Iliopsoas stretch for a more mobile hip!

Your hip is immobile, you suffer from back pain and tension in the hip muscles? Then you should definitely stretch the iliopsoas now! We show you how to do it!

We sit a lot: in the home office, while eating, in the car - there is often no time for movement. After a few weeks, the lower back starts to complain, and hip problems are also on the horizon.

The reason why sitting for long periods of time leads to back pain is because of one particular muscle: the iliopsoas, also called the hip flexor.

Without it, nothing really works, it is a very central muscle that is usually neglected during a workout.

If it is shortened, it has a big impact on your health and the adjacent areas of your body.

That's why today we're going to show you how to stretch your iliopsoas.

This is what happens to your body when you don't move enough!

What exactly is the iliopsoas

The iliopsoas lies deep in the trunk and connects the lumbar spine with the hip bone and the thigh. It raises the leg, bends the upper body and stabilizes the lumbar spine.

The iliopsoas is one of the most important muscles in our body and yet it is usually very neglected.

It reacts very strongly to stress. Whenever you are under power, the psoas is triggered and tense. But sitting too long, constricting clothing or ill-fitting shoes can also tighten the hip muscle.

If this is very shortened, back pain, knee problems, disc problems, sciatica, menstrual cramps and digestive problems can occur.

These exercises prevent a hollow back!

How you can tell you need to stretch your hip flexor

There is a very simple test to determine if your iliopsoas is shortened. So before you start doing the exercises, check the actual status.

It's also worth it because you can compare what progress you're making later.

1. Lie down with your back on the floor.
2. Raise your left leg off the floor at an angle. Pull it as far as you can toward your chest. The right leg remains on the floor.
3. Do you manage to keep your right leg lying down? If yes: change sides.
4. If no: Your hip flexor is shortened. Do the test on the other side as well.

80% of people will not pass this test. So there's no shame in it, and nothing wrong with it. Provided you start stretching your iliopsoas regularly now.

You can repeat the test in time to see your progress.

What you should keep in mind when doing stretching exercises

Before you get started with stretching the iliopsoas, there are a few little things you need to consider beforehand:

• Warm up. Run while standing, do some jumping jacks, or go for a big walk. Do not do the exercises immediately after sitting for a long time.
• The exercises require patience, time and dedication.
• Breathe evenly.
• Stretch slowly and with a lot of feeling. Stretching exercises should never cause pain.
• To avoid tension, pay attention to proper body alignment and execution.

You have two options for stretching the iliopsoas. Either you stretch dynamically or statically. Dynamic means that you move slightly during the exercise. This way you stretch the muscle and relax it again in between.

In static stretching, you hold the exercise for 15 to 30 seconds.

Dynamic stretching is usually done before a workout. Static stretching is suitable as a cool down after a workout. Just see what you like better.

These 7 simple stretching exercises everyone should know how to do!

What helps in addition to stretching exercises

Shortening of the iliopsoas often comes from long or incorrect sitting. Those who have poor posture, e.g. due to a hollow back or protruding shoulders, greatly promote back pain.

This is because there is a lot of pressure on the lumbar spine.

Stretching exercises can help you with this, but you should try to find the cause of the problem. Work on your posture. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done.

But what can help you is Upright. You stick the small electronic straight bar between your shoulder blades.

Whenever your posture gets sloppy, it vibrates and reminds you to keep a straight posture. You can then check the app to see how often you really had good posture.

The best exercises for the iliopsoas

How often you do the exercises depends on how much your hip flexor is shortened. For small shortenings, a mixture of more exercise, less sitting and stretching the iliopsoas 1-2 times a week is sufficient.

If the shortening is severe, you can do the exercises every other day. If you notice that it gets better, then you can lower the intensity.

Try to hold each of these exercises for at least 15 seconds and do 3 passes.

Listen to your body, don't stretch too much and give it time.

That's why you need to stretch your hip flexor when you have back pain!

1. lunge with bend forward

• Take a big step forward with the right leg. Stretch the left leg through.
• Lower the hips. A 90° angle is created in the right leg.
• Place the hands on the inner side of the right foot and the upper body forward.
• The view is directed downwards.
• Hold the position for 15 seconds. Change the leg.

2. tighten knees while lying down

• Lie flat on your back.
• Pull your right leg towards your chest with both hands.
• The left leg remains on the mat. Do not lift it.
• You should feel a pull in the left hip flexor.
• It is important that you press your buttocks against the mat and tense your abdomen. In this way you prevent a hollow back.
• Hold the position for 15 seconds. Change the leg.

Do you already know these back exercises for the living room?

3. stretch iliopsoas with the butterfly

• Lie on your back.
• Draw the legs by placing the soles of the feet on top of each other.
• Now very carefully and slowly press the knees to the floor.
• Rock your knees slightly and keep the tension at the point where you can take it well.
• When the tension eases, push the knees down a little further.
• In total, you should hold the position for 50 seconds.

4. deep lunge

• You start in a lunge. Put one leg forward and one leg back.
• Lower the hips. You should now reach a right angle with the front leg.
• Extend the back leg backwards so that the hip flexor is stretched.
• Hold the position for about 15 seconds before changing sides.

These are the 9 best exercises for the hips!

5. stretch iliopsoas: Pigeon for a mobile hip

• Put one leg across in front.
• The second leg stretch straight back.
• Make sure your back is straight and stretch your arms upward.
• Hold the position and then switch legs.

6. stretching exercise with bent leg

• Lie down on the exercise mat and bend one leg.
• Place the ankle joint of the second leg on the bent leg.
• Try to pull the lower leg towards the body with your hands.
• Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. Change the leg.

These fascia yoga exercises will keep you supple!

7. stretch the iliopsoas: Leg to buttocks in kneeling

• You start with a normal lunge. Caution: The front knee must not protrude above the tips of the toes.
• The knee of the right leg is under the hip.
• Grab your foot and pull it up as far as you can. If this causes pain, double up on the exercise mat or put a pad underneath.
• Depending on your fitness level, you can make the stretch more intense by leaning forward more and doing a wider lunge.
• Hold for 15 seconds and change legs.

8. leg to the buttocks lying down

• Lie down on your stomach.
• The right arm serves as a rest for your head.
• Snap the left foot with the left hand.
• Pull the leg as far as you can toward the buttocks. The thigh remains on the mat throughout.
• Press the hips against the floor.
• Breathe evenly and hold the tension for at least 15 seconds before switching sides.

Try these 11 exercises for a strong back!

9. stretch hip flexors with the knee stand

• The starting position for this hip flexor exercise is the kneeling position.
• Place the right leg so that the heel is at the knee of the left leg.
• Lean back and place your hands under your shoulders.
• Push your hips up so that you feel a pull in the front of your thigh.
• Hold the position for 15 seconds and then change sides.

10. stretch iliopsoas: butterfly in sitting position

• Sit down on the exercise mat.
• Draw the legs by placing the soles of the feet on top of each other.
• Now very carefully and slowly press the knees to the floor.
• Rock your knees slightly and keep the tension at the point where you can take it well.
• When the tension eases, push the knees down a little further.
• In total, you should hold the position for 50 seconds.

11. leg swing for more mobility

• You start in an upright position. Tighten your abdominal muscles.
• Stand on the right leg. The left now becomes a pendulum.
• Swing the left leg back and then forward.
• As high as you can without leaning your upper body forward or backward. To do this, you need to tighten your abdomen throughout.
• Do 15 reps per leg before switching sides.

12. lunge with turn up

• The starting position of this exercise is the lunge. However, you do not put your left leg down with your knee. It remains in the air and touches the floor only with the balls of the feet.
• The right leg is at a right angle.
• The palms touch the floor. Place them both to the left of the right leg. That is, on the inside of the foot.
• Lower the hip towards the floor. You should feel the stretch in the hip flexor. If not, lower the back leg even further.
• Turn your upper body to the left towards the ceiling. Your gaze always follows the hand.
• Hold for 15 seconds. Change the side.

13. stretch iliopsoas while lying down

• Lie sideways on the mat. Rest your head on your left arm.
• Grab the right foot with the right hand. Pull the heel up toward your butt as far as you can.
• You push the hips forward.
• The left leg does not move. It remains on the ground!
• If you feel too little stretch, you can pull the right thigh further back. So that the thighs are no longer parallel to each other.
• After 15 seconds, change legs.

Why you should stretch your iliopsoas

On average, we sit 6.5 hours a day. And that is quite bad for our body.

Surely you often complain about back pain. However, the problem is often not in the back itself. The culprit is the shortened iliopsoas. If our muscles shorten because we don't move enough, muscular imbalances can develop. These in turn promote problems in the lumbar spine.

Only regular exercise keeps the muscles and fascia supple. If, on the other hand, we sit too much, the hip flexor loses its tone and elasticity.

This leads to a round back, a hollow back or a head pushed forward.

Stretching exercises will help you redress these imbalances.

I tested it: 7 days standing desk. It really does the trick!

Our conclusion

If you have back pain, you should stretch your iliopsoas. However, it is even better if you start stretching before you feel pain. It is important that you always do the exercises without pressure and force.

All the best for you and your hips! :)

To browse further:

• Stretching shoulders - 7 simple exercises with which it works!
• The 11 best stretching exercises for the thighs
• The yoga swivel seat: this is how it goes, this is how it works

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