Imagine that you spend most of your day in a seated position. How could this affect your health and mobility?
This phenomenon has become a common reality in our modern society, where demands for sedentary activities continue to increase. Even at an early age, we were "forced" to spend several hours sitting at school, and this trend only intensifies as we progress through life – whether in high school, university, or later in our professional careers, where we often spend more than 8 hours a day seated.
Interestingly, office work constitutes a significant portion of all occupations in our society, ranging from 40% to 80% depending on the country. With something so prevalent, we must consider potential consequences. In this article, we will delve into physical activity, strength training, and exercises to maintain and improve hip mobility.
Do you work in an office? Then you probably have tight hips.
'If you don't use it, you lose it' - This means that if we don't engage in specific activities, we tend to lose certain abilities. Losing hip mobility is a common problem in today's society and can lead to various issues, not limited to just hip arthrosis that can develop over time, but also more common conditions in sports such as Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).
The same principle applies to knowledge - if we fail to utilize the language we learned during our studies, a substantial portion of it is likely to fade away in the future (you know what I'm talking about!). This concept also applies to the human body, where I witness issues not only in the general population but also among professional athletes. Your hips become the storytellers, revealing the tale of how effectively you move.
As a physiotherapist, I can easily estimate the biomechanics of your movements, such as running, through a simple exploration of passive mobility, active mobility, strength in different directions, or by examining activation patterns. Tight hip flexors, limited passive mobility in hip extension and hip internal rotation, and imbalances between active and passive mobility are common observations. Additionally, I often notice an altered activation pattern in hip extensors among the athletes I work with.
These imbalances can contribute to common sports injuries like hamstring tears, Achilles tendinopathy, or even knee pain, all stemming from altered biomechanics in the hip and pelvis. Feel free to reach out to me for more information - I am passionate about this topic!
What follows are effective ways to gain mobility and flexibility in hip flexors, hip extension, flexion, and hip rotations.
Hip Flexors Stretch and Anterior Chain Mobility: Essential Daily Routine!
Imagine how your glute muscles can function correctly even if you have really tight hip flexors, such as the iliopsoas muscle and rectus femoris. In such a case, your body will always find a way to compensate for this "tug-of-war" and will develop automatic compensatory mechanisms, which will vary slightly for each individual. This compensation is particularly evident during the toe-off phase in activities like running or walking. If your front thigh muscles are not flexible enough, how can the hip effectively function during the extension phase? It's like driving a car with the emergency brake on. If this imbalance is not compensated for by the body, it may significantly contribute to the aforementioned pathologies - but of course, it's not a 100% rule.
To enhance your glute muscles and achieve full hip extension, consider incorporating these 5 exercises for hip flexor mobility before your regular training sessions!
What to Do for Stiff Hips?
When you see me doing exercises, you might think it looks effortless, assuming I'm naturally 'hypermobile.' But truth be told, it was quite the opposite! Around the age of 16, my hips were incredibly tight. I couldn't perform a squat with heel support, reaching my knees seemed impossible due to hamstring tightness, and even standing on one foot challenged my poor balance and motor control. As a result, my running and jumping techniques were a complete mess. Determined to make a change, I began stretching, little by little, and gradually regained the abilities I had lost during those long hours at the school desk.
Enhancing your hip mobility provides a multitude of benefits. Not only will you experience increased agility and comfort in everyday activities like sitting and intimate moments, but athletes who prioritize their hip muscles and address imbalances can achieve remarkable performance gains. In fact, this entire article is dedicated to showcasing the dominance of athletes with exceptional mobility. For now, here's a 5-minute mobility flow routine to add to your daily routine, much like brushing your teeth!
Too Hard for You? Probably your Hips Are Really Tight!
Not to worry, I have some exercises tailored for you! Check out this video for easier hip mobilization or one focusing on hip stability exercises. You can start with those and then progress into harder ones!
Hip Mobility Exercises, Flexibility Exercises, Stretch exercises – all in one
I invite you to join 30-Day Mobility Challenge Course that is designed to empower sportsmen like you who are dedicated to self-improvement and strive to enhance their mobility, a crucial element for both performance and injury prevention.
Over the course of one month, you will engage in a series of 180 exercises carefully chosen to target mobility enhancement. Each day, you will be introduced to 6 new mobility exercises targeting ankle mobility, hip mobility, spine mobility, shoulder mobility, and more, allowing you to gradually progress from the simplest movements to more challenging ones.
Do you need more information, contact me in chat!
Thanks for reading, and if you know someone who can benefit from this article, feel free to share it!
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