In yoga classes, on TikTok, and other wellness spaces, you’ve probably heard the saying: your hips are tight. These joints have a reputation for being emotional storage units of sorts – but is it true that they are affected by old trauma and painful memories?
Pain and muscle tension hit harder when you’re going through a difficult time. But should tight hips make you question your sanity? And what can you do to reduce hip strain? Here’s what you need to know.
Is there a link between stress and hip tension?
When you feel muscle tension in your body, it is likely due to one of two things.
The first possibility is not clearly related to stress and implies that muscles resist stretching even when relaxed. Such stiffness is a mechanical property that reflects how your tissues are constructed and used.
The other possibility is that your muscles and nerves are engaged in low-intensity activity more often than they should be; This often happens when people are under psychological stress.
None of these causes clearly corresponds to what people actually feel, nor to the anatomical location of the problem. For example, when people talk about “tight hips,” they may feel pain, an unwanted tightness, or stiffness – and the sensation may come from the buttocks or back rather than the hip.
But there is no particular predisposition to a stress-tightness link at the hips. In fact, the evidence linking mental strain to musculoskeletal strain is strongest for the shoulder, jaw, and pelvic floor muscles. “There’s nothing special about the hip,” says Greg Lehman, a physical therapist, chiropractor and biomechanics expert who teaches clinicians the science of pain.
People who have experienced trauma, especially in childhood, are more likely to have chronic pain and tend to be more sensitive to pain on laboratory tests. But again, there is no evidence that this is more true for the hips.
What can cause hip discomfort?
Unpleasant sensations in the joint can arise from anatomical problems. For example, people with very shallow or very deep hip sockets tend to experience more pain, says Abby Cheng, a sports medicine doctor who specializes in hip disorders at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Another anatomical cause is irritation of the tendons or their fluid-filled pads on the outside of the hip, called tendinitis or bursitis. It is especially common in middle-aged and older women.
Other causes are more difficult to identify. Cheng and other clinicians believe that hip and back pain may be caused by muscles in the front of the hip that are shortened when sitting, as well as other imbalances in muscle strength and length. That said, studies haven’t conclusively linked short hip muscles to pain, and many other factors that accompany a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to hip discomfort in office workers, says Lehman.
General health may factor into hip discomfort. An anatomical problem can “increase the chance of pain,” Lehman says, but stress, lack of sleep, inactivity and anxiety often tip them over the edge.
Additionally, the tension your muscles feel doesn’t reliably predict how tight they actually are. Lehman notes this at the clinic: dancers complain of tension in their hamstrings, “and their foot is behind their head”.
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What can you do about tight hips?
Start by moving more. If walking, gentle stretching and other exercises ease the tightness; It’s probably muscular and nothing dangerous, Cheng said. In these situations, she says, “movement is lotion.”
However, don’t stretch too aggressively. It’s possible to overstretch, says Cheng, and going beyond the gentle range can do more harm than good, especially if your hip discomfort is related to the depth of the hip socket. In this scenario, she says, “you’re really just banging two bones together.”
Do regular aerobic exercise and strength train at least twice a week. For people with hip discomfort, Cheng focuses on glute-strengthening moves like clamshells and “monster walks.” These can help by increasing your hips’ ability to tolerate use, and they may also help you age better: In older adults, strength training increases hip bone density, which reduces the risk of a dangerous hip fracture.
Take steps to improve your health more generally, which Lehman says can reduce your sensitivity to pain. Anything that makes you healthier is helpful, including meaningful activities and time with friends, he says.
When to consult a clinician?
Get help if hip tightness doesn’t improve with more movement or gets worse the more you move, says Cheng. Look for a clinician who examines your entire body and asks you questions about your stress and sleep.
X-rays and MRIs can sometimes clarify the cause of your symptoms, but both experts said imaging usually doesn’t indicate where you’re in pain or the source of your discomfort. Structure is “not unimportant, but it’s not destiny,” Lehman says.
If the discomfort persists despite your best efforts, try to make peace with it. “There’s nothing wrong with looking for a solution, but sometimes it’s easier to accept some pain,” Lehman says. “And then the irony is that it helps.”
Gn Health
