It’s the icy season. Even our friends in Texas get icy roads and sidewalks this time of year!
Dealing with ice is all about balance and flexibility. To keep you safe, and supple, in the wake of a potential slip, here are two excellent stretches for the hip muscles. These will keep you flexible at your core and also serve to relieve the stress we often tend to hold in our bodies during cold months.
Hip One — Stretching the Psoas (“so-as”), Iliacus (“ill-ee-ah-cuss”), and other hip flexors:
These muscles cross the hip joint, originating from the lower spine and attaching at the upper thigh. When they get tight, the hip gets stiff.
To stretch the hip flexors, begin in a lunge position, resting the knee of your back leg on the floor behind you. Keeping your back straight and buttocks firm, exhale and gently lean your hips toward your bent front knee until you feel a mild to moderate stretch in the front hip of the outstretched leg.
Hip Two — Relaxing the Sartorius, the IT Band, and other hip rotators:
Nope, it’s not a musical act. The Iliotibial Band (ITB) is a long thick tendon that stems off the top and bottom of the Tensor Fasciae Latae muscle (no it’s not a drink). The muscle and band rotate the hip and move the leg out away from the body (abducts). The ITB starts at the “iliac crest” (the outside, upper boney part of the pelvis—hip bone), travels down the side of the thigh, crosses over the knee joint and connects at the upper outer edge of the tibia (shin bone). The Sartorius also originates at the iliac crest then travels down across the front of the thigh, crosses over the knee and inserts on the inside edge of the tibia.
To stretch the Sartorius and IT band, keep your back straight and cross the leg of the hip to be stretched behind your other leg as far as is comfortable. Push your hips sideways in the direction of the leg to be stretched until you feel a stretch in your outer thigh/hip.
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds (repeat 2-3 times if desired). Be sure to stretch both sides/legs too — we wouldn’t want you to be uneven!
For ideas on how to stretch your backside (opposing muscles to the hip flexors) while in your chair at work (or in a meeting), check out a quick video from Mayo Clinic’s online library HERE.