A strength and mobility coach recommends doing these four hip stretches every day to counteract the effects of sitting

Most of us spend the majority of our day sitting. Whether during your commute, at your desk, or on the couch in the evenings; we’re all guilty of spending too much time stationary.

All this sitting isn’t good for our bodies, especially our hips. Over time, it can make the muscles surrounding the hip joint weaker and shorter, which makes it harder to access the full range of motion we need to move easily.

Regular stretching and strengthening work is one of the best ways to improve your hip mobility— and this routine from strength coach Charlotte Hazelwood is a great place to start. It’s equipment-free, so you can do it from home to break up your working day.

Watch Charlotte Hazelwood’s hip mobility for the deskbound

Hazelwood doesn’t provide recommended reps or sets for this workout, stating in the comments to instead do "what feels good". She says you should do these four moves on a daily basis if you spend a lot of time at your desk.

Benefits of healthy hips

Your hips might not be high on your priority list when working out, but they should be. Your stability, balance, and posture are all aided by strong hips. They also play an important role in most of our daily movements. Walking, jumping, and squatting all require the use of your hips, so stretching and strengthening this part of your body helps maintain your functional strength.

Performing hip strengthening exercises is also vital for injury prevention. Lower back and knee pain can be associated with weaker hips, Hazelwood says, so you should target the area with some muscle-boosting moves.