Need help with tight hip flexors

[dnna]

This last month I have had terrible knee pain and hip pain and leg pain, even having trouble walking. I thought it was a relapse of a bad sprain from last summer. I went to an acurepressure/licensed massage therapist ( 35 years in business)She said my knee was inflamed and my hip flexors was so tight that it was the cause of the pain.also adjusted pelvis, and I am a terrible pronatetor but even wear orthotics in my slippers.
she said do not do the traditional quad stretch-holding leg behind and pulling up but to do lying face down and raising the legs up-no pulling or lying face down flutter kicks and holds.
I am feeling much better today and after a month of pain, wow.
any tips or videos/segments to help with this?
I am seeing my doctor and was going to ask for a X-ray, and may do so still.whatever he recommends
would love to do the stretches to a dvd or even youtube but I have Hughes net satellite and that burns up my time
thanks

donna
and ps, I do a 30 minute stretch every day for -years- and here I am. s

donna

[Vintage VFer]

Donna, do you have Hughes.net Gen 4 or the older Hughes.net?

Here is a link to hip flexor stretch info:

http://www.mikereinold.com/2014/03/t...r-stretch.html

.

[donnamp]

Donna -

I also suffer from tight hips and hip flexors - I have used combos of Classical Stretch/Essentrics and Jill Miller's yoga to help. Most of what I do is stuff you have probably seen before - lunge poses and variations to stretch the front of the hip. I also like to do a lot of Jill Miller's reclined leg stretches -

Actually, this video is one I do often and includes a lot of the leg stretches that Jill Miller does:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI7HD2sBB4Q

It does make sense what the therapist said, I think a lot of times hip flexors can get tight b/c glutes are not engaged and doing the flutter kicks would wake up your gluts so your hip flexors would not bear so much strain. I will have to add that to my routine as well.

Hope you find relief. It is a pain and one I battle often - I also sit a lot for work and commuting which I'm sure does not help my hip flexor tightness at all.

Donna

[ncl]

If you sit all day, I have heard it is good to get up periodically, like every 30 minutes and walk around. I also do hip flexor stretches at lunch and the yoga bridge pose whenever I can because it mildly stretches the hip flexors and engages the glutes. Sometimes I get up and do 10 or so squats to engage the glutes.

I have also gotten a spiky ball and I basically lie my hip flexors on it and move it around my psoas muscle once a day. I recently acquired a massage ball and I do that one after the spiky ball. I don't roll around on them as much as lie on them here, them move them slightly, lie on them again and do this for the whole length of the muscle. While I do this, I prop up on my elbows (and can read or watch TV while doing), so it's like a bit of very slow massage.

I also get regular massage and we are focusing on my psoas for some time now. Those are painful suckers for me! Lots of tight bands and trigger points.

I do think there is an emotional connection for me as well related to things that have happened in the past and I am exploring that with a psychotherapist. It is really cool how clear the connection between the two has become.

[Daphne M]

I have tight quads and hip flexors from tons of cycling and running and have had great results using Mark Lauren's Mobility RX workouts. They involve a mix of mobility and strength work. My hips, quads, spine and ankles are all looser and stronger since using them.

I like that they're structured so you can do an 8-minute, 16-minute or 25-minute version -- really easy to fit into my workout time.

Here's a link if you want to check them out: https://www.marklauren.com/videos/mobility-rx.html

[Pam]

Hi Donna-A couple years ago, I could have written your comments. I hurt my knee originally in high school gym class and surgery was recommended, but was told I would never be active again the rest of my life. So, I opted to live with the problem, keeping the other muscles around the knee strong to help support the knee. I had surgery (techniques have now greatly advanced) about 10 years ago and than a lot of PT and movement re-training. Long story, but just to say my body has probably settled more into its pattern of a problem knee, more than yours has. So, hopefully it will be an easier, faster solution.

My theory is that I protected my knee all those years, by taking smaller steps and thereby not stretching my quads and hips.

A couple years ago, my hips were so tight that my lower back started bothering me. I had been doing yoga regularly, but it wasn't helping me. I started doing CSS/Ess almost daily and the tightness in my hips/lower back is gone.

Are you tight and or weak in your upper legs? I am still dealing with tightness in my quads (front of the legs) and my hamstrings (back of my legs) are weak. There was an article in Yoga Mag couple years ago, that said this kind of pairing is common. I am working on strengthening and stretching these areas and it is slow, but it is changing for the better.

[Scorpio6]

I have same problem, these posts are so informative.

[yogapam]

I get knee pain if my quads and hip flexors are tight. I do a lot of front body stretches and yin poses in my own yoga practice. Here are some links, have pillows, blankets, and a bolster if you have them. You want to feel supported enough to relax into the stretch. I hold these for a while, 2 - 5+ minutes if possible.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kUOfhQgNy9Y

Same one on a table:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ98cQN6yyI

I use bolsters or folded blanket for this one as its more comfortable:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GYLs2boAKDg

He gives really good form pointers in this one:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YQmpO9VT2X4

[TinierTina]

It is how the gluteus maximus has to be tucked, and that the hip flexors and psoas compensate for lack of core strength.

http://deansomerset.com/planks-are-t...-hip-mobility/

Because even my killer pilates never got me there.

Planks were held short-length, vinyasa style.

Hip openers worked partially, but glacially.

I have to work on that issue whereof I speak.

[dnna]

Iwant to thank your all the answers and links, I love Leslie Fightmaster! what a find, also I am getting the mobility RX.
I have such amazing flexibility that I cannot believe I am in this fix. I guess I haven't done enough for the front of the legs, the hip flexors, or have being doing it wrong ( the leg pull quad stretch. well live and learn and rehab.
thanks for the support and the links and recommendations.
donna