According to the Mayo Clinic, stretching is important not only for increasing flexibility, but also for avoiding injury; it may also increase circulation in your body. The major muscle groups of the legs and hips are the quadriceps and hip flexors, and these are especially important to keep flexible since they help keep you mobile. Regularly stretching these muscles may help counteract the tightness caused by a sedentary lifestyle, improving or maintaining your range of motion.
Stretching Basics
Your muscles should be warm when you stretch them, so do 5 to 10 minutes of light exercises beforehand, or do your stretching after a workout or activity. Be sure to hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds to give your muscles time to fully lengthen. Breathing through the stretch will also help relax your muscles.
Floor Hip Flexor Stretches
Since the hip flexors are engaged in bringing your legs up toward your body, to stretch them you need to push them away from your torso. You can do this by kneeling on the floor with your right leg extended in front of your body as if you are lunging. The toe of that right leg should be ahead of your right knee. The knee of your left leg should be behind your left hip. Keeping your back straight, push forward with your hips. You'll feel the stretch in the front of your left hip.
Another exercise you can do requires you to lie on the floor on your side with both legs bent. Pull the ankle of your bottom leg up and over your top thigh and let your foot rest on your thigh. Take hold of the foot of your top leg and pull it towards your buttock. This position will stretch out the hip of your top leg.
Standing Hip Flexor Stretches
You can stretch out the hip flexors while standing. In the first exercise, you stand a leg's length away from a bench. Keeping your back foot planted, step forward onto the bench with your front leg in a slight lunge. Your back should be straight as you press forward with your hips to stretch the back hip flexor. In the second exercise, you cross your left leg over your right and keep the outsides of your feet together. Shift your weight onto your right hip to stretch it.
Floor Quadriceps Stretches
The quadriceps are a group of four thigh muscles that work alone or in concert with the hip flexors to extend the knee and the entire leg. Since the action is forward, you want to move your legs backwards for the stretch.
A lying stretch requires you to lie on your stomach while reaching behind you for the ankle of one foot. Gently pull your ankle towards your buttocks to feel the stretch along the quadriceps. You can also do this exercise while lying on your side and pulling the ankle of your top leg back towards your buttocks.
Standing Quadriceps Stretches
A standing quadriceps stretch calls for you to balance on one foot--bracing yourself against a wall is recommended--while you reach behind for one ankle. Gently pull your ankle towards your buttocks to engage the stretch. If you can't reach back to your ankle, wrap a towel around your foot and grasp the ends of it as you pull them towards your buttock to engage the stretch.
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