You’ve probably done a hip flexor stretch before. But did you know that it can help with low back pain? If you understand how it works and do it effectively, you may relieve low back pain with this one stretch.
Before you start, you should know that tight hip flexors are not the only cause of low back pain. The information in this post and linked video are for education only and are not intended to replace an assessment by a medical professional.
Why This Works for Hip Flexor-Related Low Back Pain
Your main hip flexor is the iliopsoas. One end of this muscle group attaches to the femur or thigh bone. The other attaches to the pelvis and spine, including the lumbar region. If you’re tight in your hip flexors, this muscle tightness can actually pull your low back forward.
How to do a Hip Flexor Stretch
There are several ways to stretch the hip flexors, but an easy and effective one is in standing. You can follow along with this video:
The key is to tip the pelvis posteriorly by tucking the bottom of your rear end under. This stretches the portion of the hip flexors that attaches to the pelvis and also puts a stretch on the attachments to the lumbar spine.
We often associate tight hip flexors with sitting at a desk all day with our hips in a flexed position. But even if you’re super active, tight hip flexors can be a problem. All the movements we do with a forward focus – from walking and running to lifting, exercising, and functional movement – can make us tight in the hip flexors and contribute to low back pain.
Once you get your hip flexors stretched, you’ll want to consider how to strengthen the opposing muscles – the glutes – for more balanced muscle strength. Below are a few links to help you explore this.
Stay fit!
Posts on glute strengthening:
How to Get Your Glutes in Gear (with 10-minute video workout)
Barefoot Single Leg Deadlifts (with video tutorial)
The information on this website and linked accounts is provided for education only and is not intended to replace the advice of a physician or an assessment by other wellness professionals.