The hip flexors are a group of muscles that run across the front of your hips, where your thighs meet your groin area. People who spend their days sitting at a desk often develop shortened hip flexors, and people who regularly stretch their hamstrings can create an imbalance by neglecting the opposing muscles. This can lead to lower back problems and hip pain. To reduce these kinds of pain, stretch your hip flexors regularly. If the stretching itself hurts, adjust your regimen to be less aggressive.
Step 1
Kneel on the floor with your hips above your knees. Bring one foot forward and place it flat on the floor in front of you with the knee bent. Make sure your knee does not extend farther forward than your ankle.
Step 2
Shift your torso and hips forward and press your hips downward. Put one hand on your forward thigh to stabilize yourself and the other hand on your hip. Use the contact with your hip to remind yourself to keep your back straight.
Step 3
Go as deeply into the stretch as is comfortable. You should feel sensation, but not pain. If you do feel pain, relax the stretch until the pain subsides and hold the pose at that level.
Step 4
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Release the pose, switch your legs and repeat the stretch on the other side.
Step 5
Perform this stretch daily. If you cannot go deeply into the pose without feeling pain, stretch the muscles very gently several times a day until they become more flexible.
Tips and Warnings
- Lengthening the hip flexors helps prevent swayback, arthritis in the hips and sports injuries. If you have a hip injury, talk to your doctor or a sports medicine professional about treatment and care.
- Don't push through pain during a stretch. Always relax a stretch that hurts.
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