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Black full-body release system
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Your routine

Low back, hip
& sciatica routine

Designed by Christine Annie, MPT with 25 years as a physical therapist. This is the sequence I'd start you on if you walked into my clinic.

The order matters. Releasing muscle tension first is what makes stretching and strengthening actually work. Without it, you're building on a tight, misaligned foundation.

Steps 6
Time 18 min
Tools Hip Hook™ · Orbit®
Level First-timer
Using the Hip Hook with the companion app
90 seconds · one tool · one muscle
The sequence

Release./Stretch./Strengthen.

01 Release First

Sustained pressure releases muscle tension that stretching can't touch.

02 Then Stretch

Stretching works far better and feels different after tension is released.

03 Then Strengthen

Strengthening locks in the results. Tight muscles are weak muscles. Release first.

Release. Realign. Reactivate. In that order.
The routine

Six steps,
in this exact order.

Follow sequentially. Each step sets up the one after it. Skipping ahead gives you temporary range of motion, not lasting change. Complete both sides before moving on.

01
Step 01 / Release

Release your psoas (warm up)

Requires: Orbit 90 seconds per side

The psoas is your iliacus's neighbor. It's one of two hip flexors that, when tight, compress your spine and affect your entire lower body alignment. Releasing it first warms up the area and makes the deeper iliacus release more effective. The Orbit, softer and wider than the Hip Hook, is the right tool for this step.

How to do it
  1. Lie on the ground with the Orbit positioned inside of the pelvic bone.
  2. Change the intensity of pressure by adjusting your body position.
  3. Maintain consistent pressure for 90 seconds.
  4. Remember to relax and take slow, controlled breaths.
02
Step 02 / Release

Release your iliacus

Requires: Hip Hook 90 seconds per side

This is the step most people have never done, and the one that changes everything. The iliacus is a massive hip flexor, about the size of your hand, that lives deep inside your pelvis. When it holds chronic tension, it rotates your pelvis forward, compresses your spine, and weakens your glutes. Sustained, precise pressure, held long enough, is the only thing that releases it. The Hip Hook was designed specifically for this.

How to do it
  1. Lie on the ground with the Hip Hook positioned inside of the pelvic bone.
  2. Let the tip sink into your muscles for a moment; then press on the handle to rotate the tip towards the inside of your pelvic bone. Continue to hold the handle.
  3. Maintain consistent pressure for 90 seconds.
  4. Remember to relax and take slow, controlled breaths.
03
Step 03 / Release

Release your piriformis

Requires: Orbit 90 seconds per side

The piriformis is the deep hip rotator that can compress your sciatic nerve. Most people treat the piriformis, but almost no one asks why it's tight. It's tight because the iliacus is pulling your pelvis out of alignment, forcing the piriformis to overwork. Release the iliacus first (Step 02), then release the piriformis. The order is essential.

How to do it
  1. Lie on your back with the Orbit positioned underneath your glute.
  2. Change the intensity of pressure by adjusting your body position.
  3. Maintain consistent pressure for 90 seconds.
  4. Remember to relax and take slow, controlled breaths.
04
Step 04 / Stretch

Stretch your piriformis

No tools needed 60 seconds each side

Now that you've released the tension, stretching actually works. You'll notice this stretch feels different after the release: deeper, less guarded. Stretching a tense muscle before releasing it gives you temporary range of motion. Stretching after release gives you lasting change.

How to do it
  1. Lie on your back.
  2. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee.
  3. Gently pull the uncrossed leg toward your chest until you feel a stretch in the back of the crossed hip.
  4. Hold 60 seconds. Switch sides.
05
Step 05 / Strengthen

Bridges

No tools needed 2 sets of 10

This reactivates the glute muscles that chronic tension has been shutting down. A tight iliacus weakens your glute through reciprocal inhibition. That's why one glute often stays weak no matter how much you exercise. After releasing your iliacus, your glutes can actually fire properly.

How to do it
  1. Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor.
  2. Press through your heels and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
  3. Squeeze your glutes at the top. Lower slowly.
  4. Repeat for 10 reps. Rest. Complete a second set.
06
Step 06 / Strengthen

Clamshells

No tools needed 2 sets of 10 each side

This strengthens the external rotators that stabilize your hip. You can't effectively strengthen a tight muscle, and you can't strengthen the muscle opposing it either. Release comes first. Then the strengthening work actually produces the results you've been working toward.

How to do it
  1. Lie on your side with knees bent and feet stacked.
  2. Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee toward the ceiling as far as you can without rotating your pelvis.
  3. Lower slowly.
  4. Complete 10 reps on one side, then switch. Repeat for a second set.
Safety notes

Before you begin.

Muscle release is a clinical practice. A few principles keep it effective and safe.

Start gentle

More pressure is not more effective. Start light and build over time. You control the depth.

What's normal

Tenderness, pressure, warmth, twitching, or a "hurts so good" feeling are all normal with muscle release.

Stop if

You feel numbness, tingling, burning, or throbbing. Move the tool to a different spot. These sensations can mean you're near a nerve or blood vessel.

Consult your provider

If you have a medical condition or recent surgery, consult your healthcare provider before using these tools. See full safety information →

Tools

Tools used in this routine.

Used in Step 02

Hip Hook

Designed to release the iliacus, a deep hip flexor most tools can't reach.

Learn more
Hip Hook release tool for the iliacus
Used in Steps 01 & 03

Orbit

Softer and wider. A gentle entry point for psoas and piriformis release.

Learn more
Orbit softer, wider release tool for psoas and piriformis

The Hip Hook comes with the Orbit. One purchase covers both tools in this routine. Every purchase also includes the companion app with guided video placement.

Companion app

Never done this before?

The companion app walks you through exact placement for every step, with video, timing guidance, and routines built for your pattern.

Download on the App Store
Aletha companion app on iPhone

Have questions about this routine or these tools?

Our team of PTs and movement specialists can help. Email us → hello@alethahealth.com