Hip Flexor Pain And Stiffness

hgsouth

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Apr 15, 2006
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When I stand up after sitting for a bit I am getting a sharp stiff pain in the front of my hips. It's fine after I walk a few steps and it loosens up. But this is annoying and makes me feel like I'm 95 years old.

I know some of you are stretch masters for these sorts of things, can anyone point me in the right direction as far as exercises and stretches for this area? Running seems to make it worse, and this whole thing started when I began to jog again back around January and February.
 

surfflexx

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Sitting keeps the psoas in a shorten position, if you sit a lot it will like to stay short and tight. Sitting also lengthens and weakens the glutes. Both suck for your posture and lower back. Running also tighten the psoas. Lots of simple flexibility exercises to choose from, google time.
 

Autoprax

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SF,

What are your thoughts on drawing in (pilaties) vs bracing (Mcgill)?

I have come to the conclusion that you should train drawing in and then when you get control down there bracing will suffice.

But I think lacking motor control down there could wreak havoc on your hip flexors.

By controlling the muscles in the front which are inhibited and syncing them up with the erectors which are over active, you can elongate and stabilize the spine, which in turn has a positive effect on the entire system.
 

surfflexx

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I’m a McGill man. Drawing maybe a exercise to train the activation of the TVA, but one doesn’t “draw in” during functional movement, we brace. Fibers of the psoas are conected to the lumbar spine, tight psoas= tight back. Fibers of the psoas can even be found connected to the thoracic spine and can effect mobility.
 

Autoprax

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Ok, that makes sense. I was bracing and not drawing.

If you ever squat and try to draw in, you shear.

But then I just started playing around with drawing in when I was in my car or sitting and lying down.

I would definitely say getting the TVA to be disinhibited improves bracing.

I'm actually doing a brace/draw for fun throughout the day.

I notice the t-spine loosens right up when you do this.

It's weird how you can have a concept in your mind but feeling it is a different ball game.

“One may know how to conquer without being able to do it. ”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

 

surfflexx

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Here’s an article I wrote for a few anti-sitting exercises.
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1754853-6-simple-exercises-to-straighten-your-sitting-slouch/

 

Autoprax

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Cool. Thanks for posting. Will read when I get home.

I really want to work on my head forward postion and my flared left rib cage.

My head is coming back but the rib cage is a bitch.
 

SurfDoc

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Flexx, love the exercises. I recognize the guy in the pics. I need to do more of these. I think at a simple level general regular mobilization and range of motion activity keeps things from tightening up, but in the office everyone seems to think I have ants in my pants. If I don't do them, then I limp when I get out of a chair for several steps. Got a youth pill?