The muscles that surround your hip joints include the buttocks, hamstrings, hip adductors and hip flexors. These muscles act on your hip joints to produce abduction, adduction, extension, flexion and rotation ranges of motion. Any of these muscles are susceptible to injury when stressed beyond their customary limits. If you suffer an injury, perform stretching exercises to restore flexibility as one of your first rehabilitative steps.
Toe Touches
The gluteus maximus and the three hamstring muscles--the biceps femoris, semimembranosus and semitendinosus--contract to extend your hip joints. These muscles are susceptible to injury during powerful hip flexion movements such as during the end of the swing phase while sprinting, when your knee reaches its highest point. Following an injury, stretch your hip extensors by performing hip flexion exercises such as toe touches. Sit upright with your legs extended forward and ankles flexed, so your toes point upward. Flex forward at your waist and reach your hands as close to your toes as possible without bending your knees. Stop when you feel a gentle stretch through the back of your legs and hold for 10 seconds. Try to deepen the stretch slightly with each breath as you hold the stretch.
Alternatively, stand upright and cross your right foot over your left, placing the outsides of your feet together. Bend forward and reach toward your toes until you feel a light stretch through your buttocks and hamstrings. Hold for 10 seconds, return to the starting position and then switch feet.
Lunge Stretch
You also can injure your hip flexors while sprinting when you remove your foot from the ground to initiate each stride. At this point in the sprinting cycle, the hip is maximally extended, which strains the hip flexors. Perform the lunge stretch to restore flexibility following a hip flexor injury. Kneel on your left knee with your right leg forward. Bend your right knee to 90 degrees and place your foot flat on the floor. Slide your left knee backward on the floor and move your hips down and forward until you feel a gentle stretch through the front of your left thigh. Hold for 10 seconds and then switch legs.
Standing Groin Stretch
The muscles on your inner thighs, called the hip adductors or groin muscles, are often injured during quick lateral movements, when you step sideways with one foot while the other is planted on the ground. The standing groin stretch can help rehabilitate a groin injury. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointed forward. Then, while keeping your feet parallel, walk them away from each other until you feel a gentle stretch through your inner thighs. Clasp your hands behind your buttocks and twist to the left to deepen the stretch through your right leg. Hold for five seconds and then twist to the right.
References
- "Basic Biomechanics"; Susan J. Hall; 2007
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; Thomas Baechle and Roger Earle; 2000
- Fitness: Four Must Do Moves for Runners
- "Relax Into Stretch"; Pavel Tsatsouline; 2001
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