It's All In The Hips
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You can help prevent low back problems and muscle strains.by Kelly Townsend, Physical Therapist |
Whether you're a runner, a surfer, a kayaker, or you sit at a computer all day, at some point you're likely to experience some soreness and tightness in your hips. Stretching the muscles around your hips can help to relieve your discomfort, and it is important to prevent low back problems and muscle strains.
Basics for Static Stretching:
- Do a light warm-up before you stretch to make the muscles more supple. General rule: break a light sweat.
- Hold stretches for 30 seconds, and perform the stretch at least 1x/side.
- Slowly ease into the stretches and hold without bouncing.
- Maintain good posture.
- Stretch before and after a workout.
Buttocks/Glutes and Hip Rotators Stretch:
- Lie on your back on a comfortable surface.
- While outwardly rotating the right leg, bend the right knee and bring the right foot to the body's midline (point the knee laterally).
- While keeping the left leg flat, grasp the right knee with the right hand and the right ankle with the left hand. Pull the lower leg as a unit toward the chest until you feel a stretch.
- Switch sides.
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch:
- Step forward with the left leg and bend the knee at about a 90 degree angle. Keep the left knee positioned above or slightly behind the left ankle.
- Extend the right leg behind the torso and touch the floor with the right knee.
- Hold on to an object or place hands on the left knee to maintain balance.
- Move the hips forward by bending the left knee. Make sure that left knee does not extend out beyond left ankle.
- Keep your knee pointing directly forward. Keep your trunk upright. Tuck the buttocks in slightly. You should feel the stretch in the front of your (R) leg.
- Switch sides.
Standing Bent Knee Hip Adductor Stretch
- Stand upright with the legs more than shoulder width apart and the left foot turned slightly out
- Lower the body to a half squatting position, bending the right knee and sliding the left foot out to keep the left knee straight.
- While going down, place hands on top of the right thigh for support and balance (or hold on to an object for balance).
- You should feel the stretch in your left inner thigh.
- Switch sides.
Hamstring Stretch
- Facing a bench, chair or step, place your right foot up on the object. Use an object that is an appropriate height for your level of flexibility.
- Keep the (R) foot vertical, the left foot straight on the ground, and the pelvis squarely facing forward.
- Lean forward from the hips until you feel a stretch in the hamstrings. You do not have to reach for your foot.
- Switch sides.
