SteadyStrong
Joint MobilityFully seated10 minutes

Seated Hip Mobility

Open stiff hips with slow, controlled seated movement.

Gentle startLast reviewed 24 September 2026
Seated Hip Mobility: An older couple practising slow seated mobility work together indoors

Start guided session

7 steps · about 10 minutes. You can pause at any time, and every step shows a gentler alternative.

Step instructions shown as you goThree paces to choose from
Length
10 minutes
Effort
Gentle
Position
Seated
Steps
7
Legs & hipsA firm chair

Why this routine helps

Three reasons this session is worth your ten minutes, and what you should notice changing over the first few weeks.

  • Improves the hip rotation needed to get out of a car
  • Reduces the deep groin stiffness that comes from sitting
  • Keeps the hip joint moving without loading it heavily

Safety cues for this routine

Read our full safety guidelines if this is your first week of exercise, or if anything here feels unclear.

Step by step

All 7 steps, with a gentler version of each

Open any step to read the full instruction and how to make it easier. The timing is a guide — going slower is always allowed.
  1. Tall seated baseAbout 60 seconds

    Sit forward of the chair back, feet flat and slightly apart, hands on your thighs. Lengthen your spine.

    Modify this move

    Sit against the chair back with a cushion behind you.

  2. Knee liftsAbout 120 seconds

    Lift one knee toward the ceiling and lower it slowly. Alternate for twenty lifts total.

    Modify this move

    Lift only a few centimetres and keep both feet close to the floor.

  3. Knee opensAbout 120 seconds

    Lift one knee, then turn it out to the side like a slow swing door, and bring it back. Ten per side.

    Modify this move

    Hold your knee with your hand to guide the movement.

  4. Heel slidesAbout 120 seconds

    Slide one heel forward until the knee is nearly straight, then slide it back. Twelve per leg.

    Modify this move

    Slide only halfway.

  5. Figure fourAbout 120 seconds

    Rest one ankle across the opposite knee and let the hip open. Hold thirty seconds, then swap.

    Modify this move

    Skip this if the hip pinches at all.

  6. Weight shiftAbout 90 seconds

    Lean your weight onto one hip, lift the other cheek slightly off the seat, then alternate. Ten each side.

    Modify this move

    Press down through the opposite foot to help the lift.

  7. Check your rangeAbout 60 seconds

    Stand up slowly once, then sit back down. Notice whether the hips feel looser than at the start.

    Modify this move

    Use the armrests and take your time.

Keep going

See the whole libraryView my progress

Reviewed by Dana Whitfield, PT, DPT — licensed physical therapist specialising in older-adult rehabilitation.