Hip Flexor Stretches for Back Pain
Relief & Strengthening
Tight hip flexors are common and a big contributor to back pain. Back pain treatment, such as this stretch will keep your spine healthy and help to attain back pain relief.
Be sure to review the Stretching Fitness Tips before you begin.
Hip Flexor Stretching for Back Pain Relief
If the hip flexor muscles (the Psoas, Iliacus and Rectus Femoris) become tight, they will increase the curve in the lower spine and cause too much compression in this area.
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Kneel on your left knee and bring your right leg forward into a lunge position (so you are now in what looks like an old-fashioned marriage proposal posture).
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Tuck your pelvis under by squeezing your bottom.
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Raise your left arm up towards the ceiling.
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Hold that position for 30 seconds.
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Repeat on the other leg.
Muscle Focus:
You should feel this stretch in the front of the thigh and hip.
Tips:
If you have knee pain while kneeling, try a pillow under your knee.
The more you tuck your pelvis under (think of a sad dog trying to hide his tail), the more stretch you will feel in the front of the hip.
Don't lean your trunk forward. Think of pushing the hips forward and keeping your posture upright.
Raising the arm intensifies the stretch. If you have balance problems in the half kneeling position, keep your arm down and hold onto a stable piece of furniture.
Benefits:
This stretch is ideal for people who report morning back stiffness or back pain with sitting or driving a lot.
The two main hip flexor muscles attach to the low back area so, although the stretch is felt in the front of the thighs, the pain relief occurs at the lumbar.
To find out more about improving hip muscle flexibility - including another option for releasing the Psoas muscle, check out the following video.