The hips flexors are a group of muscles that connect the hip bones to the thigh bones. The primary function is to flex the muscles of the thigh. If your job requires you to spend most of your day sitting at a desk, chances are your hips are tight. To relieve this tightness, practice a few stretches used in yoga. Consult your health care provider before practicing yoga.
Seated Forward Bend
Perform a seated forward bend to help stretch the hips, lower back and hamstrings. Start by bringing your feet a little wider than hip-width distance apart. Bend forward and place your fingertips on the floor on the inside of your feet. Straighten your spine and take nine deep breaths. Slowly come back up to a seated position and repeat this stretch several times during the day. Yoga author and owner of OmYoga in New York City Cyndi Lee recommends working toward bringing the palms flat to the floor and relaxing the head down in this pose to get a deeper stretch.
Seated Twist
To stretch the outer part of your hip flexors, try a seated twisting pose. While seated in your chair, cross your right leg over your left. Gently twist your body to the right and hold this position for nine breaths. Slowly come back to the center, uncross your legs and cross your left leg over your right. Now gently twist your upper body to the left and hold for another nine breaths.
Seated Hip Stretch
To perform a seated hip stretch, bring the outside edge of your right foot to the top of your left thigh. Bend forward as far as possible, keeping your back straight. Hold this position for nine breaths. Come back up to sitting and repeat on the other side. If one hip feels tighter than the other, repeat the stretch for an additional nine breaths on that side.
Modified Pigeon Pose
One of the best yoga poses for your hip flexors is a pose known as one-legged King Pigeon, or Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, in Sanskrit. When you're at the office, you can do a modified version of this pose using your desk. Start in a standing position, facing your desk. Bring the lower part of your right leg onto your desk, keeping it parallel to the edge of your desk. Now bend your upper body forward, leaning over your your leg as far as possible. Try to keep both hips square and hold this position for nine breaths. Repeat on the other side.
References
- Yoga Journal: Office Yoga Tips
- "Yoga, the Path to Holistic Health"; B.K.S. Iyengar, 2001
- "Gray's Anatomy"; Henry Gray; 1901, 1977
Member Comments