Hip Flexors - The Muscle Grouping You Can't Afford to Ignore

Let's face it, improving our appearance is one of the main reasons most of us commit to exercising.  The promise of six pack abs, sexy calves, triceps that don't wave goodbye when you do, and a Brazilian booty is so appealing that we tend to ignore the support system for our more popular muscles.  These overlooked areas are the joints, ligaments and the topic of this blog, the supportive hip flexor muscle grouping. 

I learned the hard way how improper care of the hip flexors can disrupt your overall health and fitness well being. As a youth, I was attracted to high intensity sports and workouts.  This attraction only intensified as I matured and began having children.  Since I did not have much knowledge about the science of fitness and exercise, I ignored basic fitness body care such as warming up, cooling down and stretching properly.  I was lucky enough not to have any serious fitness related injury until I strained my hips and lower back simply by making my bed.  Yes, sad to say, I was only flicking the top sheet in the air like I had done a thousand times when I felt a sharp pain shoot from my hip/groin area up to my lower back.  My body seized and refused to loosen.  As I stood there yelling for help, I could feel myself growing angry at this body I had proudly whipped into shape over the years.  I had been good to it, or so I thought.

After a visit to my physician, a prescription for muscle relaxers and several miserable days of bed rest, I determined I needed to learn how I got into this situation in order to prevent the possibility of a chronic condition. I  started my quest for knowledge at my local gym and the handy dandy world wide web.  This is what I learned:

What in the World is a Hip Flexor?

Hip flexors are muscles that make up the front of the hip, helping us to bend, lift our knees and kick.  Without proper maintenance they will tighten and shorten, making it harder to perform the above mentioned tasks.  Those of us who like running and those who are sedentary either by choice or because of their profession are more susceptible, which was also my case.  Tightened hip flexors affect proper form when working out, but most importantly, they can affect your ability to walk, bend, raise your legs and maintain good balance.  Ignored flexors can also result in chronic lower back pain and risk of hip flexor strain.  Take it if from me, neither of these are any fun, especially as we age.

How to Age Proof Your Hips

1. Warm them up properly. I shudder when I think about the coaches I had in school who would have us immediately begin practice by stretching cold muscles. A good warm up increases the blood supply to your muscles making them much more pliable and flexible when put under strain. Your muscles, much like a balloon you may struggle to blow it up at first but after a few good stretches of the balloon, it warms the rubber up allowing it to blow up easier.  I choose to walk for at least 5 minutes at an easy pace prior to any work out session.
2. Strengthen them.  Any muscle performs better when it is stronger.  Don't worry.  We are not trying to have bulging hip flexors but we do want them to be able to do what they were designed to do. Try alternate leg raises while laying on your back or alternate knee raises while standing.  If you need more of a challenge, try adding some ankle weights. 
3. Shake your groove thing.  Not only is dancing fun but the right moves can aid in loosening and strengthening your hips.   Rotate them clock wise and then counter clockwise.  Make little circles and then big ones.  If you don't know or have forgotten how, look up scenes from Dirty Dancing, the Patrick Swayze version, on YouTube and get to rocking.  If you are a little shy, just do it in the privacy of your own home and let loose.
4. Add a yoga cool down to your daily routine for flexibility.  I did not add yoga as a practice until my back injury.  I have not looked back since.  Three of my favorites are Happy Baby Pose, Frog Pose, and the Half Pigeon.  I hold these poses for 3 to 5 full breaths or at least 30 seconds.  I am more flexible in my hip area than I have ever been in my life as a result.

If you are experiencing hip pain, or want to take additional preventative measures, check out the links provided in this blog.  The links provided below in this blog are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. 

The bottom line, remember to take care of these precious and necessary muscles and they will take of you regardless of your age.