photo credit: hectorir
The hip flexors are a group of muscles that flex the femur into the lumbo-pelvic complex. This muscle group is commonly overlooked when exercising mainly because they are not surface muscles. Since the muscles are buried so deep, a typical workout does not include development for these muscles.
Function of the hip flexors
The function of the hip flexors is the movement of the thigh up towards the abdomen. The same function is responsible for the movement of the abdomen towards the thigh (for example, a sit-up.)
Importance of developing hip flexors
We use our hip flexors on a daily basis. Whenever you lift your legs to step up on something or lifting your torso to sit-up, your hip flexors are in action. When exercising the hip flexors, it isn't really a matter of developing strength in that area, but more importantly to maintain flexibility. When sitting for long periods of time each day, the hip flexors can eventually begin to shorten, which can limit the full range of motion in your hips.
Tightening of the hip flexors can also lead to lower back pain. This is because the tightness causes the pelvis to tilt forward and compress the lower back
Exercises for the hip flexors
There are some exercises which you can use for the hip flexors. Some include:
- Sit-up
- Leg raises
- Air bike
- Ball knee crunches (using stability ball)
- Roman chair exercise
- Hanging leg raises
You can see an entire collection of hip flexor exercises by visiting: Hip Flexor Workout Exercises
