Research

Grounded in the literature. Honest about the limits.

Every routine here is built on peer-reviewed research — Cochrane systematic reviews, a JAMA clinical trial, sports-medicine meta-analyses, plus NHS and AAOS orthopaedic guidance. Below is each study we rely on, with its real DOI, what it supports — and, plainly, what it does not, including a trial where the treatment showed no benefit.

Why this exists

The missing middle ground

This started with someone I love. Recurring hip and back pain, a visit to the doctor, a visit to a yoga teacher — and two answers that didn’t meet in the middle: some over-the-counter pain relief, and “try some yoga.” Both fine. Neither was a plan you could actually follow.

What was missing was the space between them: something gentle and structured, that you could keep doing, and that was actually grounded in research you can point to — not hype, not a pill, not just “more yoga.” So that’s what this is. Every movement is chosen by pattern and tied to the studies and national health guidance below, with the limits stated plainly.

It’s built first for one person, and shared in case it helps one more. It doesn’t diagnose or prescribe anything — it just tries to make honest, research-informed movement easy to keep up.

What these claims mean — and don’t

Exercise therapy has shown benefits for pain and function in research involving people with diagnosed hip osteoarthritis.
For chronic low back pain, research reports small improvements in pain and function from exercise therapy, and major guidance emphasises staying active and self-managed movement.
Research is also honest about limits: in one rigorous JAMA trial, a physical-therapy-style exercise program did not outperform sham treatment for hip osteoarthritis.
Yoga research in older adults has reported improvements across measures such as balance, flexibility, strength, and physical function.
Biomechanics research shows that different standing yoga poses create meaningfully different lower-body demands.
Motion research shows some yoga poses place the hip in extremes of motion, which is why the default flow keeps ranges supported and shallow.

These are general research findings about movement, exercise, and yoga. They are not claims that this app has been tested as a treatment, nor that any routine is right for your particular hips. That is a conversation for you and a qualified professional.

Systematic review and cumulative meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Teirlinck et al., 2023, Osteoarthr Cartil Open

Population: Adults with diagnosed hip osteoarthritis
Result: The review reported a beneficial effect of exercise therapy on pain and function in hip osteoarthritis, and concluded a further trial was unlikely to change that conclusion.
What it informs: Structuring the app around regular, gentle hip movement
Framing exercise as generally helpful for people with diagnosed hip osteoarthritis
What it does not prove: That this specific app treats or cures hip pain
That any single pose or repetition is therapeutic on its own
Generalizing to acute injury, post-surgical recovery, or non-osteoarthritis hip pain

Teirlinck CH, Verhagen AP, van Ravesteyn LM, Reijneveld-van de Vendel EAE, Runhaar J, van Middelkoop M, Ferreira ML, Bierma-Zeinstra SMA. Effect of exercise therapy in patients with hip osteoarthritis: A systematic review and cumulative meta-analysis. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Open. 2023;5(1):100338.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ocarto.2023.100338 · Last reviewed 2026-07-10

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Sivaramakrishnan et al., 2019, Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act

Population: Older adults (mean age 60+), not recruited for any specific disease
Result: Compared with inactive controls, yoga was associated with improvements across physical-function measures such as balance, lower-body strength, and flexibility in older adults.
What it informs: Offering supported standing yoga as a general movement option for older adults
Emphasizing balance and gentle strength rather than intensity
What it does not prove: That yoga treats a specific hip diagnosis
That results in a general older-adult population apply to painful or post-surgical hips
That this app has been tested as an intervention

Sivaramakrishnan D, Fitzsimons C, Kelly P, Ludwig K, Mutrie N, Saunders DH, Baker G. The effects of yoga compared to active and inactive controls on physical function and health related quality of life in older adults — systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2019;16(1):33.

DOI: 10.1186/s12966-019-0789-2 · Last reviewed 2026-07-10

Biomechanics analysis

Wang et al., 2013, BMC Complement Altern Med

Population: Healthy yoga practitioners (laboratory biomechanics study)
Result: Different standing yoga poses were shown to place measurably different mechanical demands on the lower body, so pose selection changes which regions are loaded.
What it informs: Choosing specific standing poses to vary lower-body demand
Explaining that pose choice matters for how the body is loaded
What it does not prove: Any clinical pain or treatment outcome
That biomechanics in healthy practitioners predict benefit in painful hips
That the app measures clinical load or force

Wang H-K, et al. Biomechanical analysis of standing yoga poses. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2013;13:8.

DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-8 · Last reviewed 2026-07-10

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Biswas et al., 2024, Rheumatol Int

Population: Adults with osteoarthritis (mixed joints)
Result: The review synthesised the content, structure, and delivery of yoga programs studied for osteoarthritis symptoms, while noting the included trials were generally of low methodological quality.
What it informs: Informing routine structure and delivery (gentle, supported, progressive)
Being transparent that supportive evidence is limited in quality
What it does not prove: That yoga is proven to treat hip osteoarthritis specifically
Strong claims of effectiveness given low study quality
That this app replicates any studied intervention

Biswas I, Nalbant G, Lewis S, Chattopadhyay K. Key characteristics of effective yoga interventions for managing osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Rheumatology International. 2024;44(9):1647-1677.

DOI: 10.1007/s00296-024-05652-y · Last reviewed 2026-07-10

Motion-analysis study

Mears et al., 2018, J Arthroplasty

Population: Twenty healthy, regular yoga practitioners
Result: Motion capture across common yoga poses showed that many poses place the hip in extremes of motion, and that some poses reach ranges relevant to hip precautions.
What it informs: Excluding deep poses (deep Pigeon, deep folds, Half Moon, Warrior III) from the default flow
Offering supported, shallow, user-chosen ranges
What it does not prove: That the app measures clinical hip range of motion
That any pose is universally safe or unsafe for an individual
Any conclusion about pain treatment

Mears SC, Wilson MR, Mannen EM, Tackett SA, Barnes CL. Position of the Hip in Yoga. The Journal of Arthroplasty. 2018;33(7):2306-2311.

DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2018.02.070 · Last reviewed 2026-07-10

Electromyography (EMG) muscle-activation study

Lehecka et al., 2021, Int J Sports Phys Ther

Population: Thirty-one healthy adults aged 18-35
Result: EMG measurement showed that common yoga poses activate the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius to differing degrees, so pose choice changes which muscles work hardest.
What it informs: Selecting poses that engage hip-stabilizing musculature
Explaining that different poses emphasize different muscles
What it does not prove: Any clinical outcome for hip pain
That activation in healthy young adults predicts benefit in other populations
That the app measures muscle activation

Lehecka BJ, Stoffregen S, May A, Thomas J, Mettling A, Hoover J, Hafenstine R, Hakansson NA. Gluteal Muscle Activation During Common Yoga Poses. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. 2021;16(3):662-670.

DOI: 10.26603/001c.22499 · Last reviewed 2026-07-10

Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Fransen et al., 2014, Cochrane Database Syst Rev

Population: Adults with hip osteoarthritis
Result: Pooling trials of land-based therapeutic exercise found small reductions in hip pain and small improvements in physical function versus no exercise, with benefits sustained for a few months after treatment ended.
What it informs: Structuring the app around regular, gentle land-based hip movement
Framing consistent movement as generally helpful for people with diagnosed hip osteoarthritis
What it does not prove: That this app reproduces a studied exercise program
Large or curative effects — the measured benefits were small
Generalizing to acute injury or post-surgical hips

Fransen M, McConnell S, Hernandez-Molina G, Reichenbach S. Exercise for osteoarthritis of the hip. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2014;(4):CD007912.

DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007912.pub2 · Last reviewed 2026-07-14

Randomized, placebo (sham)-controlled clinical trial

Bennell et al., 2014, JAMA

Population: Adults with painful hip osteoarthritis
Result: A 12-week multimodal physical therapy program did not produce greater improvement in pain or function than a sham treatment, and the active group reported more mild adverse effects.
What it informs: Being honest that structured therapy is not guaranteed to help and can cause soreness
Keeping demand gentle and letting the user stop when something aggravates symptoms
What it does not prove: That physical-therapy-style exercise reliably relieves hip osteoarthritis
Any claim that this app improves pain or function
Ignoring that movement can cause discomfort for some people

Bennell KL, Egerton T, Martin J, Abbott JH, Metcalf B, McManus F, Sims K, Pua YH, Wrigley TV, Forbes A, Hinman RS. Effect of physical therapy on pain and function in patients with hip osteoarthritis: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2014;311(19):1987-1997.

DOI: 10.1001/jama.2014.4591 · Last reviewed 2026-07-14

Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Hayden et al., 2021, Cochrane Database Syst Rev

Population: Adults with chronic non-specific low back pain
Result: Exercise therapy produced small improvements in pain and functional limitations compared with no treatment or usual care; effect sizes were modest and the certainty of evidence was low to moderate.
What it informs: Offering gentle exercise as a general option for lower-back comfort
Being transparent that improvements tend to be modest
What it does not prove: That any specific movement here treats a back condition
Large effects — the measured improvements were small
That this app was tested in these trials

Hayden JA, Ellis J, Ogilvie R, Malmivaara A, van Tulder MW. Exercise therapy for chronic low back pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2021;(9):CD009790.

DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009790.pub2 · Last reviewed 2026-07-14

Systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Owen et al., 2020, Br J Sports Med

Population: Adults with chronic low back pain
Result: In a network meta-analysis comparing exercise types, Pilates, stabilisation/motor-control, and resistance training tended to rank highest for reducing pain and improving function, though comparisons between individual modes were uncertain.
What it informs: Including gentle stabilisation/motor-control movements such as the pelvic tilt and dead bug
Explaining that the type of movement, not just the amount, can matter
What it does not prove: That a single 'best' exercise exists for an individual
Any clinical claim for this specific app
Certainty about differences between exercise modes

Owen PJ, Miller CT, Mundell NL, Verswijveren SJJM, Tagliaferri SD, Brisby H, Bowe SJ, Belavy DL. Which specific modes of exercise training are most effective for treating low back pain? Network meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2020;54(21):1279-1287.

DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2019-100886 · Last reviewed 2026-07-14

Systematic review with trial sequential analysis and network meta-analysis

Uthman et al., 2013, BMJ

Population: Adults with lower-limb (hip and/or knee) osteoarthritis
Result: The analysis reported firm evidence that exercise reduces pain and improves function compared with no exercise in lower-limb osteoarthritis, with programs combining strengthening, flexibility, and aerobic exercise among the more effective approaches.
What it informs: Combining gentle strengthening and flexibility movements rather than a single type
Framing regular exercise as generally beneficial for lower-limb (including hip) osteoarthritis
What it does not prove: That this app delivers a studied exercise program
A predictable benefit for any specific person's hip
Generalizing to acute injury or post-surgical recovery

Uthman OA, van der Windt DA, Jordan JL, Dziedzic KS, Healey EL, Peat GM, Foster NE. Exercise for lower limb osteoarthritis: systematic review incorporating trial sequential analysis and network meta-analysis. BMJ. 2013;347:f5555.

DOI: 10.1136/bmj.f5555 · Last reviewed 2026-07-14

Expert review (Lancet Low Back Pain Series)

Foster et al., 2018, Lancet

Population: Adults with non-specific low back pain (global evidence synthesis)
Result: The series concluded that first-line care for most non-specific low back pain should emphasise staying active, education, and exercise-based self-management, while discouraging routine imaging, opioids, and surgery.
What it informs: Centering the app on gentle, active, self-managed movement
Keeping it low-tech and non-clinical rather than diagnostic
What it does not prove: That this app is a form of care or treatment
Applying to serious or specific spinal pathology, which needs professional assessment
That movement replaces individualized clinical advice

Foster NE, Anema JR, Cherkin D, Chou R, Cohen SP, Gross DP, Ferreira PH, Fritz JM, Koes BW, Peul W, Turner JA, Maher CG; Lancet Low Back Pain Series Working Group. Prevention and treatment of low back pain: evidence, challenges, and promising directions. The Lancet. 2018;391(10137):2368-2383.

DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30489-6 · Last reviewed 2026-07-14

National guidance

NHS & AAOS movement guidance

Beyond the journal studies above, every movement in the daily Today plan is checked against these public national-health resources — including the dosage (holds, repetitions, weekly cadence) wherever the source states one.

NHS — Hip pain in adults

Advises keeping moving without overdoing it and trying gentle hip stretching exercises; do not self-diagnose the cause.

NHS — Back pain

Advises staying active and doing gentle exercises and stretches for common lower-back pain; stop if pain gets worse.

OrthoInfo (AAOS) — Hip Conditioning Program

Describes the movement pattern and dosage for supervised hip conditioning. States you should not feel pain and should work under a clinician's supervision.

Learn from the experts

Real professionals, worth your time

We’re a movement tracker, not your care team. If you want to go deeper on hip mobility, these independent, licensed physical therapists make some of the most trusted hip content anywhere. They’re not affiliated with us, and their videos — like this app — are educational, not medical advice.

Dr. Jo · Doctor of Physical Therapy

10 Best Hip Stretches for Hip Pain Relief

A licensed DPT walks through gentle, approachable hip stretches — a great companion to the mobility moves here. ↗ YouTube

Physiotutors · Evidence-based physio

Evidence-based physiotherapy education

Run by licensed physiotherapists who cite the research behind each recommendation — for when you want the science, not the hype. ↗ YouTube

External links open YouTube in a new tab. We don’t control that content and don’t earn anything from these links. If you have hip pain or a medical condition, talk to a qualified clinician before starting any new movement.

Limitations

Where the evidence stops

Most of these studies look at general or older-adult populations, not people recovering from surgery or acute injury, and none of them tested this software. A pose model counting a supported march is not the same as a supervised clinical program. We link the research so you can see exactly where the reasonable inference ends and the marketing would have to begin — and we stop at that line.

Read the full disclaimer