The sartorius is the longest muscle in your body, spanning the entire length of your thigh and crossing both the hip and knee joints. It assists with abduction, flexion and outward rotation of the thigh bone within the hip socket, and with knee flexion, but it isn't the primary mover of either joint. Stretching the sartorius muscle requires moving your leg to the outer limits of the opposite ranges of motion -- hip adduction, extension and inward rotation, and knee extension.
Leg Crossover Stretch
Performing the leg crossover stretch requires you to hold one leg at a time in a position of maximal adduction, which stretches the sartorius muscle and the other hip abductors. Sit upright with your left leg straight and right leg bent. Cross your right foot over your left knee, then grasp the outside of your right knee and thigh and pull them toward your chest until you feel a gentle stretch through the outside of your hip. Hold this position for at least 10 seconds, then switch legs.
Hip Flexor Stretch
The sartorius muscle assists the iliopsoas, pectineus, rectus femoris and tensor fasciae latae muscles with hip flexion, which occurs when you move your upper leg toward your torso. Stretching these muscles involves fully extending your hip joint, or increasing the angle between your thigh and torso as much as possible. Stand in front of a chair and extend your left leg backward, placing your knee on the seat of the chair, flexed to 90 degrees. Flex your right knee to lower your body until you feel a light stretch through the upper front portion of your left thigh. Hold this position for 10 seconds or more, then switch legs.
Hurdler Stretch
The traditional hurdler stretch involves bending forward over a fully extended leg while your opposite leg is flexed and inwardly rotated, with the inside of your knee facing the floor and your lower leg pointed backward. Performing this exercise stretches the sartorius muscle within both legs, but might put too much pressure on the knee of your flexed leg, potentially causing an injury. The modified hurdler stretch is a safer variation, but only stretches the sartorius within your extended leg. Sit with your left leg extended and the sole of your right foot against the inside of your left thigh. Flex your torso and reach toward your toes, then hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Repeat the stretch with your right leg extended and left leg flexed.
Supine Hamstring Stretch
Although the supine hamstring stretch targets the hamstring muscles, the exercise also stretches the sartorius and other muscles that assist with knee flexion ranges of motion. Lie on your back with your legs extended and heels on the floor. Raise your left leg above your waist with your ankle flexed and loop a towel around the bottom of your foot. Straighten your leg and pull on the ends of the towel to move it closer to your chest. Stop when you feel gentle tension through the back of your upper leg and hold for at least 10 seconds. Repeat the stretch with your right leg.
References
- "Basic Biomechanics"; Susan Hall; 2007
- Stretching Institute: Buttocks Stretch Videos
- "Relax Into Stretch"; Pavel Tsatsouline; 2001
- Sports Medicine of Atlanta Reference Library; "Dangerous Exercises"; 2007
- American Council on Exercise: Modified Hurdler's Stretch
- ExRx.net: Lying Hamstring Stretch
