6 Stretches to Improve Hip Mobility
“The hip is one of the largest joints in the body and is responsible for a wide array of range of motions in the lower limbs. However, it is also one of those that are neglected during exercises and stretching making it tighter than the rest of the joints in the body. Improving hip mobility is synonymous to improving the overall movement of the lower limbs and ambulation (Spine and Joint Center)”.
Our hips keep us upright, allow us to bear weight, walk smoothly, run, jump, etc. Since the hips are engaged in nearly every way we move, pain in this area can have debilitating consequences for individuals. Although hip pain is frequently the result of osteoarthritis or injury, it can also be a sign of other health conditions. A doctor of chiropractic can help you identify the source of your hip pain and develop a tailored treatment plan for your symptoms. To correct hip imbalance and improve mobility, you need to inhibit the tight, overactive muscles and facilitate the weak, underactive muscles. You inhibit muscles by rolling and stretching them, and turn on muscles by activation exercises. The trick is, if muscles that move a joint in one direction are too tight, they will automatically inhibit the muscles that move the joint in the other direction. The order to do things in is as follows:
Roll (myofascial release)
Stretch
Strengthen (Facilitate)
ROLL
Quads
Glutes
Hamstrings
Calves
STRETCH
Deep Lunge with Twist
Lunge forward with one leg.
Place the opposite-side elbow on the ground.
Once you reach the correct depth, rotate your inside arm vertically.
High Knee Lateral A-Skips
Skip on the balls of your feet.
Lift your leg while driving your knee up at a 90-degree angle laterally, keeping your toes dorsiflexed.
Snap your raised leg to the ground, landing on the ball of your foot.
Repeat with the opposite leg.
High Knee Skips With Internal Rotation
Skip on the balls of your feet.
Lift your leg while driving your knee up and rotate internally so your thigh is parallel to the ground and your foot is facing in.
Snap your raised leg to the ground, landing on the ball of your foot.
Repeat with the opposite leg.
Lateral Kick Skips
Skip on the balls of your feet.
Lift your leg laterally, keeping it straight.
This exercise can be compared to a Lateral Leg Swing with a Skip.
Up and Over Skips
Skip laterally on the balls of your feet.
Lift your front leg so your thigh is parallel to the ground and swing your leg over an imaginary hurdle.
Do the same with your back leg using the same sequence.
Leg Swings, Forward & Lateral
Hold yourself against a wall or rail.
Swing your leg forward and laterally, maintaining good posture.
Focus on dynamically stretching your hip.
STRENGTH
The first stage in a hip mobility and strengthening routine is to ensure you are recruiting the gluteal muscles properly. Here are some exercises to do just that.
Reverse clam-Clam-touch back
Bridging Track
Standing Single Leg Hip Flexion
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