Experiencing tight hip flexors is common especially in western society where sitting for long periods of time is frequent. Sitting causes hip flexors to become shorter, or less flexible. According to writer and yoga instructor Julie Gudmestad, these shortened muscles can affect the lower back, the position of the pelvis and even your range of motion. The practice of yoga offers an uncomplicated means of countering the effects of tightened hip flexors. Certain yoga postures promote strength and lengthening of the muscles that make up the hip flexors.
Significance
Maintaining range of motion in the hips is important. Hip flexors are primarily responsible for the ability to raise your thigh toward your torso or move your knees, ankles and feet from side to side. Hip flexors are also responsible for your ability to run, walk and dance. Tight muscles and connective tissue in the hip region can cause lower back pain, inflexibility and impact your ability to stand tall.
Anatomy of the Hip
Several smaller muscles and connective tissue, such as ligaments and tendons, make up the hip flexors. Ligaments and tendons join the bones of the hip -- femur, pelvis and spine -- together in order to maintain their position and relationship to each other. The muscles of the hip -- gluteal, adductor and iliopsoas muscles -- hold the hip in place and control hip movement, or flexion, according to eOrthopod.com.
Yoga Postures - Standing
Certain yoga postures, or asanas, promote flexibility of hip flexors. For example, a low lunge gently opens the front of the thigh and groin while stretching the abdomen and chest. Begin by stepping your right foot forward and allow the left knee, shin and top of the left foot to rest against the floor. Next, raise both arms over head with your elbows at your ears and palms facing each other. Hold this posture for five to 10 cycles of breath before repeating the sequence with the left foot forward. Another hip opening asana is the squat, or Garland pose. With feet slightly turned out and positioned greater than hip distance apart, drop your hips toward the floor. Press elbows against the knees to maintain an open chest and relax muscular tension in the legs. Hold for five to 10 cycles of breath.
Yoga Postures - Seated
Seated postures also maintain range of motion in the hips. Bound angle pose begins by opening your legs out and bending the knees to allow the soles of the feet to come together. Resting the soles of the feet against each other, draw your heels towards the groin as you press down through the knees. Resist collapsing your head and torso forward toward the floor. Hold for five to 10 cycles of breath. If you experience discomfort in this position, place a blanket under your sit bones to lift the hips off the floor, allowing your inner thighs to relax.
Benefits
Yoga works to lengthen muscles and connective tissue. Because muscles are more responsive to stretching exercises than connective tissue, holding yoga postures for a longer period of time, or increased number of breaths, places more demands on connective tissue -- the ligaments and tendons -- to remain open, especially when you relax any muscular tension during a particular asana. Over time a steady practice of hip opening yoga postures will elongate more resistant connective tissue.
Considerations
To experience the benefit of yoga to promote hip flexibility, you should practice yoga two to three days per week. When first starting out, attend an organized yoga class taught by a certified yoga instructor. Like any exercise program, a certified instructor assists in proper positioning and will reduce your risk of injury.
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