𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓵𝓽𝓱𝔂 𝓲𝓼 𝓘𝓶𝓹𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓽: TIGHT HIP FLEXORS: STRETCHES AND EXERCISES

Do you have pain in your lower back, buttocks or hips, do you have trouble walking, bending or standing? The problem may be rooted in the hip muscles, which are often overlooked in strength training. The hip flexors are the engine of movement and play an essential role in core strength and stability. If you have a weak core, the hip flexors become overloaded and cause the iliopsoas to tense, which limits mobility. Stretching and strengthening these stabilizing muscles can improve athletic performance and reduce the risk of pain and injury.

Find out if hip flexors cause you pain and how to fix it.

WHAT ARE HIP FLEXORS?

The hip flexors are a group of muscles found around the upper leg, in the pelvic area. They connect the lower back with the hips, groin, and thighs. The main hip flexor is called the iliopsoas and is responsible for lifting the leg off the ground and moving forward when you run, walk, or climb stairs. It is a compound muscle found on the inside of the hip between the iliac and psoas muscles.

6 SYMPTOMS OF TENSION IN THE HIPS

Here are 6 common symptoms to identify if iliopsoas is the problem:

Tension in the lower back
Bad posture
Tension and pain in the neck
Stiff knees
Buttock pain
Hip discomfort

WHAT CAUSES TENSION ON THE HIP FLEXORS?

The most common cause of tight flexors is spending too much time in a chair. If you sit all day, the iliopsoas shortens and this puts strain on the hip flexors. It can also weaken your muscles and put more pressure on your joints.

Tip:If you have an office job, you can stretch regularly during breaks to relieve stress on your hips, neck, and back.

A weak core also contributes to tension in the hips, as the flexors shift to stabilize the spine to compensate for the lack of abdominal strength. Make sure to incorporate core-strengthening workouts into your routine, especially if you're a runner. People who run regularly tend to have tension in the hips because the iliopsoas is responsible for lifting the leg with each step. Since there is no movement in running to balance the shortening of the iliopsoas, it is essential to stretch the hips and quads regularly.

3 STRETCHES TO OPEN THE HIP

Let's take the strain off the hip flexors! Try these warm-up stretches with running legend Haile Gebrselassie. Hold each stretch for 20 seconds and do two rounds of three stretches.

1. STRETCH THE HIP FLEXOR

The main hip flexors are the psoas and the rectus quadriceps, which is the biarticular portion that attaches to the hip. We have already analyzed that they have a very tonic character and that they have a great participation in a multitude of gestures, their excess tension places the hip in anteversion, also accentuating the lumbar curvature.

The first step will have the objective of improving mobility by stretching these powerful muscles, but we will need the active participation of the abdominal and gluteal muscles as retroverters to instill an active control pattern and not just passive.

It is necessary to have a mobile hip, but also active control of the retroverters avoiding anterior rotation of the hip. Therefore, we will progress in the exercises from the simple passives to active proposals with the participation of the whole core, an option, the latter, with much greater transfer to the real sporting gesture in the bipedal position.

2. KNEE HUG STRETCH

How to do knee hugs

Sit on the mat with your knees bent, your hands hugging your knees and lifting your feet off the ground.
Open your arms, extend your legs at a 45-degree angle, and lean back.
Raise your torso, bend your knees, and return to the starting position.
Repeat.

What is the Correct Way to Do Knee Hugs?

Keep your upper body stable, use your core strength to stabilize your body, and maintain a neutral spine throughout the exercise. Exhale as you bring your knees to your chest and tighten your abs.

What Benefits Do You Get from Doing Knee Hugs?

Knee hugs target your abs, challenge your heart, and help trim and tone your waist. This exercise also helps improve your posture and prevents lower back pain and injury.

How many sets and reps of Knee Cuddles should you do?

Start with 8 to 12 reps and, once you're ready to increase the challenge, add v sits and v ups to your main circuits.

3. STRETCHING THE ISCHIOTIBIALS

The tendon bundles that run through the space between the ischia of the hip and the tibia require specific stretches.

We already know that the hamstrings go from the hamstrings of the hip to the tibia, therefore, the objective of getting this tonic muscle group to stretch is to move these two insertion points away. The best option is to tilt the hip in its anteversion and flexion movement so that the sitting bones achieve the desired stretch.

The traditional passive exercises where one tries by all means to touch the tips of the feet pose a risk to the lumbar vertebral structures, since the lumbar spine is arranged in flexion and the hip in retroversion, a risk situation for the vertebral structures where the disc is very compromised, pressed backwards due to the loss of lumbar stability, being in flexion.

HIP STABILITY EXERCISES FOR THE ILIOPSOAS

Don't just stretch. Increased flexibility is just the first step toward strong, flexible hips. Some studies show that strength training for the hip flexors can improve sprint performance and agility in beginning athletes. (2) The benefits of strong flexors include better hip stability, which can increase the length of your stride in running and reduce pressure on the joints; more power in explosive movements like running and sprinting; and reducing back pain.

Strides

Lunges or lunges are a great way to strengthen different muscle groups in and around the hips. Start with the basic forward stride, then do curtsy lunges and jump strides when you feel capable.

Leg raises

Straight leg lifts are an effective way to work your lower back and hip flexors. Make sure to keep your back on the ground. If the exercise with both legs seems like too much, you can start by alternating legs.

Speed skaters

This exercise targets your glutes, hamstrings, and quads while increasing your heart rate and increasing stability and balance.

For more strength and mobility workouts, check out this program to deal it

𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓵𝓽𝓱𝔂 𝓲𝓼 𝓘𝓶𝓹𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓽

Sunday 26 September 2021

TIGHT HIP FLEXORS: STRETCHES AND EXERCISES