Hip Movements for Arthritis Relief and Mobility with Sherry Zak Morris, Certified Yoga Therapist

We'll do some hip work. So let's take one leg up. Let's say left leg to begin with. We're going to go up and down like this, okay. The hip is such a cool joint and it has a lot of cool things that it can do. It can go up and down steps, right. It can go out and in. This is the movement you use when you get into a car, right. So this kind of, they call it abduction and adduction movement. Good. And then there's a circular motion like this. Round and round a couple times and go the other way. Round and round. And the trickiest movement of the hips, which we don't do very often, which is very, very important to do every single day, is external rotation. So we're going to hold the leg and this is what it looks like. See the matching hand? It goes on the outside of the knee. Be careful with this one, Janet. Anyone with hip replacements, be careful with this one. It's externally rotating. So you're going to grab a hold of your calf and you're going to bring your ankle up and your knee out and then like that. Just that little motion, right. So what you're doing is you're moving your big thigh bone in your hip outward and that will release any kind of sciatic tightness. Good. All right. Let's try the other side. Here we go. Up and down. This one's called flexion. You need this for walking around, for getting up your steps, right. Good. And then we'll go like this. Adduction and abduction. Opening up, getting into spaces like cars, right. And then we'll rotate outward a couple times. You need this for what? I don't know, hula hooping maybe? Good. And then the other way. Now, you need this one for arthritis relief. Good. And then we'll do the external rotation. This one's tricky. So the leg is up, your hand is on the outside and you're trying to grab your thigh or your ankle, whatever you can, but the ankle comes up and the knee goes out and then your back. And then you go like that. Yeah. And one more time. Yeah. I know it's awkward. Yeah. Good. And then bring it back out. Good. Bring your legs out in front and we'll just go side to side a little bit. Yeah. So all that hip work, we're going to get into one area of the hip now that we can't get into when we're sitting. So that's why we're going to do side saddle. So we're going to swing on over until our left knee is in the front, our right knee drops down. Okay. So you want to make sure that only your left butt cheek is on the chair, but you're holding on with your left hand. Okay. You're holding on with your left hand. Good. Right hand is going to come to your shoulder and you're going to circle backwards a few times. Yeah. Opening up the shoulder. Good. Circle forward a few times. Good. And then bring it back to the center. Now we're going to dip that elbow down and lift the hip up like you're trying to kiss your elbow to your hip bone. Good. And then lift your elbow up, drop your hip a little bit lower and lean into the chair. Good. We'll do it three times more with our breath. So inhale. Everything is tight. Exhale. Everything is long. Good. Let me hear you breathe. Inhale. Good. And exhale. And last round. Inhale and exhale. Good. Holding that, we're going to bring the hand to the top of the head. Good. Hook the arm over the head to open up the armpit. Good. And then reach your arm forward and inward a little bit and maybe even open and close your fingers. Remember when you open and close your fingers and you're reaching, you're stretching from your hip bone to your fingertips and that's really important for releasing tightness and tension. Good. When you come back to the center, take your time and we're going to pivot to the other side. Okay. So now we got the right knee in the front, the left knee's dropping, the back toes tucked a little bit. Good. And then bring your hands to your outside hand to your shoulder and roll backwards a few times to the shoulders. Roll forward a few times. Good. Now we're going to do our dips. Okay. So we go inhale, hip to elbow, elbow to hip. Exhale. Hip goes down, elbow comes up. You're leaning. Good. With your breath. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. And last time. Inhale. Exhale. Hold it. That hand comes to the top of your head. It can arc over your head for a little deeper stretch or you can reach forward and inward as you open and close your fingers. So just stretching and reaching and breathing. Good. And then slowly, slowly come back. And when you come back, I want you to take your legs out nice and wide. Good. Find that stance and then bring your legs together and we're going to kiss our knees by taking one knee up like this and maybe leaning over. Yeah. Good. And then down and then a little stretch. Good. And down. This one's for your low back and your organs. Right. So nice little tuck. We're preparing you for somersaults. Okay. Yes. Yes. Yes. We said we would be kids today. Right. Good. And then release it. Good.