Stiff hips are one of the most overlooked causes of discomfort, not just in your hips and groin, but also in your lower back.

Let’s break down why.

Your spine is made up of many joints designed to move. At the same time, your hips are meant to be strong, mobile, and capable of taking your leg both forward and backward with ease. But when your hips become stiff, your body finds another way to create movement, and that’s usually by compensating through your spine.

Over time, this compensation becomes a habit.

Instead of moving from the hip joint, you begin to overuse your back. And when that happens repeatedly, your hips get even stiffer. It becomes harder to activate and strengthen your muscles, especially your glutes. With reduced strength comes discomfort, and your body responds by tightening up even more to protect itself.

This creates a negative cycle:
stiffness → weakness → pain → more stiffness

 

Why It Happens

Think about your daily routine.

Most of us spend hours sitting, with our hips bent.

In this position, our hip flexors (the muscles at the front of the hips) shorten and tighten.

Meanwhile, our glutes, the muscles that should be powering our movement, become weak and underused.

So when it’s time to stand, walk, or move dynamically, your body struggles to extend the hip properly. Instead, it borrows movement from your lower back, often leading to that familiar ache or tension.

 

A Common Sign: Overarching the Back

One of the biggest red flags I see, especially in classes, is people arching their back when trying to move their leg behind them.

This often shows up as:

  • Rib cage flaring
  • Lower back over-arching
  • Difficulty keeping the spine stable during movement

This is your body telling you:
“Your hips aren’t doing their job.”

 

How to Test Your Hip Mobility

Here are two simple ways to check if your hips might be stiff:

1. The Straight Leg Test

  • Lie on your back on the floor.
  • Start with both knees bent.
  • Slowly straighten one leg, then the other.
  • Keep your ribs and hips aligned.

👉 If your ribs flare or your lower back arches, it may indicate tight hip flexors or limited hip mobility.

 

2. The Leg Drop Test

  • Lie on your back near the edge of a bed or table.
  • Hold one knee into your chest.
  • Let the other leg hang down freely.

👉 If your hanging leg cannot drop below the level of your pelvis without your back arching, your hip extension is limited.

 

What You Can Do About It

The key is improving both mobility and strength, especially in your glutes.

Focus on:

  • Keeping your core engaged
  • Maintaining a stable spine
  • Moving from the hip joint, not your back

A great place to start is with controlled exercises like:

  • Side-lying leg kicks (a classic Pilates movement)
  • Glute activation work
  • Hip extension exercises

Your glutes are the largest muscle group in your body, and when they work properly, they take pressure off your back, improve movement efficiency, and yes… they look good too.

 

The Bottom Line

Your hips should move freely, especially backward, without your spine needing to compensate.

When you restore that movement:

  • You reduce strain on your back
  • You move more efficiently
  • You feel stronger and more comfortable

So take a moment to check in with your body. If you notice stiffness or compensation, start working on your hip mobility and strength.

Your back will thank you for it.

-Astrid-