Sitting at a desk for long periods is among the worst things you can do to your hip flexors. It causes the muscles to shorten while opposing muscles lengthen to compensate.
Corinne Brown
Cor’s Corner
Do you suffer from Back And Hip Pain? I am asked that question every week. Here are some critical things you should avoid, along with some exercise’s I recommend that can help you tremendously.
One of the primary causes of both hip and back pain is the loss of flexibility. Many of us have tight hamstrings and hip flexors because of our sedentary lifestyles, and this doesn’t just mean couch potatoes. It also includes people who sit and work at desks for long periods of time.
There are many exercises I use to stretch the hip flexors and the psoas muscles. The psoas, which I have written about before, connects directly to the lumbar vertebrae which are where our lower back pain occurs. When the psoas is tight, it compresses the vertebrae and the discs of the spine, causing pressure on the nerves and the pain associated with that. Keeping the psoas limber is critical for lower back health.
Sitting at a desk for long periods is among the worst things you can do to your hip flexors. It causes the muscles to shorten while opposing muscles lengthen to compensate. It also causes some muscles to become under-active while others become overactive, leading to muscle imbalances.
Getting up to move and stretch regularly will help. It’s helpful to set a timer on your phone to remind you every twenty minutes or so to get up and stretch. Stretching, when done correctly (see below), has been shown to help prevent and reduce lower back pain.
Some the essential stretches I use are shown above. With a regular routine of the above-demonstrated stretches you will reduce and possibly eradicate hip and lower back pain. Give them a try at home, or pop into my Essential Stretch class for a guided tour.
Recommended stretches that target: 1. Hips, glutes and lower Back. 2. Psoas. 3. Lower back and glutes. 4. Iliotibial band. 5. Hip flexors and quads. Learn them all at Cor’s Essential Stretch class.
About the Author
Corinne Brown
Corinne Brown is a Fitness Professional with over 30 years experience. She is the co-founder and co-owner of Fitness Incentive.
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