The hip flexor muscles flex your hip joints, pulling your knees upward and bringing your legs and trunk toward each other. They are used during walking, running, kicking and many other activities. Hip flexor muscles include the iliopsoas, rectus femoris, sartorius, tensor of fasciae lata, pectineus, adductor longus, adductor brevis and gracilis. Hip flexor muscles commonly are involved in a postural distortion syndrome, called lower-crossed syndrome, that can affect your lower kinetic chain and lead to changes in your movement pattern, according to Life Chiropractic College West. Performing hip flexor exercises can help prevent a muscle imbalance from developing.
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
The kneeling hip flexor stretch lengthens and relaxes your tight hip flexor muscles. From a kneeling position, put your left foot out in front of you, keeping your knee bent. Shift your right knee farther back. Keeping your back straight and your head up, interlace your fingers and place them on top of your left knee. This is your starting position. Slowly stretch forward until you feel a gentle strain in the left part of your groin and on the top of your right upper thigh. Don't let your left knee move beyond your left ankle at any point during your stretch. Keep your hips facing straight ahead, and refrain from rotating your upper body. Hold your stretch for one minute, then reverse the directions and switch sides. You might find it more comfortable to place a small pillow under your knee. Perform this exercise one time per day.
Isolated Hip Flexor Lifts
Pete Egoscue, an anatomical physiologist and author of "Pain Free: A Revolutionary Guide For Stopping Chronic Pain," recommends isolated hip flexor lifts to help strengthen hip flexor muscles. You will need two towels for this exercise, each towel rolled to about a 3-1/2 inch diameter. Lying on your back with your arms stretched away from your body, bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor. Place one of your towels behind your neck to support your spine, and place your other towel below the arch of your low back, just above your hips. The purpose of the towels is to offer your body support, and is not intended to lift your hips or head. Using only your hip flexor muscles--not your abdominals or thighs--lift your left foot 3 to 4 inches off the floor, keeping your knee in line with your shoulders and your foot in line with your knee. Perform three sets of 10 repetitions before repeating this exercise on your other side.
Hip Flexor Kickbacks
According to SportsScienceLab.com, your hip flexor muscles are an often-ignored muscles that are important in running. Hip flexors provide the body with stability and strength, allowing you to run, jump and change direction. Performing hip flexor kickbacks helps build optimal hip flexibility and will help you become a more efficient runner and athlete. Perform hip flexor kickbacks by lying supine on the floor with your legs extended and your feet resting on top of an exercise ball. Your heels should be resting in the middle of your exercise ball. Hip flexor kickbacks are performed with simultaneous flexion and extension of your hips. Press your left heel into your ball, and draw your left foot toward your hip. Roll your ball under your foot so you can dig your left toes into your ball. At the same time, lift your hips off the floor and kick your right leg back toward the floor behind your head. Keep your right leg as straight as possible. Perform right-sided hip flexor kickbacks until your form begins to break down, then reverse the directions and switch sides. Perform hip flexor kickbacks before and after a run or other physical activity requiring a significant effort from your hip flexor muscles, such as soccer.
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