FEELING FROZEN? 4 Hip Warmers to thaw you out
Cooler temperatures, holiday planning, vacation getaways, social gatherings while they all sound delightful (well except the cold weather part), they all cause us at some point or another to be tense, stressed, have some mild/severe anxiety. Through the domino affect we feel the same tension in our bodies, which presents as tightness in our hips.
In the colder temperatures we take on a curved position, almost like giving ourselves a hug to keep the heat in. For example, the shivering posture or that tenseness you feel when cold wind rushes through the doorway onto your face and chest. This time of year enables activities of cuddling on the couch, sitting at dinner parties, driving to welcoming destinations, or shoveling snow, all of which put our hips in the bent position, causing tightness and restriction.
I’ve noticed during this time of year I get a lot of clients with hip and/or knee pain. Well, it’s like the “hip bone is connected to the knee bone” song. Yes it’s a true story! Therefore, if one part of your body is tight the other part will feel it and sometimes even more intensely.
The larger muscles in your upper legs originate at your hip and attach at your knee. For that reason, if you have tight hips you’ll have pain in your knees as well, and sometimes you can even get some back pain, depending on which way your pain radiates.
So, now that you know the cause, what is the cure? Easy enough…STRETCH!
Here are 4 simple stretches to warm up the hip and allow relaxed and free mobility.
1. Hip Flexor Stretch (Anterior Stretch)
-Make sure you are close to a sofa or chair to hold onto for balance
– Assume a lunge position: the left knee on the floor behind you and the right leg bent in front of you
-Make sure the right knee is directly above the ankle, knee should not be in front of the ankle.
-Take a deep breath and release, keep breathing and relax any part of you that is tense
-You should feel this stretch in the front of your thigh and groin area
-Hold for 20 seconds, repeat 3-5 times, Switch legs
2. Hip Extensor Stretch (Posterior Stretch)
-Lay on your back, bend the left leg and raise the right leg up, keep the knee straight.
-Hold the leg behind the knee and relax the right leg into your hands.
-Take a deep breath and release, keep breathing and relax any part of you that is tense
-You should feel a stretch in the back of your thigh or even behind the knee.
-Hold for 20 seconds and repeat 3-5 times, Switch legs.
3. Hip Rotator Stretch (Lateral Stretch)
-Lay on your back, with both knees bent, place the right ankle on the left knee
-Place your hands behind the left knee and pull the knee in towards the chest
-Take a deep breath and release, keep breathing and relax any part of you that is tense
-You should feel the stretch on the right buttock
-Hold for 20seconds and repeat 3-5 times, Switch legs.
4. Hip Adductor Stretch (Medial Stretch)
-Lay on your back, with soles of feet touching
-Bring the heels of your feet as close to your bottom as possible
-Place your hands on your thighs and give a gentle push towards the floor for a greater stretch
-Take a deep breath and release, keep breathing and relax any part of you that is tense
-You should feel the stretch on the insides of your thighs and groin area
-Hold for 20 seconds and repeat 3-5 times
During this time of year, we expect a lot from our bodies and minds. We stay up long hours, we bend and bake, lift and carry, and unfortunately, we don’t always give back and say thank you to ourselves for everything we do. Our bodies give us unconditional support, at times exceeding our expectations, and essentially being our work-horse. If you don’t take a few minutes to say thank you, by taking a break to breathe, stretch and realign, you may run into system overload and ohh, the site of a computer crashing and steam coming out of it…SO take the time.
Photo Credit: Rikin Patel
January 25th, 2014 Heal Body