7 Ways To Fix Tight Hip Flexors
Hip flexor tightness or tension has been a common complaint we see in many people in the clinic. All that tightness can really limit hip freedom, causing problems through the day, with workouts or sport.
Unfortunately, people try the same old remedies to fix their hip flexor tightness without getting any relief!
This can be tiring and frustrating - “I am doing what I have been told - why are they still tight!?”
This blog answers that exact concern - why are they STILL tight...
We hope the “7 ways to fix tight hip flexors” blog not only sheds some light on the reasons why they are tight, but also gives you some guidance on how to fix those tight hip flexors for good.
Here is a quick summary of the points
Stop Stretching Them
If You Really Want To Stretch, Do It Right
Give Them A Massage
Strengthen, Strengthen, Strengthen I say!
Stop hanging off the damn things when you stand!
Move More!
Don’t forget the neighbours - Mr Lower Back and Ms Glutes
Lets get into it!
1. Stop stretching them!
Controversial I know… but hear me out.
Our Physio team finds that stretches are typically over prescribed.
“But Everyone has told me that stretching can help?…”
In SOME circumstances, yes it can. Before I give you an explanation I have a question for you:
If you feel tight and you stretch the area, how much relief are you actually getting?
Seconds? Minutes? Hours?
You answered between seconds and minutes right?
This is what we find… stretching for most people gives, at best, very temporary relief from muscle tightness.
These are the reasons why you should STOP stretching your Hip Flexors
When stretching is PAINFUL - Stop immediately. Stretching is not the right tool for the job. This is a very strict enforceable rule that applies to any stretch.
They are LONG ENOUGH! - Your hip flexors MAY NOT NEED any additional range of motion, they may have too much range and not enough strength or control through their range. (See point 4 and point 5 below).
You Are NOT Stretching Muscle! You may be stretching the joint capsule at the front of the hip. This causes irritation and the body responds with tension, tightness and potentially pain in the hip flexors.
Sensitive Nervous System - You have sensitive nerves in the front of the hip that DO NOT like aggressive stretches. You have been told that the “stretch feeling” is muscle tension. In some cases it is nerve tension - and yes… they do not like it.
When Should You Stretch Them?
Here are 3 quick questions that can guide you to know if any stretch is worth doing or if it is wasting your time:
Is the muscle shortened or… has it lost it’s normal range of motion?
When I stretch, does it improve my range or the way that I feel for an extended period of time?
Is the stretch pain free? - Obviously the answer to this one needs to be YES…
If you answered YES to these then a stretch may help you with your range of motion or the tightness you are experiencing.
If you answered NO, then I do not think that stretching is going to give you the result you are after.
I would be asking a Physio who knows about functional movement, rehab and strength and conditioning to guide you to a better solution.
So, How Do I Stretch Them The Right Way?
Read on my friend… that is exactly what we are covering next.
2. If You Really Want To Stretch, Do It Right
If you have skipped reading over number 1 above, I suggest you have a quick read to see if you need to stretch your hip flexors BEFORE reading this.
Simple Hip Flexor Stretch Done The Right Way
Here is a quick instructional video on a great way to do a hip flexor stretch.
Hold each of these hip mobilisers for about 5 seconds at an intensity of 4-5 out of 10 and repeat this about 5-8 times per side. Gently pushing into more range with each rep.
Remember there are so many ways to stretch your hip flexors. The one in this video is just one of them. Using other versions is absolutely fine as long as you still use the same setup principles - a tucked pelvis and maintaining the natural curve of your lower back as best you can.
Try to make it as active as possible too. More on this below.
Passive vs Active Stretching
A passive stretch is where you allow the muscle to be lengthened to the end of its range without any muscle activation surrounding the area.
An active stretch is where you actively pull the muscle into a lengthened position using the muscle surrounding the area you are stretching.
Making It Active
Actively squeeze your butt! Squeezing your glutes or activating your quads when you move into a hip flexor stretch adds more bang for buck to your stretch.
Try using a stick to press into the floor to increase your core recruitment too - don’t forget to breathe!
How Frequently Should I Do The Stretches?
Ideally, in small doses frequently. In a perfect world you would be moving naturally into hip extension through the day with walking, so you should not have to do it too often.
If you have a sedentary office job, you may need to structure specific times throughout the day to do some mobility. Point 6 on this list “Move More” goes through this in more detail.
3. Give Them A Massage
Muscle tightness can be addressed in many ways. As mentioned above - Stretching on it’s own is not always the right tool for the job.
Massage is yet another tool you should have under your belt that can be used to help calm those tight hip flexors. Massage has been around for about 4700 years as a part of a Chinese traditional medicine treatments, it has stood the test of time!
The way massage works is a complex series of events that we sort of, kinda, understand… I won’t go into massage theories, but I will tell you this...
Muscle “knots” are not really a thing. They do not get physically knotted. NO clove hitch, NO bowline. That’s right… I said it. You are probably referring to a Myofascial Trigger Point. More on that here.
But How Does Massage Help Then?
I like to think that when you apply a massage or pressure to a muscle, it creates a change to the systems around the muscle, vascular, fascial and neuromuscular changes that reset the muscle back to it’s resting state.
Picture taking your foot off the gas to get your car back to it’s resting idle…
You take your foot off the pedal, the car engine stops revving, it slows down, temperatures and oil pressure return to normal, it’s a lot less stressed but it is still running steadily. Ready to go, but in a calm, resting state. The car will not necessarily slow down on it’s own, something in the cars system has had to be changed to make it calm down.
Massage for most people seems to be a great way to rapidly change the system.
I hope the analogy helps.
How To Start Massaging
Now when you apply a self massage tool like a trigger ball, you have to take the approach of a seasoned Horse Tamer, gently, patiently, yet firmly guiding the wild horse into a tame stallion.
Whipping, frightening or causing pain to get it to submit is not the best solution. This will only cause more tension sensitivity.
How Hard Should I Press?
As soft as you need.
You are trying to improve the way your hip flexors move and feel, not beating them into submission. This just causes bruises creating more pain.
Your bodies defence against pain is muscle guarding and tension.
I recommend pressures (not pain) between 2-3 out of 10 for beginners and 4-5 out of 10 for veterans.
Tools Of The Trade
Trigger ball:
A smaller to medium sized ball, soft yet dense is perfect, it allows you to place more pressure into the ball without the acute pain that a harder ball, like a lacrosse ball, would cause.
This is a great choice for your TFL!
Foam Roller:
Round and medium density. These are great for larger areas like your rectus femoris, a hip flexor that lives on the front of your thigh.
Massage Gun:
These are a recent addition to your toolbox! They are precise tools that are easy to use in lots of areas quickly.
They are now more compact, cheaper and quieter than ever as technology has improved.
I personally like these as the vibration into the muscle feels great without the potential muscle bruise feeling you get after using a trigger ball.
You use your arm strength to create the pressure so it is very easy to go harder or softer depending on what you are massaging.
If you haven’t used one, you have to try one!* If you have used one, you know what I am talking about!
*we have a massage gun at the clinic, ask for a demo next time you’re in!
Remedial Massage:
Nothing compares to a Massage Therapist who is great with their hands. I call it “The Touch”. The ability for the massage therapist to sense using “feel” …to know where, and how hard to massage.
Some massage therapists have it, some simply… do not.
For more info about our Remedial Massage click here.
Dry Needling:
This is not a new thing but it is increasing in popularity as more Health Professional’s get trained in this technique. It uses acupuncture needles to treat your myofascial trigger points.
Does it hurt? Not really, but it is a different kind of feeling.
I, (Ross Field, Senior Physio) personally respond well to dry needling but it is not for everyone and it does not fix everything. Please only a see health professional who has specifically trained to use this technique if it interests you.
So that covers the majority of common types of massage that can help fix your tight hip flexors.
BUT WAIT!!
Don’t be lulled into a false sense of believing that this will fix those tight hip flexors for good. Massage mainly helps with symptomatic relief. You may be missing the main thing that your hip flexors are lacking...
4. Strengthen, Strengthen, Strengthen I say!
We are now getting into the good stuff, the things that will help you get long term relief!
We find a lot of people have tight hip flexors due to a lack of strength.
Muscles that are weak, get tight!
They do this to still keep the joint they move stable, in this case, the hip joint.
Joint stability is crucial for us to move. The body does not care if the stability is active or passive.
Either way the joint is happy...
Guess which one helps you move better, lift more or run faster?
When we feel the tightness in the hip and think they need to be stretched.
...because this is what we are told over and over again, to stretch muscles that are tight…. This madness has to stop!
We stretch them, get temporary relief… and we think it is fixed. But alas, you have only helped the symptoms. You have not addressed the problem.
Here is a quick video on hip flexor tightness and how we test it in the clinic.
Basically, they should have a strong enough fight to resist moving. The amount of “fight” they need should match what you need them to do.
Lets get them strong!
This is really an easy thing to start doing as you need little to no equipment. Here is a video on how to start getting some activation and later some strength into your hip flexors.
Give them a try - you might be surprised at how much this challenges them.
As always - NO Pain should be felt.
There are lots of ways to strengthen them, the video above is just the starting point.
It’s time to take the daily tension off them by…
5. Stop hanging off the damn things when you stand!
I know you are asking - what does “hanging off them” even mean!?
Here is a quick video that explains this.
If this is you, be aware when it is happening, then you can start making a change to fix it.
Why Does This Make Hip Flexors Tight?
When you hang off them it’s sort of like pulling an elastic band as far as it will go.
Initially your body will be ok, but do it for too long and it will create hip flexor tension, and potentially pain in your lower back.
This is the way the body protects itself - with subtle hints.
Please listen to them - it can save you from lots of preventable aches and pains.
Moving on... Pun intended!
6. Move More!
This is such an under-looked part to prevent your hip flexors from getting tight in the first place.
Prevention is better than cure!
Did you know the average Australian sits at work for about 6 hours per day! If you have an office job this can go up to 10 or more hours per day!!
Your body simply hates prolonged static postures - no matter how “good” a posture you have. It can still put stress and strain on the body.
Here is a video to give you some ideas how to give your hip flexors some different postures while you are sitting.
We are born to move! It...
Promotes blood flow
Lubricates joints
Improves muscle function
Increases respiration
Stimulates beneficial hormones
Improves mental cognition
Best of all… IT'S FREE!
You do not need any special equipment to start. It can be done in small doses throughout the day.
Going to catch up with a friend at a cafe? Substitute sitting by grabbing a take away and having a walking catch up instead.
Technology Can Be Your Friend Here
Smartwatches and activity trackers sometimes have built in reminders to get you moving again. Apps are also great to use as they give you a reminder and save your calendar being overloaded with “breaks”.
Here are 17 of the best apps to help you move more at work and stay healthy.
It’s hard to break habits sometimes but it is such an easy thing to do.
So get to it and move more!
7. Don’t forget the neighbours - Mr Lower Back and Ms Glutes
I think you are getting the idea that hip flexor tightness can happen for a number of reasons:
Aggressive stretches
Weakness
Prolonged lengthening
Static postures
It is so easy to see how directly stretching, massaging or strengthening the hip flexors can be beneficial.
But sometimes…actually... most times... they are not even the problem in the first place.
The hip flexors are just where you are feeling the symptoms.
I know I know… this could be seen to be a little far fetched.
But hear me out…
The weakest link in a chain...
Each part of our body should be working and moving well on it’s own… AND also in a team as this is how we create fluid movement.
The closer 2 areas are to each other - the more they can affect each other.
If one area is not moving or working well, the immediate areas around this body part have to do more to make up for it, they typically become overloaded.
In the case of the hip flexors, the lower back and the glutes are its nearest neighbours. If you have tight hip flexors but your lower back is not moving or working very well or is in pain…guess what you may need to get looked at first? Your lower back!
The Lower Back
The lower back is a common place where long standing niggles and dysfunction can be carried. When you look at the stats 80% of people will experience some form of back pain in their lifetime.
This is left of field but DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING would be one of the most important things for you to have.
Not upper chest, not neck, not too shallow, not too deep, just steady breathing into your diaphragm.
I am going to write an article on this - so keep your eyes peeled for it in the future.
Here is a quick video on how to do it at home.
Next up is a….
Uniform Spinal Curve into:
A forward bend, or flexion.
A backward bend, or extension
We want your lower back and thoracic spine to have adequate range in each of these movements.
How much range is enough?
Tricky question as is it person specific. If you would like your spinal movement assessed, book in with one of our Physios.
Never forget your glutes
The glutes are the biggest muscle group in the body.
Yes, there is a thing to be admired about a good looking behind, unfortunately we sometimes need more than just aesthetics.
The glutes are the powerhouse of the body, they create a strong hip extension and external rotation movement that helps in nearly every athletic movement you can think of. Running, jumping, lifting weights and even throwing.
The need to be strong AND… also provide the hip with stability.
Simply put, stability is about the muscle system keeping the joint happy, no matter the position, speed or load.
Unfortunately this is what we find that people lack the most.
Glute Awareness, Strength and Hip Stability.
Here are some basic hip stability and strength exercises that you can easily add to your program.
Banded Clamshells with knee drive
Frog Bridge
Dont forget that these are just the beginning part of having glutes that are strong adn providing the hip with stability.
For more a specific glute program - come and see one our Physio’s at Fieldwork so they can tailor a program for you.
Conclusion
As you can see - simply “stretching” your hip flexors over and over again is not always the answer to get them some relief from being “tight” - there are plenty of over ways to get them feeling better for longer - they will take a little bit more effort but, they will give you so amazing feeling hips that are tension free, mobile and strong.
Don’t start doing them all, start by doing one of them, see if it gives you relief
Want to avoid the confusion of knowing which is the right approach for you?
Our amazing Physio team at Fieldwork shortcut the process!
Give our Front of House team a call on 08 6468 6825!
