Aiming for alignment

An important area to stretch is the front of your hips and thighs (called the psoas and quadriceps). When these muscles get too tight, they can throw off your alignment, which can lead to tension and pain in your lower back.

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1 Kneel on a cushioned surface or mat with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees below your hips. As you inhale, place your left foot between your hands. Exhale and press your hips forward and down, making sure that your left knee stays directly above your left anklebone. Focus on relaxing the muscle in the front of your right hip as you gently lower your right thigh toward the floor.

2 To deepen the stretch, place your hands on your thigh and use your arms to press your chest away from your thigh. Move slowly as you position your hands on the thigh, and don’t let your hips lift up. For either the first or second version of this pose, hold the position for 30 seconds. To come out of the stretch, place your hands on the floor and move your hips back. Switch legs and repeat the stretch.

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-- Karen Voight