One group of muscles you likely take for granted are your hip flexors. After all, they don’t directly impact how your body looks – or do they? When you’re most likely to notice them is when they feel tight or when you experience a strain because they’re not as strong and supple as they should be. Keeping your hip flexors healthy has multiple benefits for functionality AND appearance. When your hip flexors are tight, it throws off body alignment and posture. Even more importantly, a tight or weak hip flexor affect your performance when you lift weights, run and when you play sports. Isn’t it time to give them some attention?
The Muscles That Make Up Your Hip Flexors
Hip flexors are a group of muscles in the front of your hips. They’re composed of two main muscle groups: the iliacus and the psoas major. The two muscle groups together are called the iliopsoas. The iliacus portion of the iliopsoas starts at the crest of your pelvis and attaches to your femur. The psoas major originates from the lumbar spine and connects to your femur bone. The rectus femoris muscle is sometimes included with the hip flexors because it helps the other two muscles and also extends the knee. These muscles work together to flex your hips. You’re using your hip flexors when you move your trunk or upper body closer to your thighs. Supple hip flexors are essential for maintaining good posture.
What else are hip flexors good for? You use your hip flexors when you do exercises like the squat and as well as when you do some abdominal exercises including leg raises and sit-ups. You may think you’re targeting your abdominal musculature when you do these exercises, but, oftentimes, your hip flexors are actually doing much of the work. Hip flexors are such strong muscles that they often dominate when you do abdominal exercises, especially if you’re not using good form. They have a habit of “stealing the thunder” from your abs unless you learn to keep them in their place. Athletes who sprint and kick use their hip flexors to generate power and are also prone to hip flexor strains.
The Problem of Tight or Weak Hip Flexors
One of the times hip flexor problems can show up is when you squat. If your hip flexors are weak, you’ll have problems holding a squat position at the bottom. If they’re too tight, you’ll have difficulty achieving squat depth. Here’s a hint that you may have tight hip flexors. Watch yourself doing a squat from the side. Are you leaning forward when you squat? Could be that your flexors are tight.
One of the problems with tight hip flexor muscles when you squat, is your quadriceps muscles take over most of the work and your glutes aren’t being adequately activated. This leads to a lower body muscle imbalance – strong quadriceps and weak glutes. With tight hip flexors, you may also have problems doing other athletic activities and drills since your hip muscles play a role in so many movements.
Another way tight hip flexors make your life harder is by contributing to low back pain. Because of the way these muscles are attached, when they’re tight or shortened, they pull on your lower back muscles. If you’re constantly fighting a battle with lower back pain, try stretching out your hip flexors more often. Not doing so, places pressure and strain on the discs in your lower back and can lead to disc problems.
Fighting a lower abdominal “pooch?” Your hip flexors may be to blame. Tight hip flexors throw off your vertebral alignment and cause your pelvis to tilt forward. Instead of having a straight spine, your spine curves inward in the lumbar region and outward in the thoracic spine, leading to a not-so-attractive, “hunch back” appearance. When this happens, your abs look more prominent, as if you have a “pot belly.” In addition, your glutes aren’t adequately activated and your hamstrings have to take over some of the work of the glutes. At this point, you’re dealing with major muscle imbalances, postural issues and a greater risk for injury, all thanks to tight hip flexor muscles.
How Do You Get Tight Hip Flexors?
One cause of hip flexor tightness is too much sitting. Sitting in a chair for long periods of times causes shortening and gradual weakening of the hip flexor muscles. Gradually, this group of muscles becomes less flexible and capable of doing their job. Your risk for a nasty muscle strain goes up too. When a muscle is tight and shortened and you move suddenly and the muscle suddenly extends, it can become strained – another reminder to always warm-up before working out and avoid making sudden movements when your muscles are cold and tight.
What Can You Do about Tight Hip Flexor?
Devote more time to stretching out the muscles that make up your hip flexors to lengthen the muscles. Two of the most popular are the kneeling hip flexor stretch and the hip flexor lunge. For the hip flexor lunge, assume a forward lunge position, sink down until you feel the stretch on the back of your leg. Hold for 20 seconds and go to the other side. For the kneeling hip flexor stretch, get into a kneeling position. Place your right foot forward and bend it to 90 degrees. Hold the stretch for 20 or 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Another way to relieve some of the tightness is by working with a foam roller. Lower your body onto the roller until your hip flexors are touching it. Roll one hip flexor at a time to relieve the tightness. Start slowly with just a few rolls and slowly increase the number you do.
Finally, strengthen your glute muscles, so they take over some of the work the hip flexors are forced to do when you have weak glutes. Back bridges, quadruped hip extensions, back extensions, and side leg raises with bent knee will all help you achieve stronger glutes and healthier hip flexors
The Bottom Line?
Don’t underestimate the importance of healthy hip flexors. They affect your movements, your risk for injury and your posture. Don’t let them tighten up on you.
References:
David Campbell MDPA. “Tight Hip Flexor Muscles May Be Causing Your Low Back Pain”
Dr. Ben Kim. “How to Keep Your Hip Flexors Healthy”
MedLine Plus. “Hip Flexor Strain”
Related Articles By Cathe:
6 Things That Happen If You Sit Too Much
A Powerful Glute Activator to Add to Your Strength-Training Routine
How to Fix Your Posture With Exercise
Mobility vs. Flexibility: They Aren’t the Same Thing but They’re Both Important
How’s Your Hip Mobility? Why It’s Important
This Important Psoas Muscle that Can Throw Off Your Body Mechanics
