right foot back, bending your left knee, straightening your right leg and pressing your right heel into the floor.
• Lean forward slightly to feel a stretch in your back calf.
• Hold for time, then switch sides.

“This stretches the calf and Achilles tendon. This one is especially good after a walk or run,” says Sciavolino-Day.

7. Cat-cow

Reps: 5-10

• Get on your hands and knees with your shoulders directly above your hands and your hips over your knees.
• Slowly arch your back and lift your tailbone, chest and chin.
• Slowly round your back upward and tuck your chin toward your chest, drawing your abdomen to your spine.
• Move slowly with control between these two positions.

“This stretch improves spinal mobility, relieves back stiffness and it’s relaxing. It can be modified to be done holding the back of a couch or even sitting if needed,” she says.

8. Child’s pose

Time: 20-60sec

• Kneel on the floor.
• Sit back onto your heels and lower your chest toward the floor—widen your knees if it’s more comfortable.
• Have your arms stretched out on the floor in front of you, by your sides or stacked for your forehead to rest on.
• Breathe slowly for time or longer.

“I love to end my strength training with this because it is a great way to slow down breathing and relax. It is a gentle stretch for your back, hips and shoulders. A pillow can be added under your chest or head if needed,” says Sciavolino-Day.

My wrists are my weakest link.

Whether I’m lifting weights or trying to do a push-up, they make movements feel uncomfortable. They feel extra stiff and sore after a heavy workout, too.

I exercise wearing wrist-support gloves, but what I’d like to do is strengthen them so I can continue progressing.

I spoke to physical therapist Dr Patrick Everett, who owns Cuirim Sports Recovery in California, and he shared four targeted wrist exercises for strength and mobility.

“These exercises are commonly used to improve wrist mobility, strength, stability and overall upper-extremity function,” says Everett.

To do this routine, you’ll need a light dumbbell and kettlebell, a resistance band, and a hammer.

1. Wrist flexion with a dumbbell

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 each side Rest: 1min

How to do it:

• Sit in a chair, left-side-on to the end of a table, holding a light dumbbell in your left hand.
• Place your left forearm on the table so your hand is hanging off the edge of the table, palm facing down.
• Moving from your wrist, slowly raise the dumbbell.
• Lower it back to the starting position with control.
• Do all your reps on one side, then turn your chair around and repeat on the other side.

How it helps: “This exercise strengthens your wrist flexor muscles and improves grip strength, which will help with activities that involve lifting, carrying and gripping,” says Everett.

2. Hammer pronation and supination

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 each side Rest: 1min

How to do it:

• Sit in a chair, left-side-on to the end of a table, holding a hammer in your left hand so it’s vertical, with your left forearm resting on the table.
• Slowly rotate your forearm so your palm faces up (supination) and the hammer is horizontal.
• Rotate in the opposite direction so your palm faces down (pronation).
• Continue, moving with control through a comfortable range of motion.
• Complete all the reps on one side, then turn your chair around and repeat on the other side.

How it helps: “This exercise strengthens the muscles responsible for forearm rotation,” says Everett.

“It also improves wrist and elbow stability, which helps with functional movements used in daily activities such as turning doorknobs, using tools, opening jars and participating in sports.”

3. Kettlebell wrist stabilization hold

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 Rest: 1min

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your core engaged.
• Loop a resistance band through a kettlebell handle and hold the ends of the band in both hands and your elbows bent.
• Maintain a neutral wrist position with your palms facing down while the kettlebell hangs, resisting any wobbling.
• Rotate your wrists through their full range of motion until your palms face up.
• Keep your forearms stable and avoid lifting your shoulders.

How it helps: “This move develops wrist stability, grip endurance and forearm strength,” explains Everett.

“It is particularly helpful for athletes, lifters and individuals returning from wrist injuries.”

4. Band-resisted wrist flexion

Sets: 3 Reps: 8-12 each side Rest: 1min

How to do it:

• Sit or stand with both feet on a resistance band, slightly wider than hip-width apart.
• Hold the middle of the band in one hand at roughly mid-shin height.
• With your forearm supported on your thigh, rotate your wrist through its full range of motion in both directions, maintaining tension on the band.
• Complete all reps on one side then switch sides.

How it helps: “This final exercise strengthens the wrist flexor muscles, improves grip strength and builds tendon resilience throughout the forearm,” says Everett.

Tight hips can make climbing stairs, sitting down and sometimes even walking uncomfortable.

Several factors could be causing a tightness in your hips, so I asked musculoskeletal physiotherapist and yoga teacher Mariam Shafei-Sabet to explain.

She tells Fit&Well that hip muscles often take the strain of weaknesses elsewhere in the body, such as in your gluteal (buttock) muscles.

“If your glutes are weak or inhibited, the deep hip rotators, tensor fasciae latae or iliopsoas are forced to work overtime to stabilize your pelvis, resulting in secondary overload and structural tightness,” Shafei-Sabet says.

Shafei-Sabet suggests the following exercises to create space in your hips, ease tightness and release tension in the surrounding muscles.

Of course, Shafei-Sabet pointed to other, non-muscular reasons for hip tightness, but they need an in-person medical professional to diagnose. If these exercises, done consistently, don’t provide relief, it may be worth seeking professional help to rule out other issues.

Four moves to open tight hips

1. Low lunge

Hold: 3-5 breaths each side

How to do it:

• Kneel on the floor and step your right foot forward, so your right knee is bent to 90° and is directly above your right ankle.
• Slide your left knee back a few inches and tuck your toes under.
• Extend your arms over your head and press your hips forward to intensify the stretch in your left thigh.
• Hold, then repeat on the other side.

“This exercise targets the back of your hip flexor and quad and strengthens the front of your legs and your core,” says Shafei-Sabet.

2. Active pigeon

Hold: 3-5 breaths each side

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees.
• Extend your left leg behind you along the floor, keeping your hips facing forward.
• Bring your right knee and lower leg forward onto the floor and lower your hips.
• Adjust your right lower leg to a comfortable angle—diagonal or horizontal—in front of your hips.
• Press your right shin into the floor to raise your hips slightly and draw your inner thighs together.
• Lean your torso forward to activate your glutes—adjust the intensity of the stretch by how far forward you lean.
• Hold, then repeat on the other side.

“This exercise targets the front glute and builds hip stability,” says Shafei-Sabet.

3. Side plank

Hold: 30sec each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your left side with your legs extended and your torso propped up on your left forearm.
• Raise your hips so your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
• Hold for time, then repeat on the other side.

Make it harder: Raise your top leg in the hold, engaging your core and oblique muscles to maintain stability.

Make it easier: Bend your lower knee and rest it on the floor.

“This exercise strengthens the lower glute med. It also works the whole lateral body, from the shoulder through the obliques, hips and knees to the ankle,” says Shafei-Sabet.

“These muscles are important for balance and hip stability, as we often lose strength here as we age.”

4. Single-leg bridge

Hold: 3-5 breaths each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, your feet flat on the floor under your knees and your arms by your sides, palms down.
• Raise your hips, keeping them level and squeezing your glutes.
• Lift your left foot and extend your leg straight up in the air, keeping your hips and pelvis level.
• Hold then return to the floor and repeat on the other side.

“This exercise lengthens the front of your hip and strengthens your glutes,” says Shafei-Sabet. “It also builds hip stability, and back and core strength.”

Knee pain is difficult to ignore. Every time you take a step, there it is.

It’s a widespread occurrence too. Orthopedic physical therapist Dr Andrew Gorecki, fellow of Applied Functional Science (AFS) through the Gray Institute, tells Fit&Well that knee pain is one of the most common problems he sees at his clinic, Superior Physical Therapy.

But knee pain may not indicate a problem with the knee itself. The AFS approach looks at the joints in the context of the rest of the body. Gorecki explains that the knee is part of a kinetic chain—a system that works together to create motion.

“The femur (thigh bone) connects the knee to the hip above, the tibia (shin bone) connects the knee to the foot and ankle below. The knee itself is a hinge—it’s not designed to rotate or translate side-to-side.

“When the hip above or the ankle below stop moving the way they should, the knee absorbs motion it was never built to absorb. That’s when pain starts.

“Fix the hip and the ankle, and most knee pain resolves on its own.”

Addressing tight hip flexors, tight inner thigh muscles and restricted ankle mobility—the three most common causes of knee pain— is vital. Gorecki suggests the three moves below to do that.

Watch Dr Andrew Gorecki demonstrate his top three exercises for knee pain

Our expert shared the following clinical note. “If this routine isn't helping after two weeks of consistent practice (twice a day), don’t give up hope. It just means the specific driver of your knee pain may be different and warrants a hands-on assessment.” Contact your health care provider before undertaking these exercises if you have concerns.

1. Hip flexor stretch

Sets: 1 Time: 30sec per plane of motion, per leg

Targets: Hip flexors: psoas and rectus femoris

“Tight hip flexors are a primary driver of knee pain because they pull the femur into a forward position that throws off knee tracking,” says Gorecki.

“Working this muscle in all three planes restores how the hip actually has to move during walking, stairs, and athletic activity.”

How to do it:

• Face a sturdy chair or bench. Turn your right foot in slightly and place your left foot on the bench. Keep your right leg straight and your right foot flat on the floor.
• Front-to-back: Carefully move your hips forward toward the bench, then back, going back and forth for 30 seconds. You should feel a stretch in the front of your right hip.
• Side-to-side: From the same position, move your hips side to side for 30 seconds.
• Rotation: Slowly circle your hips for 15 seconds in each direction.
• Switch legs and repeat the full sequence on the other side.

2. Adductor stretch

Sets: 1 Time: 30sec per plane of motion, per leg

Targets: Adductors: the inner thigh and groin muscles

“When the adductors stay tight, the femur rotates inward and the knee tracks poorly,” says Gorecki. “This is a major contributor to patellofemoral pain (kneecap pain) and medial knee pain. Restoring three-plane adductor mobility lets the knee track straight again.”

How to do it:

• Stand with a sturdy chair on your left side. Place your left foot on the chair, so the inside of your leg faces forward. Keep your right leg straight with your knee locked.
• Side-to-side: Carefully move your hips toward the chair and back for 30 seconds. You should feel a stretch in the inner thigh of your left leg.
• Front-to-back: From the same position, shift your hips forward and back for 30 seconds.
• Rotation: Slowly circle your hips for 15 seconds in each direction
• Switch legs and repeat.

3. Calf stretch

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 10 per plane of motion, per leg

Targets: Calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) and the ankle joint

“Restricted ankle dorsiflexion (lifting toes toward shin) is one of the most under-recognized drivers of knee pain,” says Gorecki.

“When the ankle can't bend forward enough during walking or stairs, the knee compensates by collapsing inward or absorbing rotational stress.

“Mobilizing the calf and ankle in all three planes is often the single change that resolves long-standing knee pain.”

How to do it:

• Stand facing a wall with your hands resting on it at shoulder height, or higher.
• Step your right leg behind you, with your right leg extended and foot flat on the floor.
• Front-to-back: Lift your left leg, keeping your knee bent, and move it forward and back for 10 slow, controlled reps. You should feel a stretch in your right calf.
• Side-to-side: From the same position, move your left leg from side-to-side for 10 reps.
• Rotation: Rotate your left leg from the hip to the left and right for 10 slow reps in each direction.
• Switch legs and repeat the full sequence.

Form tip: Keep your back heel flat on the floor at all times.

If you’ve been thinking about using a back brace to help you sit a little taller, you may want to think again.

Mallory Behenna, PT, DPT, an orthopedic physical therapist with Brooks Rehabilitation, says that back braces may provide temporary relief but they won’t correct poor posture.

“While posture braces or belts might feel like an easy fix, it’s actually doing the work for your muscles rather than training and strengthening them,” she says. “They can be helpful in the short-term in an acute pain state, but long-term use is not recommended as it can contribute to core weakness and increased postural impairments.”

Instead, Behenna suggests doing the following three exercises every day to realign the spine naturally.

“Real, lasting postural correction comes from strengthening your core, hips and back muscles, building your very own internal muscular brace,” she says.

How to do the three exercises to fix bad posture

Before attempting any new activity, be sure to speak with your medical team. A certified personal trainer can provide guidance on proper form or provide modifications if necessary.

These exercises are appropriate for most fitness levels, but if you have any chronic injuries or conditions—especially in the hip, spine, or knees—get clearance from your doctor prior to starting this program.

You’ll need a yoga mat and a stable raised platform that’s four to eight inches tall, like a stepstool. You should also know how to engage your core.

Behanna recommends doing these exercises daily, but if you’re a beginner, aim for three to four times a week. As you build strength and endurance, gradually add days until you’re doing them five to seven times a week.

She also suggested time and rep ranges for each exercise. Beginners should consider starting at the lower end of the ranges, slowly increasing the difficulty as you get stronger.

1. Plank

Time: 15-60sec

“Planks work your core stability and endurance, which helps with overall balance and stability as well as protecting your spine,” says Behenna. “Don’t let the hips come up too high or sag down too far. Aim to stay in position for 60 seconds and then set longer goals over time.”

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees.
• Engage your core.
• Step your feet behind you.
• Hold your body in a straight line from head to heels.

2. Step-up

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15 each side

“Step-ups require you to use one leg at a time, which can reveal underlying asymmetries of strength,” says Behenna. “All of us have a preferred or stronger side, but working to promote symmetry as much as possible can help prevent prolonged overuse of one side, which can lead to other problems down the road. Use hand supports on a railing/counter if you feel imbalanced. To make this movement more challenging, you can bring your knee toward your chest as you step up.”

How to do it:

• Stand in front of a stable, raised platform.
• Engage your core.
• Place your left foot onto the platform.
• Push through your left foot to extend your left leg and bring your right foot onto the platform.
• Pause briefly.
• Step your left foot behind you onto the floor.
• Step your right foot back to the floor.
• Do all your reps leading with your left foot, then switch sides.

3. Side-lying hip abduction

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15 each side

“Hip abductors work to stabilize and keep the pelvis level when walking,” Behenna says. “When doing side-lying hip abduction, be sure to isolate the motion to the hip. You can make sure you are doing this by keeping one hand on the top of the pelvis (iliac crest) and making sure the pelvis does not hike up towards the rib cage when lifting the leg.”

How to do it:

• Lie on your left side.
• Engage your core.
• Bend your left knee and extend your right leg, keeping your hips vertical.
• Lift your right leg, moving from your hip.
• Hold briefly.
• Lower your right leg to the starting position.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Avoid these four harmful habits that impact posture

In addition to strengthening the appropriate muscles, Behenna suggests avoiding these four common practices that could be sabotaging your posture work.

1. Doomscrolling

Too much screen time can lead to a condition called tech neck—pain that occurs as a result of improper positioning and repetitive strain. Behenna warns that those hours spent hunched over your phone or computer have long-lasting effects on the spine, nerves, and muscles.

“Rounded shoulders can cause and increase neck pain because the muscles that control the shoulder blade are not able to activate in this position,” she says. “This causes the muscles on the top of the shoulder blades going into the neck to have to work harder to hold the arms in place, leading to tightness, limited range of motion, neck pain and headaches.”

2. Carrying heavy bags only on one side

If done with poor form, carrying a heavy purse or bags on one side of your body can result in postural imbalances.

“Holding a very heavy weight on just one side can be beneficial when done correctly; we even use it as an exercise,” Behenna says. “However, it can also be detrimental if you cannot maintain a neutral position against the weight. This puts more stress on the neck, shoulders, thoracolumbar spine and core muscles, which can cause or exacerbate pain.”

3. Sleeping on your stomach

If you’re a stomach sleeper, it may be time to start flipping over. Behenna says that it’s much safer to sleep on your back with pillows supporting your neck in a neutral position.

“I actually love sleeping on my stomach; it is by far my most comfortable position,” she says. “But sleeping on the stomach puts the neck at the end-range of rotation and holds it there for hours, causing more strain on the muscles, joints, and discs in the neck. It can also potentially affect blood flow depending on the range of motion held.”

4. Using the wrong keyboard

You may think that all keyboards are created equal, but that’s not the case. Behenna says that two-thirds of Americans use a keyboard for their job, and that the wrong size can cause carpal tunnel, repetitive strain injury and even spinal dysfunction.

“If it’s too wide, it can cause your posture to be off-center and cause strain, which is commonly seen in people using large gaming keyboards,” she says. “On the other hand, if it’s too small, this can cause shoulder and chest strain. To avoid this, adopt an ergonomic office setup that supports your frame and size.”

Stiff joints don’t always respond well to intensive stretching.

Forcing your body into uncomfortable positions when you have a limited range of motion is often counterproductive.

"One of the biggest mistakes people who lack mobility make is trying to beat their body into submission with aggressive stretching," argues certified personal trainer Carter Lee.

"That just makes your nervous system tighten up even more to protect itself."

A smarter approach, according to the coach from BetterMe, is to signal to your body and brain that it is safe to move, mobilize and relax.

"These exercises work because they are relatively low-threat," continues Lee.

"By using chairs for balance and lying on the floor to take the weight off, you’re essentially whispering to your brain that it’s safe to move."

In this four-move gentle mobility workout for stiff joints, Lee recommends using light ankle weights for the second exercise to create space around your hip socket.

"This added resistance provides traction to alleviate bone-on-bone sensations while giving your brain the sensory feedback to better control the joint," he explains.

How to do the workout

Lee recommends using these four moves as a gentle mobility routine.

The first time you attempt these moves your body is likely to resist the unfamiliar exercises, but gradually it will relent.

"Instead of static stretching, such as holding a pose for 30 seconds, improving mobility for stiff joints requires active movement," he says.

Perform each move for 30-60 seconds, resting as required, then as your mobility improves, repeat the routine two or three times.

"Consistency beats intensity every single time in this game," says Lee.

1. Side-lying leg lift with tap

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Lie on your side with one leg on top of the other.
• Slowly lift your top leg while keeping your hips vertically aligned, rather than allowing your top hip to roll forward or back.
• Now carefully bring your top leg forward to tap the floor in front of you.
• Then lift and tap the floor behind you.
• Continue for time, then repeat on the other side.

Lee says: "By targeting the gluteus medius, this exercise helps open up the hips in preparation for the demands of the day.

“For stiff people, this is crucial to stabilize the pelvis, which in turn reduces referred stiffness that can affect the lower back and knees."

2. Single-leg knee drive

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Stand with one hand on a chair for balance.
• Moving with control, bend your knee as you lift it to hip height.
• Lower slowly, placing your foot back on the floor.
• Continue for time, then repeat on the other side.

Lee says: “Using ankle weights with this exercise helps create tiny amounts of space around the hip socket. This allows the synovial fluid to coat the joint surfaces more effectively than unweighted movement.”

3. Lateral weight shift

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Stand with your hands clasped together in front of your chest.
• Bend your knees slightly and push your hips back to lower into a quarter squat, with your knees wide and chest facing forward.
• Step to your side, maintaining the quarter squat, for three paces.
• Keeping low, step back to the start.
• Continue, moving slowly and with control, rather than rushing.

Lee says: “Some of the body’s daily stiffness can be attributed to the fact that most of our day we are only moving in one direction: forward.

“This exercise will promote hip mobility and lower-body strength, crucial elements for a long and independent life.”

4. Chair-supported quad stretch

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Stand with your back to a chair and position another chair to your side for support.
• Place the top of your left foot onto the chair behind you and grasp the other chair to provide balance.
• Tuck your tailbone under to avoid arching your lower back.
• Bend your right knee to lower, feeling a gentle stretch down the front of your left thigh.
• Pause, then extend your right leg to stand upright.

Lee says: "This targets the rectus femoris, the big quad muscle in the front of your thigh, along with the psoas that connects your lower spine to thigh bone. When stiff, they pull the pelvis into a tilt that can cause phantom back pain.

"A unilateral exercise, this move demands decent balance and strength to complete, so make sure the additional chair is sturdy and can support your bodyweight. Proper form is crucial with this exercise."

If you can type over 100 words per minute (WPM), you are one of the elite few.

I write for a job and top out at about 80WPM (not mentioning all the typos).

Unfortunately, this skill can lead to issues with hand and finger strain.

Despite today’s computer keyboards needing almost no pressure to press a key (those who remember early word processors or even typewriters will know what a step up this is), the muscles and tendons in your hands still need to work hard in a repetitive manner.

Whatever your WPM score, day-long typing or texting translates to hundreds of thousands of finger motions in a single day.

If you end your working day by plugging in a game console or pulling out the gardening tools to unwind with gardening tasks, you may be compounding the problem.

“Common causes include repetitive activities such as typing, texting, gripping tools, sports, gardening or other everyday tasks that place stress on the hands,” says Dr Joseph Sharaya, a certified hand therapist and occupational therapist at ATI Physical Therapy.

“Pain can also result from tendon irritation, joint stiffness, arthritis, nerve irritation or minor injuries,” he adds.

Sharaya recommends incorporating the following three exercises into your day to promote gentle movement and ease general soreness or stiffness.

“They are not intended to diagnose the cause of pain or replace individualized medical care. The best treatment approach depends on the underlying cause of your symptoms.”

Sharaya says that if your pain follows an injury, continues to worsen, doesn't improve after several days or begins interfering with everyday activities such as writing, gripping, dressing, cooking or work tasks, it's a good idea to seek medical attention.

“You should also be evaluated if you experience severe pain, significant swelling, visible deformity, loss of movement, numbness, tingling, weakness, or fingers that lock or catch when moving.”

1. Active hook exercise

Sets: 1-3 Reps: 5-10 each side

“The hook fist helps the tendons in your fingers move smoothly without requiring a full grip,” says Sharaya.

“It’s a gentle exercise that can help reduce stiffness, improve finger mobility, and encourage comfortable movement when your hands feel sore or tight.”

Targets: The tendons that help bend the fingers, particularly those responsible for bending the middle and tip joints.

How to do it:

• Sit with your forearm resting on a surface, palm facing up.
• Start with your fingers extended.
• Curl just the first and second joints of your fingers into a half fist.
• Hold briefly, then slowly straighten your fingers back to the starting position.
• Complete all reps on one hand, then repeat on the other.

Form tip: Move smoothly with control and stop if you experience any sharp pain.

2. Flexor digitorum superficialis blocking exercise

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 5-10

“This exercise helps improve movement in the middle joint of the finger and can be especially helpful for stiffness or mild discomfort. It allows you to focus on moving one finger joint at a time,” says Sharaya.

Targets: The flexor digitorum superficialis is a muscle-tendon unit that helps bend the middle joint of your finger.

How to do it:

• From a seated or standing position, hold your target finger across the middle joint and under the first crease.
• Keeping your other fingers straight, slowly bend the first joint (at the tip) while holding the lower part and other joints still.
• Pause briefly, then straighten your finger again.
• Work through all reps on each finger, then switch hands.

Form tip: Avoid squeezing hard or pushing to the point of pain.

3. Flexor digitorum profundus blocking exercise

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 5-10

“This exercise targets the tendon that bends the fingertip and can help improve finger mobility, reduce stiffness, and encourage comfortable movement of the hand and fingers,” says Sharaya.

Targets: The flexor digitorum profundus is the tendon responsible for bending the fingertip joint.

How to do it:

• Sit with your hand resting on a surface, palm facing up and your fingers straight.
• Hold and stabilize your target finger below the middle joint.
• Keeping your other fingers straight, slowly bend at your middle joint curling your finger toward your palm.
• Pause briefly, then slowly straighten your finger again.
• Work through all reps on each finger, then switch hands.

Form tip: Move through a comfortable range and avoid forcing painful motion.

It’s common to target sore or tight muscles with stretches to help relieve tension.

I do this for chronic soreness in my hips, but it turns out there's a more effective, longer-term solution.

Dr Caroline Packard, a physical therapist and founder of Connect Pelvic Floor Fitness, says stretching may only be a temporary, superficial solution.

“The hips don’t work in isolation. They’re part of the same system as the glutes, deep core, diaphragm and pelvic floor,” she says.

“When that system isn’t coordinating well, the hip muscles often have to work overtime.”

Packard, who is a pelvic floor specialist, tells Fit&Well that hip range of motion is impacted by pelvic position.

“If your pelvis is stuck, it will mechanically limit how far your hip joint can move, regardless of how much you stretch.”

“So the tightness you feel in your hip may not actually be a hip problem. It may be your pelvis blocking access to your range of motion,” she says.

She adds that hip flexor tightness I suffer from may also be due to overwork, which can’t simply be stretched out.

Packard recommends the following five exercises that go beyond stretching to ease hip soreness.

“The goal of this routine is to create space first, then teach your hips to feel supported through breath, better pelvic position, core coordination and glute activation,” she says.

1. 90-90 hip lift

Sets: 2 Hold: 5 breaths Rest: 30sec

What it does: “Before we can ask the hips to move well, we need to address pelvic position first. If the pelvis is stuck—tilted too far forward or not moving freely—it will mechanically limit available hip range of motion regardless of how much stretching you do,” says Packard.

“It’s a reset, not a traditional core exercise and it’s why the rest of this routine works better when you start here.”

She explains that this position helps bring the pelvis into a more neutral position, aligns your ribs with your pelvis, and gently activates your hamstrings and deep core.

“When those pieces are in place, your hip flexors don't have to grip for stability anymore, and your hips suddenly have access to a range of motion that was being blocked.”

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with a wall in front of you.
• Bend your knees to 90° and raise them so they are over your hips.
• Shuffle forward so your feet are flat on the wall.
• Support yourself with folded towels under your head, shoulder blades and lower back.
• Place a small Pilates ball between your knees to prevent your knees from falling outward.
• Press your heels into the wall, feeling the tops of your hamstrings engage.
• Let your ribs soften down toward the floor without excessively crunching your abdominals.
• Inhale through your nose and feel the breath expand into the back of your ribs.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth and feel your ribs settle down and your lower belly gently draw in.

Form tips:

• Keep your glutes relaxed throughout.
• This is not a bridge or difficult core exercise.

2. All-fours hip shift

Sets: 2 Hold: 5-8 breaths Rest: 20-30sec

What it does: “Once your pelvis is in a better position from the first exercise, we can start asking the hip joint itself to open,” says Packard.

“This exercise helps the ball of the ball-and-socket joint slide back into the hip capsule, which opens the back of the hip. Most stretches miss this entirely because they pull on the surrounding muscles without addressing what's happening inside the joint itself.”

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees with a yoga block placed under one knee, aligned under your hip.
• Gently press your elevated knee into the block and hold that gentle pressure throughout the movement.
• Inhale deeply through your nose and out through your mouth five to eight times.
• Repeat on the other side.

Form tips:

• Keep your pelvis neutral, avoiding tilting it forward or tucking it under.
• Keep your non-elevated hip relaxed.
• The downward pressure from your knee encourages the head of the femur to glide back into the hip socket so you are not forcing a stretch, but creating space.

3. Hands and knees pelvic tilt

Sets: 2 Reps: 6-8 Rest: 30sec

What it does: “Your pelvis needs to move freely in both directions for your hips to function well,” says Packard.

“When your pelvis is stuck, either gripped forward or locked in a tuck, your hip joint pays the price.

“This exercise isolates pelvic movement specifically, without the rest of the spine taking over. The result is genuine mobility through the base of your spine and tailbone area, rather than just the upper and mid back moving.”

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees with your toes against a wall. Ensure your shoulders are over your wrists and your hips are over your knees.
• Gently push the floor away with your toes and hands, feeling your hamstrings lightly engage and your ribcage shift toward your shoulder blades.
• Keeping your upper body and ribs stable, gently rock your pelvis forward so your lower back gently arches.
• Take a full, slow inhale and exhale here, then tuck your pelvis under, rounding your spine upward.
• Move slowly between the two positions aligned with your breath.

Form tips:

• The wall gives your hamstrings something to work against, which keeps your lower back stable and forces the movement to come purely from the pelvis.
• The range of motion should be small and controlled in your pelvis, tailbone area and base of your spine, without moving your back. If your ribcage tilts with your pelvis, you are moving too much.

4. Adductor rock back

Sets: 2 Reps: 6-8 each side Rest: 20-30sec

What it does: “Your inner thigh muscles [adductors] attach directly to your pelvis and play a bigger role in hip mobility than most people realize,” says Packard.

“When they’re restricted, they pull on your pelvis and limit how freely your hip can move, particularly into external rotation and abduction.

“This exercise opens your inner thigh and groin while encouraging your sit bones to spread and the hip to rotate outward to gain more movement that the previous exercises have been building toward.

“It also reinforces the neutral pelvis position we’ve been working on throughout the routine.”

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
• Extend one leg out to your side in line with your hip, keeping your toes pointing forward and the inner side of your foot on the floor, without rotating it.
• Maintain a neutral spine and inhale, using your arms to help you slowly shift your hips backward, feeling a stretch in the inner thigh of your extended leg.
• Exhale as you return to the starting position.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Form tip:

• Move slowly and with control—these are small movements.
• If you feel pinching at the front of your hip in the starting position, angle your leg slightly back until there’s no discomfort.
• Avoid your pelvis tucking under as you rock back. If this happens, you've gone too far back.

5. Hip shift variations

Sets: 2 Reps: 6-8 each side Rest: 20-30sec

What it does: “This is where everything comes together. The first four exercises created space in your hip joint, freed up the pelvis, opened the inner thigh and posterior hip, and established a neutral pelvic position. This exercise takes all of that and puts it into motion,” says Packard.

“The hip shift moves your thigh bone gently within the hip socket from side to side, which naturally creates alternating internal and external rotation at the hip joint. This is the same motion the hip uses constantly in daily life when walking, climbing stairs or stepping off a curb.”

“There are three positions here, so you can start where your body is today and progress as your hips open up.”

5a. Side-lying hip shift

This option is the easiest entry point for beginners.

How to do it:

• Lie on your side with a wall in front of your feet.
• Bend your knees and hips to 90° with a small ball or foam roller between your knees and your feet flat on the wall.
• Inhale as you lightly press your top knee into the ball and shift your hips back, internally rotating slightly.
• Pause and take a full inhale, keeping your pelvis neutral.
• Exhale as you roll your top knee forward, opening your top hip into a more externally rotated position.
• Complete all reps on one side then switch sides.

Form tips:

• Move slowly and with control focusing on rolling your pelvis not your back.
• If your hips pinch in a 90° angle, widen the angle slightly.

5b. 90-90 seated hip shift

Progress to this option when you are confident with the side-lying hip shift.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with a wall in front of you.
• Bend your knees to 90° and raise them so they are over your hips.
• Shuffle forward so your feet are flat on the wall.
• Support yourself with folded towels under your head, shoulder blades and lower back.
• Place a small Pilates ball between your knees to prevent your knees from falling outward.
• Without moving your feet, use downward pressure in your heels to isometrically activate your hamstrings and pull your pelvis back.
• Squeeze your knees into the ball as you take a full inhale.
• Exhale to shift one knee forward so the opposite hip drags back, allowing the hip joint to move freely in the socket.
• Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

Form tips:

• Aim for fluid and continuous movement in the hip joint socket.
• Alternate between external and internal rotation with each movement.
• Think of the knees as scissoring forward and back.

5c. Half-kneeling hip shift

This position is closest to real-life demand, as it is a single-leg loaded position.

• Start in a half-kneeling position with your left knee on the floor and your right foot forward with both knees bent at 90°.
• Inhale as you shift your right leg back into the hip socket, reaching your left arm toward your right leg to open the back of your hip. Pause here and inhale deeply.
• Exhale as you shift forward, letting your hip open and inner thigh lengthen as you reach your right arm forward.
• Complete all reps on one side, then switch sides.

Form tips:

• Keep your pelvis neutral and your spine straight.

My posture has never been great, but after months of holding my toddler all day, I started to notice that it was getting even worse.

When my go-to exercises weren’t doing the trick, and my mid-back would ache by afternoon, I knew it was time to get serious about addressing my poor posture.

I’m a certified personal trainer and I know of the benefits of prone spinal rotations, and thought they could be a game-changer for my back health.

So, I decided to try an experiment: I’d do the exercise every day for two weeks, hoping it would improve my posture and pain.

I wanted to make sure my experiment was safe to do, so I checked in with Bill McGehee, PT, PhD, a physical therapist and clinical professor at Tufts University School of Medicine, for his thoughts.

“Prone spinal rotations are a fantastic low-load exercise for improving thoracic mobility, which is one of the most overlooked contributors to poor posture,” he told me.

“Done daily, prone spinal rotations can help counteract the stiffness that comes with prolonged sitting, encourage better alignment of the upper back and shoulders, and support the kind of segmental mobility that keeps the spine healthy and resilient.”

How to do prone spinal rotations

You should always consult with a physician before trying any new activity. A certified personal trainer or physical therapist can also provide guidance on proper form and provide modifications, if needed.

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 10-12 each side

You’ll need a yoga mat for this exercise. If you’re unable to get onto the floor, consider lying on your bed, couch, or a massage table instead.

• Lie face down on your mat.
• Bend your elbows and place your hands on the mat next to your shoulders.
• Place your right hand behind the back of your head.
• Slowly lift your right shoulder off the mat, rotating your right elbow towards the sky.
• Pause briefly.
• Lower the right shoulder back to the starting position.
• Continue for the desired number of reps, then repeat on the left side.

What you should know before performing prone spinal rotations

McGehee points out that while prone spinal rotations are appropriate for most, there are certain situations that make the move ill-advised.

“People with known disc herniations, particularly those with active nerve root irritation or radiating symptoms, should avoid rotational loading of the spine, as it can aggravate their condition,” he advises.

“Anyone with osteoporosis, a recent vertebral fracture, spinal instability such as spondylolisthesis, or an active spinal infection or tumor should also steer clear.

“Pregnant individuals, especially in later stages, may find the prone position uncomfortable or inadvisable. If you have any acute back or neck pain that worsens with twisting, that's a signal to stop and consult a physical therapist or physician before continuing.”

My experience

I started my experiment by adding one set of 10 repetitions on each side to my warm-up before my daily workout.

After one week, I was starting to see some improvements, so I increased my reps to 12 to see if that would have an even greater effect.

The last three days, I was feeling stiff again (more on that later), so I added in an additional set of 12 reps in the morning after waking up.

I then did two sets a day until the end of the two-week period.

Here are my three main observations after doing prone spinal rotations every day for two weeks.

1. At first, my spine opened up and my posture improved

Whether it was purely psychological or not, by day three, my entire spine felt much more mobile.

I’d wake up in the mornings without my usual achy back, and I didn’t feel as stiff or sore as the day progressed. This helped me to sit a little taller on the floor while playing with my son.

I’d done spinal rotations before, but I had mostly done them in a standing position. I noticed that doing them prone was opening up the upper, lower and mid-back, whereas the standing position would only really affect my mid and upper back.

“Performing rotations from a prone position takes gravitational load off the spine, which can promote greater spinal extension and mobility compared to upright positions,” explains McGehee.

“This means the exercise lets you access rotation through a fuller, more comfortable range.”

With less stiffness and pain, it was easier to stay in a proper spinal alignment throughout the day. I did catch myself slouching a few times when sitting, but I corrected myself and didn’t feel much fatigue in my mid-back.

2. I started feeling stiffness again toward the end of my two weeks

A few days before the end of my experiment, I had to hunker down at my desk for a long day behind the computer.

It didn’t surprise me that the next morning I was stiff and sore again, although I was expecting less impact due to my recent routine.

McGehee explains that our bodies are designed to twist, but long periods of sitting can mean we lose that ability.

“Many of us spend hours in a flexed, rounded position at a desk or over a phone, and over time the thoracic spine stiffens,” he says.

“Research shows that thoracic range of motion is greatest during axial rotation compared to other directions of movement, yet this motion is significantly reduced when the spine is held in a flexed posture.”

Since I was feeling stiff again, I decided to close out my experiment with an additional daily set of prone spinal rotations.

As well as doing them before my daily workout, I added another set as soon as I woke up. This helped to open things up again—and by the final day, I was back to standing taller.

3. Holding my son felt easier

I didn’t expect that my daily prone spinal rotations would translate to more strength and stamina, but when it came to carrying around my son all day, that’s what happened.

By day 13, holding him while walking through the store didn’t feel nearly as taxing as it usually does.

I made it through about half an hour of shopping, and closed out the trip with my mid-back feeling strong and stable. I even sat a little more upright in the car on the way home.

“Posture is less about holding a perfect position and more about having the ability to move in and out of positions comfortably throughout the day,” McGehee notes.

My two-week experiment made it clear: I was in desperate need of spinal mobility work for my poor posture, and even if it’s not a daily habit, I’ll continue doing this exercise for the foreseeable future.

An effective warm-up doesn’t have to take long. Just five minutes before the main bulk of your workout can mobilize your body, wake up dormant muscles and improve your range of motion.

A good rule of thumb for an effective warm-up is that it should closely reflect the workout you’re about to undertake.

If you’re about to embark on a run, for example, you wouldn’t be especially well served by doing a load of push-ups and shoulder rolls.

Instead, you should include plenty of single-leg exercises and moves that involve bouncing on your feet—like jogging and gently hopping on the spot.

That said, there is a five-minute routine I get all my clients to memorize that prepares their body for any strength workout.

How to do this full-body warm-up

This full-body sequence can be subdivided into four sections:

1. The first gently mobilizes the spine through all three planes of motion.
2. The second helps unlock stiff hips and weak hip flexors.
3. The third activates the often dormant posterior chain muscles.
4. The fourth targets the core and anterior chain muscles along the front of the body.

It starts very gently, increasing in intensity to gradually elevate your heart rate and get the synovial fluid moving around your joints.

In total, it should take around five minutes but if you have time, double up on each of the moves to give your body plenty of time to get going so it’s ready for the workout to come.

1A. Side bend

Time: 20sec

Targets: Lateral spinal flexion

• Stand tall with your hands by your sides.
• Keeping your hips stationary, bend your upper body to one side, then the other.
• You should feel a gentle stretch down each side of your body, while promoting lateral flexion of your spine.

1B. Torso twist

Time: 20sec

Targets: Thoracic spine rotation

• Stand tall with your arms crossed, hands on your shoulders and elbows at shoulder height.
• Keeping your hips stationary, carefully rotate your body in one direction, then the other, to mobilize your mid back.
• Don't rush or over-rotate or you will shift the focus away from your thoracic spine (the middle of your back).

1C. Cat-cow

Time: 20sec

Targets: Spinal flexion and extension

• Start on your hands and knees with a neutral spine.
• Inhale as you lift your head and slowly arch your back (this is cow pose).
• Exhale as you tuck your chin and slowly round your back (this is cat pose).
• Move between poses with control, matching the movements to your breath.

2. Kneeling lunge matrix

Time: 30sec each side

Targets: Hip flexors and pelvis

• Start in a kneeling position with your tailbone tucked under to avoid arching your lower back.
• Step your left foot forward, and carefully move your left knee forward past your toes, then back.
• Step your foot diagonally to the side, and carefully move your left knee forward past your toes, then back.
• Step your foot out to the left, so your left foot points left, and carefully move your left knee forward past your toes, then back.
• Reverse the movements back to the start.
• Continue for time, then repeat on the other side.

3A. Good morning

Time: 30sec

Targets: Hamstrings, glutes and lower back

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, a slight bend in your knees, fingers by your temples.
• Sit your butt back and hinge forward at your hips to gently stretch the back of your thighs.
• Drive your hips forward to stand tall, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.

3B. Glute bridge

Time: 30sec

Targets: Glutes and lower back

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and close to your buttocks.
• Place your hands by your sides for support or raised overhead to make this more challenging.
• Push through your feet to lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees.
• Slowly lower your butt to tap the floor, then go straight into the next rep.

3C. Y-T-W

Time: 30sec

Targets: Mid and upper back and rear deltoids

• From standing, sit your butt back and hinge forward at your hips while keeping your back straight.
• Keeping your arms straight, raise your arms diagonally away from your body to make a ‘Y’ shape. (Y).
• Next, raise your arms out to your sides (T).
• Lastly, bend your elbows and raise your arms (W).
• With each shape, focus on squeezing the small stabilizer muscles around your shoulder blades and upper back.

4A. Split squat

Time: 15sec each side

Targets: Quads, glutes and ankles

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Take a big step straight back with one foot.
• Bend both knees and lower until your back knee is just above the floor, keeping your chest facing forward.
• Extend your legs to rise.
• Maintain a steady tempo for 15 seconds, then switch sides.

4B. Walkout

Time: 30sec

Targets: Chest, shoulders, core and arms

• Stand tall and reach your hands overhead.
• Carefully fold forward and place your hands on the floor, allowing a light stretch in the back of your legs.
• Walk your hands forward until your hands are under your shoulders and your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
• Optional: perform one, two or three push-ups with each rep to power up your chest.
• Walk your hands back and return to standing, then repeat.

4C. High plank shoulder tap

Time: 30sec

Targets: Chest, shoulders and core

• Perform a walkout to assume the top of a push-up position on your toes (harder) or knees (easier).
• Engage your glutes and core.
• Keeping your hips level, lift one hand off the floor to tap your opposite shoulder, then return it to the floor.
• Repeat with the other hand and opposite shoulder.
• Alternate for 30 seconds.

My hips have been causing me problems for as long as I can remember.

As a young child, I was riding (and falling off) horses regularly, which meant I built a good foundation of lower-body and core strength but it also left me with chronically tight hip flexors.

Now I work at a desk every day, exacerbating the problem.

Tight hip flexors are a familiar gripe of most office workers and something orthopedic physical therapist Dr Andrew Gorecki treats frequently at his clinic, Superior Physical Therapy.

Gorecki explains that many of us spend our lives using just one plane of motion. Our hips move forward and back, but we rarely employ the side-to-side or rotational mobility they are capable of.

“Walking only in straight lines on flat ground lets the inner-thigh adductors and the side-hip muscles stiffen and weaken. Hours of sitting shorten your hip flexors in the front of your hips,” says Gorecki.

The less we use our muscles, the weaker and tighter they become.

“When the muscles around the hips get tight and short, the joint space itself becomes compressed,” he adds. “That’s when tendinitis, bursitis, and joint pain start.”

“Most adult hip pain isn't a problem with the joint itself. It's a problem with the muscles around the joint.”

Once you restore the mobility in all three planes of motion, Gorecki explains that the pressure on the joint is lessened and, more often than not, your hip pain will subside.

He has designed the following program to work your hips in all planes of motion so they work optimally.

“Each exercise is performed in all three planes of motion—the same way the hip actually has to function in life,” he says.

1. Multi-plane hip flexor mobility

Sets: 1 Time: 30sec per plane of motion each side Rest: 30-60sec between sides

Targets: hip flexor muscles

“The hip flexors get tight from sitting and pull on the spine, which is why hip flexor tightness so often shows up as both hip and low-back pain,” explains Gorecki.

“Working the muscle in all three planes of motion restores the function it's actually lost. Most people stretch it only front-to-back and never address the side-to-side and rotational stiffness.”

How to do it:

• Start in a half-kneeling position with your left foot flat on the floor in front of you and your right knee on the floor under your right hip.
• Tuck your pelvis in to flatten your lower back.
• Front-to-back: Gently shift your hips forward and back, a few inches each way, feeling a stretch in the front of your right thigh.
• Side-to-side: Reposition your front foot so it’s at a 45° angle outward from you. Gently move forward and back in small movements.
• Rotation: Reposition your front foot outward further, as close to 90° as possible. Gently move forward and back in small movements.
• Complete 30 seconds on each plane, then switch sides.

2. Multi-plane adductor mobility

Sets: 1 Time: 30sec per plane of motion each side Rest: 30-60sec between sides

Targets: adductors

“When your adductors stay tight, your hip joint loses space and your glutes can’t fire properly,” says Gorecki.

“Opening your adductors in all three planes restores joint space and lets your glutes do their job.”

How to do it:

• Stand with a sturdy chair on your left—use a wall or doorway for balance if needed.
• Place your left foot on the chair, turning your foot outward to roughly 90° so the inside of your leg faces forward.
• Side-to-side: Gently shift your hips side to side toward the chair and back. You should feel a stretch in your inner thigh.
• Front-to-back: From the same position, gently shift your hips forward.
• Rotation: Move your hips in slow, small circles in both directions.
• Complete 30 seconds on each plane, then switch sides.

3. Lunge matrix

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 8 per plane of motion each side Rest: 30sec between sides

Targets: the entire hip complex: glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors and rotator muscles

“Real life loads the hip in every direction, but most hip strengthening programs train only forward and back,” says Gorecki.

“The three-way lunge is the single most efficient way to restore strength in all three planes.”

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Front-to-back: Step your left foot forward and bend both knees to lower until your right knee is just above the floor, then push through your left foot to rise and return to the starting position.
• Side-to-side: Step your left foot out to the side, bending your left knee while keeping your right leg straight, then push through your left foot to rise and return to the starting position.
• Rotation: Lift your left foot and rotate your hips to the left so you can step your left foot behind you and to the left, then push through your left foot to rise and return to the starting position.
• Complete all reps on one leg, then switch sides.

Progression: Once you feel comfortable, add a reach with both arms in the direction of the lunge to increase the challenge.

4. Three-way reach

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 8 per plane of motion each side Rest: 30sec between sides

Targets: gluteus medius and the deep hip stabilizers

“The gluteus medius is the most important muscle for hip health,” says Gorecki.

“Weak hip stabilizers are the silent driver of most hip, knee and low-back pain.

“Training your standing leg to stabilize while the other leg reaches in three planes is the most functional way to build this muscle, and is far more effective than floor-based clamshells.”

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and shift your weight onto your left leg. Lightly hold a counter or chair for balance if needed.
• Reach forward: Move your right foot forward and bend your left knee to tap the floor in front of you with your right heel, then return to the starting position.
• Reach to the side: Move your right foot out to the side and bend your left knee to tap the floor with the toes of your right foot, then return to the starting position.
• Reach back and across: Reach your right foot back and to the left of your standing leg, bending your left knee to tap the floor with the toes of your right foot, then return to the starting position.
• Complete all reps on one leg, then switch sides.

When you’ve had a long day, it can be tempting to unwind with some scrolling on social media. I get it, I do it too.

The problem is that before you know it, you’ve been looking down for hours.

When you look up again, you may find that your neck feels stiff and sore. This phenomenon is colloquially known as tech neck.

Thankfully, there are a few exercises you can do to make your stiff neck feel better.

Ashley Katzenback, a doctor of physical therapy and the owner of Cape Concierge Physical Therapy, suggests the following two stretches, which can be done anywhere for a quick release.

If you catch yourself squinting at your phone for too long, run through a few rounds of each exercise and watch your stiff tech neck melt away.

How to do the neck stretches

Watch Katzenback talk you through the exercises above, or scroll down for quick clips and written form guides.

1. Chin tuck with extension

Sets: 3 Reps: 5

How to do it:

• Sit in a chair, or stand with your arms by your sides and your feet flat on the floor.
• Tuck your chin back, so your ears are in line with your shoulders. You should feel a stretch in the back of your neck at the base of your skull.
• Slowly, look up at the ceiling and tilt your head back using only the muscles in your neck. You will feel the muscles in the front of your neck activating.

Form tip: This is a small motion focused on moving your skull on top of your spine.

2. Anterior neck stretch

Sets: 3 Time: 20sec each side

How to do it:

• Stand with your hands by your sides and your feet hip-width apart.
• Tuck your chin back, so your ears are in line with your shoulders, then tilt your head to the side.
• Look up slowly toward the ceiling until you feel a stretch in the front of your neck.
• Put your hands behind your back to intensify the stretch.
• Repeat on the other side.

Form tip: Only allow motion in your neck; do not let your trunk arch back as you look up.

Finally, it might sound like tech neck is just about the neck muscles, but it is important to stretch and strengthen your shoulders, chest, upper and mid back too, to ensure your neck and head are properly supported.

Poor posture should be corrected at any age, but it becomes especially important once you reach your senior years.

Slouching shoulders, weak back muscles, and lack of upper-body mobility can affect your overall balance, result in chronic aches and pains, and make you more susceptible to injury.

Many of my senior personal training clients struggle with poor posture, so it’s usually one of the first things we address in our sessions together.

I often recommend doing four simple exercises every day to help improve posture. They are: wall angels, cat-cow stretch, doorway stretch and resistance band rows.

“Some of the most effective posture exercises are also the simplest,” says Dr Stephanie Duffey, PT, DPT, after I tell her about the exercises I use.

The physical therapist and owner of Empower Physio and Wellness goes on to add: “The great thing about these four exercises is that they are easy and safe to perform. You need minimal equipment, just a resistance band, and they can be done right at home.”

How to do the four exercises

You’ll need a light resistance band (like this one), a yoga mat (like this one), a section of bare wall, and a doorway for these exercises.

Start by doing the wall angels, cat-cow stretch, and resistance band rows for one set of eight to 10 reps, and hold the doorway stretch for 15-30 seconds.

Once you’ve built some strength and mobility, gradually increase to 15-20 reps and 45-60 second holds, adding one rep or 5 seconds every time you repeat the workout.

Try these exercises three to five times a week at first, slowly working your way up to five to seven times a week as your comfort level allows.

“When starting any new mobility or exercise program, meet your body where it’s at,” Duffey recommends.

“Don't push into pain, but know that moving your body in a new way can bring some productive soreness. Be gentle with yourself and integrate these movements slowly into your weekly routine.”

Clear any new activity with your doctor before proceeding. These exercises are beginner-friendly, but if you’ve just recently started to work out regularly, meet with a certified personal trainer for guidance on correct form.Duffey also recommends caution depending on your health history and background. “If you have a spinal fracture or had spine or shoulder surgery within the past three months, these exercises may not be appropriate for you,” she says. “If you have a hypermobility condition like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, you would benefit from doing these under the supervision of a physical therapist to ensure proper form and joint protection.”

Here’s how to do the moves:

1. Wall angels

Sets: 1 Reps: 8-20

• Stand about six inches in front of a wall, with the wall behind you.
• Lean your back against the wall.
• Raise your arms, bringing your elbows to shoulder height, resting your forearms against the wall.
• Lift both of your arms overhead, maintaining contact with the wall.
• Lower your arms, bringing your elbows back to shoulder height.

Trainer tips: Be sure that your shoulders, forearms, and wrists stay in contact with the wall throughout the movement. Avoid arching your back away from the wall as you lift your arms. If you’re unable to lift your arms without arching your back, or you’re unable to keep your wrists against the wall, reduce your range of motion and focus on keeping good form. Don’t let your shoulders shrug towards your ears. Keep your core muscles engaged as you lift the arms.

2. Cat-cow stretch

Sets: 1 Reps: 8-20

• Come to all fours on the mat.
• Round your back, moving the crown of your head and your tailbone to point towards the floor.
• Pause briefly.
• Arch your back, aiming the crown of your head and your tailbone towards the ceiling.
• Pause briefly.
• Continue alternating between the two positions.

Trainer tips: Move slowly through each position and focus on reaching the endsof your range of motion. If you’re unable to get onto the floor, try the stretch on your bed or couch. Place a pillow or rolled-up towel underneath your knees for additional cushioning, if needed.

3. Doorway stretch

Sets: 1 Time: 15-60sec

• Stand in front of an open doorway.
• Place your forearms against the doorframe, with your elbows at shoulder height.
• Step one foot through the doorway, keeping your forearms braced against the doorway, and carefully move your hips and torso forward.
• Once you feel a stretch through your chest, hold.

Trainer tips: Don’t allow your shoulders to shrug towards your ears. Keep your neck relaxed throughout the stretch. Maintain a tall posture, and avoid excessive arching in your lower back.

4. Resistance band row

Sets: 1 Reps: 8-20

• Loop a resistance band around a strong anchor point, like a stair railing, at chest height.
• Extend your arms and hold the ends of the band in each hand.
• Step away from the anchor point until the band is taut.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull the ends of the band towards you, keeping your elbows close to your body.
• Pause briefly.
• Extend your arms with back to the start with control.

Trainer tips: Don’t allow your lower back to arch. Keep your shoulders and neck relaxed throughout the movement. If you notice tension in your shoulders and neck, step closer to the anchor point or use a lighter resistance band. Move slowly and with a controlled tempo.

The benefits of these four exercises

“These movements are accessible for all fitness levels, especially beginners and seniors, and have a big impact on protecting and improving posture throughout your life,” says Duffey.

“There are two aspects to improving and maintaining posture. The first is mobility. You need to get your joints moving through a bigger range of motion to maintain your mobility and hold yourself upright. This is where the cat-cow and doorway stretch come into play. These mobility drills keep the spine and chest open and moving well.

“The second step is to build strength around those joints so you can hold yourself upright all day,” she continues.

“This is where the wall angels and resistance band row come in. These drills target the upper back and core, the primary muscle groups that hold you upright every single day.”

Have you noticed your posture changing, inching closer to your screen when you’re concentrating hard on something? You’re not alone.

I often end up hunched like this when crafting headlines, catching myself looking like Gollum with the one ring before I realize it.

While this rounded posture may feel involuntary, holding it for extended periods could end up causing shoulder pain, according to Daniel Kline, a physical therapist for ATI Physical Therapy.

“While every person's shoulder soreness can be attributed to numerous causes, overall, the majority of people with shoulder soreness present with similar impairments of rounded and anterior [forward] shoulders, and weakness in the posterior [back] aspect of the upper back,” he says.

He explains that if your shoulder is sore on the front but it doesn’t hamper your daily life or workouts, then your desk posture is probably the culprit.

To help remedy this, Kline recommends the following four stretches.

Perform them throughout the day spent at your desk to break up long periods of sitting and help you sit in a way that puts less strain on your shoulders.

If you have felt any type of popping or clicking in your shoulder during a workout or activity, or experience significant pain with lifting your arm, you must seek advice from a physician.

1. Pec stretch

Sets: 2-3 Time: 30sec each side

“With the majority of people having desk jobs, driving to work, and using phones, we see rounded shoulders,” says Kline.

“This leads to closure of bony spaces around the rotator cuff, which can lead to impingement. Impingement presents with a pinching sensation on the front of the shoulder when raising the arm.”

“This stretch helps to lengthen the pec muscles on your chest, allowing for your shoulder blade to move efficiently.”

How to do it:

• Stand in a doorway with one foot in front of the other, hips facing forward.
• Raise your right arm, bending your elbow to 90° and lifting it to shoulder height, so your forearm is vertical, palm facing forward.
• Place your right forearm and elbow on the doorframe at roughly shoulder height.
• Lean forward slightly to feel a stretch through the right side of your chest.
• Hold for time, then switch sides.

2. Prayer stretch

Sets: 2-3 Time: 30sec

“The latissimus is another muscle that limits the ability of your shoulder blade to move overhead, restricting shoulder overhead motion,” says Kline.

“This stretch will also help with upper-back mobility and stiffness.”

How to do it:

• Kneel in front of a bench, low table or bed, with your knees a torso’s length away from the surface.
• Place your elbows on the surface with your forearms vertical.
• Hinge at your hips to lower your chest toward your knees, without moving your elbows.
• Hold for 30 seconds, feeling a stretch along the back of your upper arms and behind your armpits.

3. Shoulder external rotation with squeeze

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15

“This exercise focuses on rotator cuff recruitment and shoulder blade squeezing to the spine,” says Kline.

“The combination of these motions helps to open up your shoulder for improved overhead reaching, improves the strength of the (often forgotten) rotator cuff in gym workouts and improves posture.”

How to do it:

• Stand holding a resistance band with both hands shoulder-width apart in front of your thighs, palms facing up. There should be light tension in the band
• Bend your elbows to 90°, lifting the band to elbow height—this is your starting position.
• Keeping your upper arms pinned to your torso, pull the band apart, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Return to the start with control.

4. Shoulder extension

Sets: 3-4 Reps: 10-15

“This is another great exercise to help reinforce the mobility gained by the pec stretch and prayer stretch,” says Kline.

“This one emphasizes the recruitment of your shoulder blade, and helps to create better posture and thoracic extension.”

How to do it:

• Loop a resistance band around an anchor point in front of you at roughly waist height.
• Hold the ends of the band in front of your hips and step back so the band is taut.
• Pull the band behind you, keeping your arms straight, and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Return to the starting position with control.

Form tip: Keep your arms about six inches away from the sides of your body to recruit your rhomboids and trapezius muscles.

You’re probably aware that stiff hips can cause pain, limited mobility and impact other joints, potentially leading to more discomfort and injury. If you haven’t experienced it yourself, you probably know someone who has.

While it’s natural to think of stretching as the remedy, did you know that it may not be enough to fix immobile hips?

Physical therapist Thomas R. Denninger of ATI Physical Therapy says that hip mobility and stability are closely linked, and both need to be addressed.

“Improving one without addressing the other rarely leads to lasting results,” he tells Fit&Well.

“The hips need enough freedom to move through their full range of motion, but they also need the strength and control to support those positions safely.”

He explains that when muscles around your hip joints provide adequate stability, you’ll have a better range of motion.

“When that support is lacking, the body often responds with stiffness as a protective strategy.

“Building strength and control in those ranges reassures the nervous system that the movement is safe, allowing stiffness to gradually diminish over time.”

Denninger says that even just five minutes of focused work a day can help and encourages us to think of it “like brushing your teeth for joint health.”

Denninger recommends the following movements to improve your hip mobility and stability. If you’re pressed for time, just perform a single set of each, which should take just five minutes.

1. Hip controlled articular rotations

Sets: 2 Reps: 5 each side

Targets: Deep hip rotators, glutes and hip capsule

• Start on your hands and knees, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Flex your right foot and slowly move your right knee to your right elbow.
• Move your right knee up and out to the right, until your right leg is behind you, with the sole of your right foot facing up—keep your pelvis square to the floor and don’t arch your back.
• Lower your right knee back to the start.
• Complete all repetitions on one side, then switch sides.

2. 90/90 hip rotation

Sets: 3 Reps: 6 each side

Targets: Gluteus medius, gluteus maximus and deep hip rotators

• Sit on the floor with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, wider than shoulder-width apart, and your hands on the floor behind you.
• Lower both knees to the right until they touch the floor.
• Reverse the movements to the start, then repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Make it harder: once your knees are on the floor, lift both feet slightly off the floor.

Trainer tips:

• Aim to move slowly and with control.
• Keep your chest facing forward and avoid twisting your torso.
• Rotate from your hips, not your lower back.

3. Banded reverse lunge with hip opener

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side

Targets: Gluteus maximus, hip flexors and quads

• Stand with a short-loop resistance band above your knees.
• Step with one foot back and bend both knees to lower, keeping your torso upright and your hips level.
• When your back knee is just above the floor, gently push your front knee out against the band.
• Push through your front foot to return to the starting position.
• Complete all the repetitions on one side, then switch sides.

4. Hip airplane

Sets: 2 Reps: 8 each side

Targets: glutes, hip rotators, hamstrings and core

• Stand with a slight bend in your knees.
• Hinge forward from your hips, raising your right leg behind you until your torso and right leg are parallel to the floor.
• Slowly rotate your torso and hips to the right, raising your right hip.
• Rotate your torso and hips so they face the floor.
• Complete all the repetitions on one side, then switch sides.

Trainer tips:

• Move slowly and with control to maintain balance.
• Maintain a slight bend in your supporting knee.

Having mobile joints is generally considered a good thing, because it allows you to access a wide range of motion.

Joint hypermobility, however, describes the characteristics of joints that are able to move beyond their typical physiological limitations.

In some cases, these attributes are related to connective tissue disorders, but for most people with extra mobile wrists, elbows, ankles and knees, hypermobility is relatively benign, and can be managed by favoring exercises that build strength and stability.

Here we break down the key points to consider if you suspect hypermobility—along with six exercises that will help protect all your major joints.

Can you self-diagnose hypermobility?

If you suspect that you might be hypermobile, you should always seek a diagnosis from a certified physiotherapist, says exercise rehabilitation specialist Luke Meessmann.

The owner and master trainer at Absolute Studios explains that it's not always easy to self-diagnose.

“The important distinction between being flexible and hypermobile is not just how far a joint is able to move, but how well that movement is controlled,” he tells Fit&Well.

“Often people with clinically significant hypermobility or connective tissue disorders will experience chronic pain, repeated sprains and dislocations or significant fatigue.”

If you notice you're “overly bendy” and have one or more of these symptoms, he recommends seeing a healthcare professional for a concrete diagnosis and treatment plan.

How to exercise when you’re hypermobile

Meessmann recommends spending less time stretching and more time focusing on building strength, stability, body awareness (proprioception) and movement control.

“Pilates (especially reformer) and strength training—ideally under supervision of an eagle-eyed, technique-focused trainer—is a great combo here,” he says.

Whatever form of exercise you're undertaking, he advises to remember these four cues to protect your joints:

1. Avoid hanging at the end-range of joint positions

“Stop before the joint locks out,” Meessmann explains.

For example, you should perform a plank on your forearms with elbows bent, rather than with arms straight, elbows locked out.

2. Prioritize time under tension

Meessmann emphasizes the need to keep reps slow and controlled, allowing you to keep joints aligned and your muscles under adequate tension to build strength.

“Maintain tension on your muscles throughout the concentric (contracting) and eccentric (lengthening) phase of each movement,” he says.

3. Build endurance in your stabilizing muscles

Training your stabilizers is crucial, says Meessmann.

“Think clamshell exercises to activate your glute medius muscle to help stabilize the hip joint and lower back, and isometric holds to improve muscle endurance.”

For the latter, Meessmann points to moves that incorporate an element of static holds, like wall sits, planks, scapular push-ups and farmer carries.

4. Progress load gradually

Increase weight gradually to improve tissue resilience.

“This one is vital,” says Meessmann.

“Once you're able to complete a certain set or rep range consistently well, as per the above pointers, then—and only then—should you look to increase the weight you’re lifting.”

Six stabilizing exercises to protect your joints

To put his advice into practice, while protecting and preserving your joints long-term, Meessmann recommends these six exercises.

Use them to build strength and stability from your ankles to your shoulders.

1. For ankles: Wall sit

Sets: 1 Time: 30-60sec

• Stand with your back against a wall.
• Walk your feet away, sliding your back against the wall until your knees are bent at 90° and your knees are directly above your feet.
• Hold this position for time, breaking your target time into shorter chunks if required.

Meessmann says: “Wall sits develop lower-limb co-ordination and ankle stability. Make it harder and isolate the hip joints at the same time by progressing this into a single-leg wall sit. In the sitting position, extend one leg straight while keeping your knees aligned.”

2. For knees: Split squat hold

Sets: 1 Time: 30-60sec each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, then step one foot behind you.
• Bend your knees to lower until your back knee is just above the floor.
• Hold this position, keeping your front knee directly above your front foot.
• Maintain an upright posture, placing your hands on your hips or holding a wall or counter for support if required.
• Once the time is up, press through your front foot to return to standing, and repeat on the other side.

Meessmann says: “This challenging unilateral exercise develops quadriceps, glute and knee stabilisation under sustained load.”

3. For hips: Clamshell

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 10 each side

• Lie on your side with your legs together and knees bent.
• Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee without allowing your pelvis to rotate backwards.
• Pause, then slowly lower your knee to close your legs.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Meessmann says: “Clams target the glute medius and deep hip rotators to help stabilize the pelvis.”

4. For the lower back: Side plank

Sets: 1-2 Time: 30-45sec each side

• Lie on your side with your legs together, propped up on your forearm.
• Lift your hips so your body forms a line from head to heels.
• Hold this position, avoiding your trunk from rotating and breathing normally.

Meessmann says: “Side planks target lateral core stabilisers, including the obliques and quadratus lumborum, to protect the spine.”

5. For shoulders: Scapular push-up

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 10-12

• Get on your hands and knees, with a slight bend in your elbows.
• Step your feet back to your body is in a straight line from head to heels—this is your starting position.
• Gently round your upper back to lift your chest away from the floor.
• Retract your shoulder blades to slightly lower your chest without bending your arms further.

Meessmann says: “This push-up variation targets the serratus anterior muscles around the shoulder blades, while honing scapular control.”

6. For wrists and elbows: Farmer’s carry

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 30-60sec each side

• Stand, holding moderate to heavy dumbbells by your sides, with your wrists neutral and relaxed, and your chest facing forward.
• Walk slowly with control.
• If your grip strength is failing, lower the weights to the floor. Take a breath or two to reset, then pick up the dumbbells carefully and continue.

Meessmann says: “Heavy carries develop grip strength alongside wrist and elbow stability.”

More than 70% of women will experience musculoskeletal symptoms during perimenopause, according to research, with hip pain being one of those symptoms.

This is largely influenced by hormonal shifts—specifically changes in estrogen levels—as well as muscle imbalances and increased stress to the joints, explains physical therapist Denise Smith, founder of Smith Physical Therapy+.

“Periomenopause can be a rollercoaster of physical and emotional symptoms,” she tells Fit&Well. “From hot flashes to forgetfulness, symptoms can be quick in their onset and unexplainable in their consistency.

“Joint pain is one of these physical symptoms, with increased stiffness to key joints like the knuckles, shoulders, low back, knees and hips.

“Focusing on easing hip stiffness can help areas like the knee and hips as the entire system is connected. Remember that old song lyric: ‘The knee bone is connected to the hip bone?’—it is so true!”

She advises that combining dedicated stretching, regular stability and mobility work, and strength training is a good formula for addressing hormonal hip pain.

“But more importantly, it can help prevent the symptoms from worsening,” she says.

“Focusing on how strong or mobile your hip joint is can result in decreased pain, allowing a feeling of empowerment that you are in control of your body.”

Here’s how to do Smith’s four moves to improve strength, mobility and flexibility.

Exercises for perimenopausal hip pain

“These are some of my favorite exercises to keep your hips mobile, and to help the muscles that insert into the hip stay strong, flexible and stable,” Williams says. “There’s a goal for each move, be that mobility, flexibility or strengthening and stability.

“Mobility refers to how much a joint can move through its range of motion; flexibility is how well muscles can stretch; and stability is a joint’s ability to stay controlled during the move when supported by the strength of surrounding muscles.

“Building strength acts as a form of armor, helping to protect both joints and muscles as the body changes during perimenopause. It is never too late to start working on these hip exercises, so do not be intimidated—just give them a try.”

1. Hip extension Romanian deadlift

Sets: 3 Reps: 15 each side

Goal: hip strength and stability

How to do it:

• Stand with your back to a wall, and take a step forward.
• Press your left foot flat against the wall at knee height, keeping your hands by your sides.
• Push your butt back toward the wall, hinging your torso forward and lowering your arms down your legs.
• Pause at the bottom for a second or two, then push your hips forward to stand back up.
• Do all your reps on one side, then swap sides.

2. Supine butterfly stretch

Sets: 3 Time: 30sec (or three deep breaths)

Goal: hip flexibility

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Lower your knees gently out to the sides and bring the soles of your feet together.
• Hold for 30 seconds or three deep breaths.

3. Bridge on wall

Sets: 3 Reps: 15 each leg

Goal: hip strength and stability

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your feet near a wall.
• Place your feet flat on the wall at knee height then adjust your position so there is a 90° bend in your knees.
• Squeeze your glutes and push through the heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Pause, then slowly your butt to the floor with control.

4. Mermaid

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side

Goal: stability

How to do it:

• Sit cross-legged on the floor.
• Move your right leg behind you, keeping your right knee bent. This is your starting position.
• Extend your spine, then reach your left arm overhead to the right.
• Return to the start, then reach your right arm overhead to your left.
• Return to the start, then lean forward, placing your hands in front of you on the floor, walking them forward as far as you can comfortably reach.
• Return to the start, then lean backward, placing your hands behind you on the floor, walking them back as far as you can comfortably reach.
• Return to the start to complete one rep.
• Do all your reps on one side, then swap the position of your legs and repeat.