Whether you run long distance, sit in a chair all day, or find yourself somewhere in between those extremes, today I’m going to show you a key stretch that is going to make you feel fantastic!
Our challenging modern lifestyle pretty much guarantees we’ll need to stretch our hip flexors if we want to relieve pain and avoid creating chronic issues in our backs and legs.
Symptoms of Hip Flexor Issues
The hip flexors work in concert to move your leg when walking or running and are responsible for moving your leg up toward your chest.
You might imagine that your hip flexors get tight from overuse, and while that is true, your hip flexors can actually get so tight from underuse that they actually stop other muscles in your body from working.
You can tell you might have tight hip flexors if you feel discomfort in the front of the hip that feels worse when moving the leg toward your chest, or if you have difficulty taking your leg behind your body and feel your low back working in order to do so.
Underdoing It is Just as Bad as Overdoing It
Chronic sitting makes the muscles in the crease of your hips, your hip flexors, short and tight. When your hip flexors get too tight, it changes your posture by pulling your body forward, or pulling the top of your hip bones forward, which increases the curve in your low back. Tight hip flexors can even stop your deep glutes from activating when you walk!
If this happens, not only can your bottom become flat and flabby, but back pain and or discomfort generally follow.
Stretching the hip flexors is KEY!
Pilates brings awareness and teaches movements that benefit the hip flexors. Adding pilates reformer classes to your workout regime will strengthen all postural muscles as well as teach you dynamic stretching techniques for the hip flexors which can greatly improve symptoms associated with under use or over use. We encourage you to try a class and feel the dynamic lengthening, toning, strengthening and stretching pilates brings to the body!
I thought that it was interesting when you said that exercise of your hip flexor muscles is so important since underuse of these muscles will get so tight that they stop other muscles in your body from functioning properly. I have been experiencing flexor muscle discomfort and haven’t been sure how to eliminate this pain from my body. I will be sure to consider exercising these muscles in order to recover from the pain and to promote full function and use of my other muscles.