You’ve probably been told to get up and leave your workstation, or use a standing desk if possible. One of the main benefits of doing this is to activate and stretch the hip flexor area.
But what are hip flexors and why are they so important? And what if you make them weaker and harder?
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What is the hip flexor?
The hip flexor is a powerful muscle in the anterior part of the hip joint. They include:
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The psoas major and psoas minor muscles that connect the femur to the spine, and
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The iliacus muscle that runs from the pelvis to the femur.
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When you turn your knees toward your chest, the hip flexors work. They are important for walking and running.
It’s also very important in sports as it works with Quadracept to bend your hips and stretch your knees when you need a sprint or kick.
Athletes with injured hip flexors will have very difficulty running and kicking.
The hip flexors also work with the gluteal muscles of the torso and other muscles to stabilize the spine. This is important for your posture.
What if they are weak or hard?
Weak hip flexors can make it difficult and painful to climb stairs, run on flat surfaces, and walk. It can also cause other muscles in the area to work hard to supplement. This will change the way you walk.
Tight hip flexors pull down the spine, which can make walking and standing difficult. This causes you to lean forward and strain your lower back muscles (which works the other way around and keeps you upright).
An imbalance between the hip flexor and the opposite muscle that pulls the torso in the opposite direction can lead to back pain.
Tight hip flexors can reduce the range of motion of the knee. This can stiffen your knees and prevent your knees from bending more than necessary. After a while, it can lead to knee pain.
Overall, if the hip flexors are weak or tight, the joints and muscles can function abnormally, which can lead to injury.
How can I keep my hip flexors in good condition?
Like all muscles, the hip flexors lose strength and mass due to lack of exercise.
Another factor is sitting for long periods of time. This keeps the psoas major muscles in a short position and relaxed for long periods of time.
This is especially important for us who sit at work desks for long periods of time, which is why many healthcare professionals advise us to stop sitting or choosing a standing desk.
The hip flexors need to maintain both flexibility and strength.
Stretching exercises to improve the flexibility of the hip flexors include:
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Lie down and pull one leg to your butt while keeping your knees close
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Keep your torso upright, keep it as low as possible, and step into the rush.
Both should feel stretched along the front of the thigh.
The stretch should be held for about 30 seconds and repeated 2-3 times on both sides. It can be done daily or at least three times a week for gradual increase in flexibility.
If you work at your desk for long periods of time, try stretching with short breaks during the day.
To strengthen the hip flexors, lie up on the floor, keep your arms on the floor with your torso, and raise your legs straight (one leg at a time).
This reduces the strain on your lower back and makes it easier to do one at a time from the beginning.
Another good hip flexor exercise is called a mountain climber. In this exercise, you take a push-up position and bring one leg to your chest at a time. This can be done slowly at first, or as soon as you gain strength and fitness.
Strong and flexible hip flexors
Therefore, hip flexors are relatively easy to train. If you are doing any exercise, you may already have a strong and flexible hip flexor.
If you are not exercising, you can start with the exercises mentioned above.
Combine these with gentle stretching of other muscle groups and aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, cycling and swimming.
Remember to start gently and gradually increase the intensity, duration, and frequency of your sessions.
Failure to care for the hip flexors can lead to gait changes, posture problems, injuries, and back pain.
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