Hey there!
Tight hips may seem like a minor annoyance, perhaps hindering your daily movements or causing pain from time to time. But the reality is that tight hip joints can lead to a myriad of significant health problems. Your hip flexors are the muscles that connect your lower back with your hips, groin, and thigh bones. They help stabilize your lower spine and have a critical role in walking, joint mobility, flexibility, and balance. Tight hip flexors impact your ability to walk, bend… and even stand. They can also lead to pain and muscle spasms in your lower back and hips. In fact, that nagging lower back pain you have experienced from time to time may have been caused by your hips.
Unfortunately, tight hip flexors have become an epidemic in modern society. While this can sometimes be caused by an injury, and some athletes are more prone to tight hips, the reality is that the biggest cause of tight hips is something we are all guilty of – sitting too much! Most people spend much of their day in a seated position. We wake up in the morning and head to our favorite chair for our first cup of coffee, climb into our car for an often-lengthy drive to work, only to spend the day seated behind a computer screen. The evenings generally don't provide much of a reprieve, as the lure of our favorite television shows proves simply too tempting. Spend some time thinking about your day-to-day life and really evaluate the time you spend sitting. I'm confident that you'll find the number of hours staggering.
So, what happens to your muscles when you spend hours each day in a seated position? In addition to general muscle atrophy that is frequently associated with inactivity, different muscles are stretched while others are shortened, causing significant muscle imbalances. When you sit, your hip flexors and hamstrings, key muscles involved in leg movement, become shorter and tighter. This can result in a significant loss of flexibility and increased pain.
Of course, completely avoiding prolonged periods of sitting can be near impossible, but you can take proactive steps to help keep your hips healthy.
Be Aware!: Really think about how much time you are spending in your chair. Do hours disappear as you stare at your computer, play an addicting video game, or binge your favorite show? How long is your commute? Do you spend your free time indulging in seated hobbies, like knitting, crafting, or even completing puzzles?
Get Moving!: Now that you are more aware of the time you spend sitting, do something about it! Make a point of getting up and moving as often as possible. If you are guilty of losing track of time when distracted by your seated activities, set a timer to remind yourself to get up and move hourly. Stand whenever possible and move your muscles frequently. If at work, think about a standing or adjustable workstation, and take the time to go refill your water bottle. If at home, take advantage of commercial breaks, get off the couch, walk around your house or do some simple exercises.
Stretch!: Regular stretching is undoubtedly the most impactful way to increase flexibility, unlock tight muscles, and correct muscle imbalances. Taking a break to stretch throughout the day is a proactive way to combat the damage done by sitting all day. An effective stretching routine takes only minutes to do but can help erase the damage caused by hours spent in a seated position.
I'll be back tomorrow with a few easy stretches to help you loosen up your hips!
Until then,
Sue
PS, please check out my blog for other interesting & helpful articles!
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