Pregnancy Yoga for Hip Pain
Pregnancy Yoga
for Hip Pain
The hips carry so much during pregnancy, the weight of your growing baby, the shifting of your centre of gravity, and the softening of ligaments that prepares the body for birth. It is no surprise that hip pain and tightness are among the most common complaints I hear from pregnant students.
As the uterus expands, the muscles and connective tissue surrounding the hips are placed under increasing demand. The hormone relaxin, released throughout pregnancy, softens the ligaments around the pelvis to allow for the baby's passage during birth but this also means the hip joints can become less stable and more prone to discomfort.
The good news is that yoga offers some wonderfully effective tools for releasing tension in the hips, creating space around the pelvis, and providing genuine relief. These are my favourite poses the ones I teach most often and the ones my students return to again and again.
Before you begin: Have a bolster, two blocks, eye pillow and a blanket nearby.
Hip Opening Poses for Pregnancy
Sit comfortably with the soles of the feet together and knees falling open to the sides. Place blocks or folded blankets under each knee for support this is especially important during pregnancy, as we want to release the hips without any strain. Sit tall, breathe deeply and feel the inner groin and outer hip gradually soften. Stay for 10–15 breaths. This pose is wonderful for encouraging the baby into an optimal position for birth.
Pregnancy Yoga
for Hip Pain
Sit with legs wide apart and place a bolster or folded blanket in front of you. Gently fold forward, resting the forearms on the bolster. This creates a beautiful release through the inner thighs, groin and outer hips. Avoid folding so deeply that you compress the belly the goal is length and ease, not depth.
From standing, step one foot forward into a lunge and lower the back knee to the mat (use a folded blanket under the knee for cushioning). Sink the hips gently forward and downward, feeling the stretch through the front of the back hip and thigh. Low lunge releases the hip flexors often very tight during pregnancy due to the change in posture and creates space at the front of the pelvis. Hold for 8 breaths each side, placing hands on the front thigh or blocks for support.
From all fours, bring one knee forward toward the same-side wrist and extend the opposite leg behind you. Place a bolster or thick folded blanket under the front hip so you are fully supported. Pigeon Pose targets the deep external rotators of the hip including the piriformis, which often contributes to sciatic pain during pregnancy. Support is essential here: without it, the pose can compress the sacroiliac joint. Rest forward over the bolster and breathe into the outer hip for 10 slow breaths each side.
Stand with feet wider than hip-width and toes turned out. Lower into a squat, pressing the palms together at the heart and using the elbows to gently encourage the knees open. Place a folded blanket under the heels if needed. Malasana is one of the most powerful poses for pregnancy it opens the hips and pelvis, encourages the baby downward, and strengthens the muscles needed for labour. It is also wonderfully grounding. Stay for 10 breaths or longer if comfortable.
A Word on Pelvic Girdle Pain
If you have been diagnosed with pelvic girdle pain (PGP) or symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), some of these poses — particularly wide-legged positions may not be appropriate for you. Please work with a women's health physiotherapist and seek guidance specific to your condition before practising. Yoga can still be hugely beneficial, but the approach will be different.
My Online Yoga Platform includes a dedicated Pregnancy hip opening class — as well as lower back, relaxation and full flow sessions — all designed to support your body throughout pregnancy.
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