The hip flexors are a group of muscles near the top of your thighs and are comprised of the iliacus, psoas major, and rectus femoris muscles. They are key players in moving your lower body and let you to walk, kick, bend, and swivel your hips. But if your muscles are too tight or if you make a sudden movement, your hip flexors can stretch or tear.
What Causes Tightness in the Hip Flexor
The most common causes of tightness in the piriformis muscle include:
- Overuse
- Weakness of the muscle
- Prolonged seated postures
- Injury
Symptoms of Hip Flexor Injury
Common Injury Symptoms:
- Cramping in upper leg area
- Stiffness or tightness after sitting
- Tugging sensation in upper groin
- Pain when walking up stairs
- Difficulty sprinting, jumping, or kicking
How to Perform the Hip Flexor Stretch
Performing the hip flexor stretch is a great way to reduce hip pain and injury. It can be performed easily at home using a bench or chair. Standing parallel to the bench, place your knee and shin on top of bench. Keeping your back straight, lunge with the foot that is on the floor until you feel a good stretch in the front side of hip of the leg that is on the bench. Hold this for 10 seconds and reverse stretch for the other leg. Perform 2-3 times per side.
If you are still unsure of how to perform this stretch you can watch the video below where Dr. Raz a physical therapist demonstrates how to correctly perform this stretch. If your hip pain continues to persist it is best to be evaluated by a professional to see if you experiencing other underlying conditions. You can do so by scheduling a free consultation with us today.