The Only 5 Exercises You Need to Heal Your Hips After 60

Have you ever paused midday, gently pressing your hand into your lower back, silently wishing the discomfort would just melt away? You’re not alone, and you’re not imagining things.

Lower back pain isn’t just a sign of aging—it’s your body’s quiet cry for change, for care, for movement. But here’s something no one tells you: it’s not always about doing more; it’s about doing it smarter.

In this article, we’re not just sharing five exercises to relieve lower back pain—you’ve probably seen those before. Instead, we’re giving you five familiar movements re-imagined with fresh science-backed insight designed specifically for aging bodies over 60.

These aren’t just stretches, they’re gentle tools to reconnect your brain, spine, and stability—the trio that keeps you standing tall, sleeping soundly, and living fully.

By the end of this post, you’ll understand not only what to do, but why it works and how just a few mindful minutes each day can transform how your back feels and how you move through life. You might just discover that your best years of movement are not behind you; they’re starting now.

Exercise 1: Pelvic Tilt – The Spine Reawakener

The pelvic tilt might look simple, almost too simple, but it’s one of the most powerful movements you can give your lower back. What makes it special isn’t strength or flexibility—it’s awareness. You’re not just moving your hips; you’re reawakening the communication between your brain, your spine, and your core.

As we age, our bodies start to forget certain movements. The small stabilizing muscles around the spine, the ones that quietly hold us upright, tend to shut down when we sit for long hours or move less. The pelvic tilt acts like a soft reboot. Each gentle motion signals your nervous system to reconnect those sleeping muscles.

It also helps align the pelvis, the foundation of every movement you make, from walking to standing up from a chair. When your pelvis learns to move freely again, pressure on your lower vertebrae decreases, pain subsides, and your posture naturally improves.

How to Do the Pelvic Tilt

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor hip-width apart.
2. Rest your hands gently on your pelvis so you can feel the movement.
3. Take a slow breath in through your nose.
4. As you exhale, tilt your pelvis backward, gently pressing your lower back into the floor as if you were trying to flatten it.
5. Feel your abdominal muscles engage slightly.
6. Inhale again and return your pelvis to the starting position.
7. Repeat this motion 10 times, breathing naturally and staying aware of the connection between your breath and your movement.

Keep the motion small, slow, and controlled. If you want to take it further, try closing your eyes. Feel how your lower back slowly warms up and how each repetition feels smoother than the last. This isn’t about perfection; it’s about reconnection.

Exercise 2: Glute Bridge – The Hip Lifeline

The glute bridge isn’t just a back exercise; it’s a lifeline for your hips, spine, and overall vitality. In fact, if we had to choose only one movement to support active aging, this would be a top contender.

Here’s why: the glutes are the body’s engine for movement. But as we age, especially after 60, they begin to switch off due to years of sitting, poor posture, or even chronic pain. This doesn’t just affect how strong you feel; it affects your balance, your walking gait, and even how much pressure your spine is absorbing every time you stand or sit.

The glute bridge helps reverse that decline. With each lift, you’re reactivating the largest and most powerful muscle group in your body. You’re giving your lower back a break by shifting the workload to where it belongs—your hips and thighs.

How to Do the Glute Bridge

1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart.
2. Let your arms relax by your sides.
3. Take a deep breath in.
4. As you exhale, gently press your feet into the floor and begin to lift your hips.
5. Start by lifting your glutes, then your spine, one vertebra at a time, until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
6. At the top, squeeze your glutes gently and hold for two to three seconds.
7. Slowly inhale as you lower back down one vertebra at a time until your spine fully rests on the floor.
8. Repeat this motion 8 to 10 times, moving with your breath.

If this feels too challenging at first, you can place a small pillow under your lower back for support. Remember, this is about building strength from within.

Exercise 3: Single Knee to Chest – The Back Soother

This gentle motion might seem quiet, but it speaks volumes to your lower back, your hips, and your nervous system. The single knee to chest stretch is often dismissed as a basic move, but in truth, it acts like a soft reset for the spine, especially the lumbar region that absorbs so much of life’s tension.

It gently decompresses the vertebrae, opens up the hip flexors, and reduces pressure on the sciatic nerve—often the culprit behind that stubborn ache that runs from your back down your leg. But here’s the hidden power: this stretch also helps restore diaphragmatic breathing in a lying position, especially useful for older adults who may unknowingly hold tension in their abdomen or chest.

How to Do the Single Knee to Chest Stretch

1. Lie flat on your back with both legs extended.
2. Slowly bend your right knee and bring it toward your chest.
3. Wrap your hands just below the knee, either behind the thigh or on the shin, wherever is more comfortable.
4. As you exhale, gently draw the knee closer toward your chest.
5. Hold this position for 15 to 20 seconds, breathing slowly and deeply.
6. Feel your lower back lengthen and soften into the floor.
7. Gently release the leg and return it to the ground.
8. Repeat the same motion with the left leg.
9. Complete two to three rounds on each side.

If lying flat is uncomfortable, you can bend the opposite leg and plant the foot on the floor for support. This is your moment of pause, a time to reconnect, breathe deeper, and feel safe in your movement again.

Exercise 4: Piriformis Stretch – The Sciatic Release

There’s a small, deep muscle in your backside called the piriformis, and when it tightens or becomes inflamed, it can press against your sciatic nerve, triggering pain that travels from your hip down your leg. You might feel it as a dull ache or sometimes a sharp twinge just from getting out of bed.

This stretch directly targets that muscle, but more than that, it reclaims space—space in your hips, space in your pelvis, space in your nervous system to breathe again. Unlike larger, more obvious stretches, this one works in the shadows, which is why it’s so often overlooked.

But for aging adults, especially those who sit frequently or experience hip stiffness, this small movement can unlock tremendous relief. Recent studies have linked piriformis tension with gait instability, which contributes to falls in older adults. Releasing it may not just reduce pain; it could literally help you walk safer and steadier.

How to Do the Piriformis Stretch

1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Slowly lift your right foot and place the outer edge of your right ankle just above the left knee, forming a figure-4 shape.
3. If this position alone gives you a stretch in the right hip and glute, stay here and breathe.
4. Otherwise, gently lift your left leg off the ground, bringing your left thigh toward your chest.
5. Thread your right hand through the space between your legs and clasp your hands behind your left thigh.
6. Use your arms to softly draw the left leg closer.
7. You should feel a deep stretch in the right hip and outer glute.
8. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, breathing deeply.
9. Then slowly release and switch sides.
10. Repeat two to three times on each side.

If your hips or knees feel sensitive, try doing this seated in a sturdy chair with one ankle resting on the opposite thigh. There’s no rush. This stretch is about invitation, not intensity.

Exercise 5: Hamstring Stretch – The Posterior Chain Reset

Your hamstrings—the long muscles running down the back of your thighs—do more than just help you walk or bend over. They’re part of a powerful system called the posterior chain, which includes your calves, glutes, and lower back. When this chain tightens, especially the hamstrings, it silently pulls on your pelvis, tugs your spine out of alignment, and contributes to that deep, nagging lower back pain.

But here’s the surprising truth: most people don’t have short hamstrings; they have inactive ones. Over time, especially after 60, these muscles can lose elasticity, not from age alone, but from underuse and shallow movement patterns. This stretch works like a gentle reset, waking up those sleepy muscles, improving blood flow, and restoring balance across your entire back body system.

How to Do the Hamstring Stretch

1. Lie on your back with both legs extended.
2. Gently bend your right knee toward your chest.
3. Place your hands behind your right thigh, either clasped or just resting there.
4. Slowly extend your right foot upward toward the ceiling.
5. Flex your foot by pulling your toes toward your face—this increases the stretch and activates more of the posterior chain.
6. Hold for 15 to 20 seconds, breathing slowly and evenly.
7. Then gently bend the knee and return the leg to the floor.
8. Repeat with the left leg.
9. Do two to three rounds per side.

If lying down is difficult, this stretch can also be done seated in a sturdy chair. Just extend one leg forward with the heel on the floor and gently lean forward from the hips. No bouncing, no forcing, just a quiet, steady invitation for your muscles to return to the length of freedom and support they were designed to offer you every single day.

Practical Tips for Getting Started

Start small and stay consistent. Instead of pushing for perfection, focus on how your body feels during each movement. Doing two exercises in the morning and two before bed can create powerful change—no gym required.

• If you experience dizziness, try doing the exercises after a light meal and stay hydrated.
• Use a chair, pillow, or wall for support when needed.
• Remember, progress isn’t measured by how far you stretch, but by how often you show up.
• Your body listens to consistency more than intensity.

Be gentle, but don’t stop. You moved, you reclaimed, you rose. You didn’t just stretch; today you reclaimed something deeply personal: your ability to move with ease on your terms.

Conclusion: Embrace Your Movement Freedom

Lower back pain can feel like a thief in slow motion, quietly stealing the joy of everyday moments—walking without wincing, reaching without fear, or sleeping through the night. But what you practiced in these exercises, you stood up to it gently and powerfully.

Each exercise you learned wasn’t just for flexibility; it was a message to your nervous system, your joints, and your spirit: I’m not done growing.

Remember, movement is not about youth; it’s about freedom. And freedom doesn’t retire at 60. In fact, this chapter might just be your most intentional, most empowered yet.

So, keep this article bookmarked, come back to it often, let it be your gentle reset whenever the world feels heavy or your body feels tight. Healing happens in motion, and motion is your birthright.