Do you sometimes get a sharp pain in the front of your hip when you lift your leg? You could have tight hip flexors. Tightness and pain in the hip flexors are a common problem in the modern world because of increasingly sedentary lifestyles. Here are some stretches that relieve tension in your hip flexors to help get them freely moving again.
A hip flexor muscle is any muscle that flexes the hip bringing the knee up towards the hip. Sitting for long periods of time causes the hip flexors to contract and tighten resulting in an anterior pelvic tilt making your lower back arch and become uncomfortable.
Iliopsoas stretch: The biggest hip flexor muscle is the iliopsoas muscle that goes all the way up into your core. To stretch this muscle, get into the lunge position with right knee on the floor and the other knee bent at a 90 degree angle in front of you. While keep your hips facing towards the front, slowly lean forward bending the front knee until you feel the stretch in the front of your right hip. Hold the position for about 30 seconds and then repeat the stretch with the other leg.
Tensor fascia latae stretch: Again get into the lunge position with your right knee on the floor. Keeping your core and butt muscles tight, raise your right arm overhead and slowly bend your torso sideways away from the right knee until you feel the stretch in the right hip. Hold the position for about 30 seconds and do the same stretch with the opposite leg.
Glute bridge: Lie on your back with your arms by your side, legs bent, and feet planted on the floor. Stiffen your core and raise hips off the floor while contracting your butt muscles. The higher you lift your hips, the more your glutes will be activated, and the better will be the stretch in the hip flexors. Hold the position for about 30 seconds to a minute.
Including these hip flexor stretches to your regular exercise routine will add no more than 5-10 minutes to your workout time, but will pay great dividends in terms of increasing hip mobility and function.
Dr. Jacob brings cutting edge techniques and technology to the Oklahoma City area. He has extensive training in minimally invasive, rapid recovery joint replacement as well as robotically assisted hip and knee replacement. Dr. Jacob is a pioneer in outpatient joint replacement allowing some patients to go home the same day as their procedure and recover in the comfort of their own home. The cornerstone of Dr. Jacob’s practice is to have the recovery process be easier, faster and less painful allowing his patients to get back into the game of life. Dr. Jacob is committed to bringing the highest level of orthopedic care while treating each and every patient like a family member. Providing you with patient centered care you can trust.
