Weak hip flexors, hamstring&glute

[alpinerabbit]

Gals,

my PT recommended lunges for the hamstrings&glutes, which are noticeably weaker on my right side. My hammies also easily cramp when I try to do a curl.
I've been slacking on those because I felt my kneecaps were a bit overused and reacted to the lunges.

Also, my hip flexors are kind of weak, also more noticeably on the right. They are the muscles that start burning after about 90 miles.
What can I do for these? Lying on the side leg lifts? Perhaps with a Theraband?


Is there anything I can or should do at a gym (currently have free gym access)?

[Zen]

Lay on your side as if to do a leg lift.
Raise the leg.
Swing it to the front, tap on floor.
Swing to the back, toe tap.
Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat.


Clam shells (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njthA4SVOT8)
you don't have to use the band, of course
muscles used during clam shell (http://www.mattonimages.co.uk/images/jpg/med_medrf_30440.html)

or you could try these (http://www.livestrong.com/video/2757-strengthen-hip-flexor/)

[kelownagirl]

I was told the same thing. MT told me to put theraband around ankles, keep hips level, take 5 side steps to R, 5 to left, 4 to right, 4 to left, etc down to 1 step. Do 3 times a week. Should see a diff in a month. I found it made a difference but I stopped doing it and now having problems again. I'm going to do it regularly from now on.

Also, was told to do one legged squats. Good for hip flexors.

Third - Yogamazing Podcast Episode #140? Yoga for Runners. 20 minutes workout, really good for hips/ITB etc.

[OakLeaf]

Re: cramping hamstrings, that's a problem for me as well; if I engage my quads just a little bit, it seems to prevent it.

[emily_in_nc]

For hip flexors, marching in place with ankle weights on (if you have some) works if you bring your working leg up nice and high. Also, with or without ankle weights, seated on floor with legs straight in front of you, back straight, lift and lower leg as many times as you can. I had to do a lot of hip flexor rehab after fracturing my pelvis as I was much, much weaker on the right side, and these are the ones my PT had me do. Still challenging if you do enough of them!

[NadiaMac]

my pt has me doing side planks and front planks (exercises 2 and 4 on the core fitness handout here: http://www.smiweb.org/omt/guides.html) for hip strengthening, in addition to lunges (hard for me due to my knee injury) and leg raises as described above.

[OakLeaf]

TE, the neverending source of ideas for my strength training classes. :D:D

They were already doing plenty of planks with all kinds of variations... but those clamshells are great!


I'd be careful about some of those knee-to-chest exercises though - they're great if you stay in neutral spine, but for the majority of people whose hip flexors are already stronger than their deep core stabilizers, and also pretty tight, it seems like they could cause back trouble if you "cheat" by flexing your lumbar spine to tilt the pelvis, to bring the knee in closer?

Just as a matter of physical space, it's tough to do a plank on your elbows and bring the knee in, while staying in neutral spine. You pretty much have to do it on your hands, and even then it's really tough for me and most of my participants to stay in neutral spine, just because of hip flexor tightness and back laziness.

My LMT has promised that we're going to work on trigger points in the iliopsoas over the winter. Won't that be fun. :rolleyes::eek:

[Pedal Wench]

I was told the same thing. MT told me to put theraband around ankles, keep hips level, take 5 side steps to R, 5 to left, 4 to right, 4 to left, etc down to 1 step. Do 3 times a week. Should see a diff in a month. I found it made a difference but I stopped doing it and now having problems again. I'm going to do it regularly from now on.




My PT has me doing those for my knee problems, but in a squat position - tush out, head up, and then crab/duck walk across the room. Ouch!

[maillotpois]

One legged pedaling - either on your bike on a trainer or a spin bike if it has clipless pedals and is set up to fit right.

[alpinerabbit]

This is definitely on the menu for winter - as it happens, I am moving to a new place with my own GYM! (well it's the basement but....!!:p!!)

[Wahine]

I would second what Oakleaf said about neutral spine. I like this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1GLCBjqrd8) for knee to elbow in a plank. But one of the best exercises is one leg pedaling mentioned by Maillotpois. I have another exercise that is a favorite of mine but is hard to teach in person, let alone over the net. This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeOteJV-92c) is a good one too.

[Dogmama]

If you have access to a gym and it has a roman chair, that is a great hip flexor exercise. Or, just hang from a bar and bring your knees up. Big hint - you can keep from rocking if you control your movement on the way down.

+1 on clamshells too.

[Wahine]

The Roman Chair can help with hip flexor strengthening but it is also an exercise that is difficult for mastering good form. The key with the Roman Chair is to keep the low back flat against the backrest at all times. If your back arches at all, you are risking irritating the joints in the low back. So it's important to move slowly and with awareness during this exercise. It is also better to allow your knees to turn out slightly as you bring them up. That de-emphasizes the tensor fascia lata (TFL) which is often tight and over active in these types of muscle imbalances.

[SadieKate]

How about this? And can you do a home version using a Dynaband>

http://www.youtube.com/user/ironstriet#play/search/1/wW1Zok5Apts

[Wahine]

That's a really good one Sadie and in fact it's very similar to my favorite exercise for this muscle group. Imagine the same leg action but with the person in standing on one leg with a resistance band on the non-weight bearing foot, leaning forward with pressure on the hands (simulated cycling position). It's a tough exercise to do well while maintaining a neutral spine. So what I often do is get my clients to reach back with one hand and pinch a fold of skin in the small of the back while the low back is in a neutral posture. The skin fold should run horizontally. As the hip flexion motion is performed, if lumbar movement occurs it will cause the pinched skin to escape your fingers. This gives very good direct feedback about lumbar posture and stabilization during the exercise.

ETA - I really should do up some youtube vids of my favorite exercises.

[SadieKate]

So what are your favorite exercises for the opposite problem? Mine are so tight they wake me up at night if I roll onto my back.

I know various methods, but haven't used a foam roller yet. I think I'll try this later today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7yrIfPIePI

I've found a ton of really good youtube strength/stretch videos (and an equally large ton o' crappy ones).

[OakLeaf]

Wow, I thought mine were tight.

Some stretches I like (sorry no vid):

Secure a stretchy band around the top of the arch of one foot. Have the other end(s) in one hand. Lie on the side opposite that foot as though you were going to do a side lying quad stretch, and bring the arm holding the band overhead as though you were going to do a French press. Press your hip forward, and keep the knee low, just as if you were stretching the quad (which you are, as well), while keeping tension on the band. Adjust the tension with the hand holding the band (remember to keep the foot dorsiflexed so the band doesn't slip off and smack you).

Simple gravity stretches that you can hold as long as you like:

Lying on your back on a firm surface like a massage table or picnic table, come to the edge so that you can drop one leg off the edge. Keep the other leg straight. Relax.

This one you're on a table again, but you'll need partial support along one side, while leaving enough room that you can completely drop your leg. This time lie on your side with your shoulders, hips and bottom heel aligned with the very edge of the table. Ask a friend to support you so that you can keep your hips and shoulders perpendicular to the table; or use a table with a secure hospital railing; or set up in a wide door if you have one. Drop your top leg behind you. Relax.

[SadieKate]

. . . as though you were going to do a French press. So I get to do this with a Latte in hand? :confused:

[OakLeaf]

So I get to do this with a Latte in hand? :confused:

This kind (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWFEpSW1k40). Without the grunting. Or with it, if you prefer. :cool:

Anyway, can you make a latte with a French press, or does it have to be real espresso? Espresso machine press is an overhead press more like the KitchenAid stand mixer press, except more precarious.

[SadieKate]

This kind (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWFEpSW1k40). Without the grunting. Or with it, if you prefer. :cool:Ah ha! Got it.

What about the Cuisinart Press?

[Wahine]

Here you go Sadie.

http://www.easyvigour.net.nz/fitness/h_hip_flexorstretch.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5uz3DE-FEc

If you have back pain when you lie on your back and straighten your hips you need to be protective of your back. This is best done by having the opposite knee and hip flexed during the stretch. For example, when doing the stretch where you hang your leg off the bed, you should pull the opposite knee into the chest with your arms.

[SadieKate]

Thanks. I like the discussion in the video about pelvic position to make sure you're stretching the correct muscles . . . even though it doesn't involve caffeine.:p

[sundial]

I've lost flexibility in my hips but I don't know which muscles to target. I can do the splits, but if I'm standing and lift my left foot and place it on the inside of my right thigh--OWWWIIIIEEEE!! What muscle group do I need to work on??

My ortho suggested I do yoga for this problem. I did and I hurt myself and had to lay off for 3 weeks. :o :rolleyes: :( :mad:

Here's a video of what I was doing when I hurt myself. When I reached for my extended right leg with the left leg bent, I hurt my left hip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPq8nJh8n20

[Wahine]

I can't really say for sure but you may have strained your adductors. Or you may have pinched your hip flexor tendon. Or you may have strained the hip joint itself or injured the labrum of the hip joint. Hard to say. But if it's taking a long time to heal I would go see a PT (ie it's been more than 4 weeks and is still very sore).

[smilingcat]

To all the PTs here. Please have a good laugh... :D :D :D

I was streching out yesterday morning before my training ride. My glutes and ham strings are super tight and I really don't have enough flexibility there... So I was stretching... And snap my lower back went out. :mad::mad:

This time it's really bad. I've been more or less bed ridden since yesterday morning. My back muscle isn't so locked up now so I can sort of tell where the pain is coming from and its not soo good. :(

I can ran my fingers down from mid-back down and in the small of my back it doesn't feel right. so I started to poke each vertabrae one at a time. I don't know the names of the vertabrae just know that it's there. First one no pain second one no pain... about 3rd maybe upwards of 6 from the bottom I poke and :eek: sharp sharp pain with blinding lights. ughhh!!!

I guess I'm going to have to see a doctor.:( :( to compensate for the back pain my hip flexors are getting tight. and I can barely stay sitting up for 5 minutes. okay time to go lie down. Maybe this is why this whole season, my back has been feeling really weak... It finally gave out again.

Geeze ruined my fun training ride for monday. Was planning on doing some sets up/down hill. and same for today...

So I wonder how many month this is going to take??? WAHHHAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

smilingcat

[Wahine]

I'm not laughing!! That's not good!

Go see the doc and PT/chiro/osteopath ASAP to get you over this acute pain. Then you need more core strengthening and better ways to stretch so you don't do this again.

[smilingcat]

Well saw a doc finally.

I just have a very very tight hip flexors and I just pulled my back big time. Enough that my spine got twisted more like a huge bump. This caused the ligments which keeps the vertabrae in a "straight" column to be bruised. When I poked at it well its like anytime you poke something seriously bruised. YOUIWEEEE!!!! The nerves he said were pinched from the layers of muscle and not from a disc. Discs are fine... well glad to know that :D:D

He asked if I wanted any prescription strength muscle relaxant. I declined. I hate the out of control fog feeling. I rather put up with the pain. When I shattered my collar bones (both sides separate accidents), I took total of 1 vicaden (sp) pill. Hated that weezy feeling. Pain felt better than the queezy feeling I got.

I've been trying to walk a lot yesterday and today. heat and ice the back...
I guess I should call a PT but I sort of know what I need to do. Offer of "let me help you" is very much appreciated. wink wink to the PTs.

So frustrating... I can't ride. Even growing up, I could never do the splits. I was probably the least flexible of anyone in my class boys included... But pound for pound I had the strongest set of legs. My upper body was something else though. chin ups r u kidding...

smilingcat

[sundial]

Smilingcat, that's just miserable. I'm sorry you are in so much pain. I'll make you a virtual cup of peppermint tea. :) Hopefully you'll get to feeling better soon and enjoy some quality kitty time while you heal.

[sundial]

I can't really say for sure but you may have strained your adductors. Or you may have pinched your hip flexor tendon. Or you may have strained the hip joint itself or injured the labrum of the hip joint.
:eek:

Thanks Wahine for sharing your thoughts. I'm over the soreness and it took about 3-4 weeks or so. I'm trying to stretch more often so that I don't have this crop up again. :o

Getting old--sheesh! :rolleyes: