Hips · Seated
Seated figure-four
Crossing one ankle over the other knee to stretch the outer hip and buttock, sitting in a stable chair.
- Hold 15 to 30 s each side
- Held stretch
How to do it
- Sit toward the front of a stable chair without wheels, with both feet flat.
- Cross your right ankle over your left knee and let the right knee drop out to the side.
- Keeping your back long, lean forward slightly from the hips.
- Hold, uncross slowly and repeat with the left ankle.
How long
Hold for 15 to 30 seconds on each side.
What you should feel
A stretch in the outer hip and buttock of the crossed leg.
Stop if…
- Pain, numbness, tingling or pins and needles, or dizziness: stop and do not push through it.
- Pain in the knee of the crossed leg: skip the lean, or skip the stretch.
- You have had a hip replacement: check with your surgeon or physiotherapist first.
Variations
- Gentler. Sit upright without leaning forward; the crossed position alone may be enough.
- Knee to chest instead. If crossing the leg is uncomfortable, use the seated knee-to-chest stretch.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the back to lean further.
- Pushing down hard on the raised knee.
- Using a chair with wheels.
Use it in a routine
The stretch routine builder can play this with other hips stretches, with a countdown for each side and a chime at every change. The stretch break timer adds stretches like it to a break after each work interval.
It is part of this ready-made routine: Lower back and hips, 5 minutes.
Sources
Written from published guidance by health services, physiotherapy and ergonomics bodies. Last reviewed .
- Seated stretches for the workplace (video), Mayo Clinic
- Stretching at the workstation (PDF), New Mexico State University Environmental Health and Safety
- Standing stretches for the workplace (video), Mayo Clinic (general stretching guidance)
- Desk-based exercises, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (UK) (general stretching guidance)