What is the hip flexor?

It is a group of muscles which is very essential because it connects you thigh with lumbar spine and pelvis. Using this muscle group, you can move your legs towards your body and it is also necessary for keeping the flexibility to help you move freely.

There are five muscles present in this group.

Functions

What does hip flexor do? The main function of this group of muscles is to allow you to move the hip joints in the right way during their full range motion. Because of this muscle group, you can bring your leg to your body, move the legs from one site to another and from the front to the back and stop it also allows your legs to move along with your torso. You need this muscle group to stabilise your hips and lower body. You will also need it to keep the lumbar spine and pelvis joints strong.

Poor hip flexor health

If you have weak hip flexor or there is a problem with this muscle group, there will be several issues that you will face in your daily activities. If they are tight, overdeveloped or even if they are short, you are more likely to suffer from hip pain and lower back pain. It will also mean that you will have only a limited range of motion in your hips and the lower back. Why does it happen? When your hip flexor has any of the above mentioned problems, it will result in an unnatural forward tilt for the pelvis which will thereby get the lumbar spine out of alignment and as a result you will experience lower back pain.

As we mentioned, hip flexor is very much essential for your body for stabilisation of the lower body, and if you have weak flexor, then you're more likely to suffer from postural problems and poor balance. Alignment problem of the lumbar spine and the hip joints are also very likely in such a situation. You won't be able to stand or walk for longer duration. You might also have problems with your gait.

Improving the health of your hip flexor

There are different ways to improve the health of your hip flexor. Stretch, smash and strengthening of these muscles will help you to make them stronger.

Before you start working on these muscles, it is very important to spend some time to unglue tissues. It is necessary because due to sitting for a long time at a desk, these muscles may have already frozen. Different types of rolling can help you to unglue tissues and make them ready for the next step.

In the next step, you need to improve the extensibility of muscles of your hip flexor. The couch stretch is considered as a very effective movement in improving extensibility. It will help you by opening up your hip to different range of motions.

In the next step you need to work on your hip flexors to create some flexible flexors. If you spend too much time sitting, it is more likely that your hip flexors are short and weak. You can test your hip flexors by lifting one knee beyond 90° and holding it there for some time. Do not lean forward or move your pelvis. If you feel pain by holding it there for a few seconds, then probably your hip flexors are weak. There are different exercises available which can help you to increase the strength of these muscles.

References
1. Unlock Your Hip Flexors
2. Hip pain
3. Muscle stretching