6 Useful Tips for Strengthening and Loosening Hip Flexors

Flexors are a group of muscles found in the thighs and the pelvic region which significantly assist in motion. When it comes to bending the body and the knees, we have the flexor muscles to be grateful for. However, these vital muscles can become stiff, which means they could tighten and become short. And when that happens, your body will experience difficulties in functioning normally.

Lack of regular movement is becoming one of the common reasons flexor muscles become tight and short. Spending long hours in a sitting position, for instance, significantly weakens and shrinks the muscles and tendons on your hip and thighs. For this reason, many people working in office settings experience problems with flexor muscles. Similarly, the lack of a proper workout regimencould result in tenderness and tearing of the flexor muscles.

What Are the Symptoms of Tight Hip Flexors?

It’s not that difficult to figure out that you have tightened flexors since the symptoms are pretty straightforward. Often, tightened flexors are associated with the kind of pain you may not be able to ignore.

One of the main complications you may experience as a result of tight hip flexors is lower back pain. If you are experiencing discomfort and are having posture problems, you probably have tightened hip flexors, and you may want to look into it.

Still, as much as these symptoms point towards tightened flexor muscles, they could result from something else entirely. It’s always advisable to consult a medical professional concerning your pain. Here are some of the symptoms to look out for:

• Sudden, piercing pain.

• Experiencing pain when you try to stretch your hip muscles.

• Muscle cramps in the hips or thighs.

• Pain in the thighs when you try to bend your knees.

• Swellings in the thigh and hip regions.

• Pain when you move.

How do you unlock flexor muscles?

So, what are you supposed to do to unlock your hip flexors and make them strong again? Most people do not have an exercise strategy specific to loosening and strengthening hip flexors. The best way to combat tight flexors is to include a little bit of hip and thigh exercise to your workout plan. Here are some easy exercises that can help loosen hip flexor muscles:

1. Stretch While Standing

You can stretch your hips by standing with feet somewhat apart and then try to bend over and touch the ground with your fingertips. Make sure you are comfortable and going only as far as you can. This exercise helps widen your hips, and it’s best to repeat it after a few breaths.

2. Stretch with One Knee On the Ground

Stand with the left leg forward and then start dropping down gently while bending the left knee and trying to keep the right leg straight behind you. Once the right knee touches the ground, stretch forward with your hips. Redo this exercise with the right leg forward and doing the same thing.

3. Exercise While Lying Back

Lie on your back with your arms behind your head, start pulling back your knees and stretching them out without letting the legs touch the floor. It is good to also do this exercise on a ball by resting your feet on the ball while the palms are flat on the floor, and then gently drawing your knees towards you and stretching them out.

4. Stretch Your Knees

Stand straight and drive one knee towards your chest, you can hold it in place for a few seconds before switching to the next leg.

5. Rotate Your Hips

You can also rotate your hips by lying flat on the ground and pulling your knee towards the chest, then holding the knee, you move it from side to side and then repeating the process with another knee.

6. Stretch with A Chair

The figure-four sitting position is also very helpful in widening your hips outwards and stretching your thigh muscles. You must make sure you sit in an upright chair and both your feet are properly on the floor. Place one knee over the other and fold the leg. Sit for a moment and then shift legs.

The hip joint is responsible for motion and carrying out tasks. Therefore, you must keep it moving as much as possible for it to function properly. Problems start to occur when the hips do not get much movement, consequently affecting the thigh muscles. The easiest way to avoid tight flexors is to stretch and take short walks regularly, especially if you do lots of sitting. You may also have tight and weak flexor muscles and don’t even realize it. When prolonged, weak flexors could result in secondary pain, like headaches and neck pains. Usually, medications only mask the underlying cause. Try unlocking your hip flexors with safe exercises that target the hip and thigh regions.

Author’s Bio:

Abeid is a content writer and a certified content marketer. He specializes in various forms of writing and enjoys blogging about lifestyle and business. He’s an English Literature graduate with a long time passion for creative writing. Now he expands his skills by creating content for online businesses alongside his enthusiasm for literary fiction.