By Dr. Paul Kochoa
The quads and the front part of your hip can become tight if you spend too much time sitting. When this happens, the hip can become stiff and lose the ability to straighten. This can create issues for the knee or the lower back. The hip is supposed to be a mobile joint and the lower back and knee are supposed to be stable segments of the body. The roles can become reversed if one segment doesn’t do its job.
If the hip becomes less mobile, the lower back will attempt to make up for the loss of motion and become a “mobile” segment. Or the knee will become the “mobile” segment. Maintaining a stable back and stable knee is important if you want to maintain proper function and live pain-free. Therefore, let’s work on keeping your hips mobile.
Start with the foam roller on the ground and roll the front part of your hip and thigh. Move slow and apply as much pressure as you can tolerate for 2 minutes. Work on the inside and outside of your thigh by rotating your body slightly side to side. If you find a trigger point or particularly tight spot, maintain pressure and bend and straighten your knee, actively stretching the quad muscle.
After rolling, perform the half kneeling hip flexor stretch shown in the second video. Place a pillow or cushion on the ground if you are uncomfortable. Contract your glutes and abdominal muscles to stabilize the hip flexor attachment points and slide your pelvis forward without hyperextending your lower back. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and repeat as needed.
Don’t push into pain and remember to use your breathing to relax the muscle as you stretch.
Accompanying videos:
Foam rolling to quads: https://youtu.be/UZNfKEUAi9E
The proper way to do a hip flexor stretch: https://youtu.be/pgVRpJAiFVo
Dr. Paul Kochoa is an orthopedic doctor of physical therapy in Randolph, NJ and can be reached at paul@par5pt.com