If it was possible for a body part to trend, hips would be topping the charts in 2023. From trauma-releasing stretches on TikTok to hip-opening yoga routines on YouTube, the internet seems to be awash with tips on how to look after this often-neglected part of our bodies.

The appetite for this kind of content is hardly surprising when you think about how much time those of us with desk jobs spend sitting down daily. Sitting down for long periods of time is bad for a whole host of reasons, but it’s particularly bad for your hip flexors – the five muscles that facilitate movement in the hip joint – because it causes them to shorten and tense up.

Tight hips: 3 signs that your hip flexors are in need of a little TLC