Seated
Cradle Pose Straight Leg
Utthita Hindolasana
A seated hip opener where a straight leg is cradled in the arms and rocked gently side to side, providing a deep stretch through the outer hip and IT band.
- ·Opens outer hips
- ·Stretches the hamstrings
- ·Reduces lower back tension
Instructions
- 1Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position on your mat with your spine tall.
- 2Lift your right shin and cradle it in both arms, bringing the foot into the crook of your left elbow.
- 3Flex your right foot firmly to protect the knee joint throughout the pose.
- 4Gently rock the leg side to side, keeping the hip and knee at the same height.
- 5Breathe deeply and allow the outer hip to soften with each exhale.
- 6Hold for 5–8 breaths, then lower the leg and repeat on the left side.
Contraindications & precautions
- ⚠Knee injury or ligament damage — avoid deep flexion of the knee and do not force the leg into position.
- ⚠Hip replacement surgery — cradle pose places significant external rotation on the hip joint and should be avoided post-surgery.
- ⚠Sciatica flare-up — compressing the outer hip may aggravate nerve pain; replace with a supine figure-four stretch instead.
