All you need is this simple yoga pose to ease tight hips—and you can do it from your bed
Unlock your joints with this quick movement
Yoga poses don't have to be challenging or complicated to be effective. You don’t even need to get on the mat to ease tightness or tension. What counts is consistency.
When a part of my body, like my hips, feels tight, I usually just do just one or two poses to target that discomfort, and I commit to this for a week or more.
The single-leg supine windshield wiper (shown below) is one of my all-time favorite poses. I use it in my yoga therapy work for both troublesome hips, and simply to energize the lower body after waking.
It releases tension from your hips and lower back, adds a gentle lower-body twist and can be easily adapted to suit your needs. It’s also a grounding, calming pose that supports emotional balance.
The best thing about this pose? You don't even need to get out of bed to do it.
Double-leg variations are possible, too, but I like the single-sided version so you can give full focus to each hip.
How to do single-leg supine windshield wiper
Reps: 3-5 each side Hold: 3-5 breaths
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor or mattress, slightly wider than hip-width apart.
- Rest your arms comfortably by your sides with palms facing down or bend your elbows to 90° on either side of your head with palms up, in a cactus-like position.
- Inhale to prepare.
- Exhale and lower your right knee toward the floor by your left foot.
- Hold for three to five breaths.
- Slowly return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
If you find it more comfortable, you can synchronize the movement with your breath, lowering your knee on an exhale and lifting it back up on an inhale.
