How To Massage Hip Flexor

A tight hip flexor can cause a multitude of problems within the body. Considering it attaches onto the lumbar spine, it is a major culprit when it comes to back pain. The hip flexor is a big generalisation of muscles, but can also be a cause of thigh pain/ strains and tears. A lot of us have tight hip flexors because we sit down at a desk all day, and keeping the muscle in that position means that it will inherently get tight… muscles are very pliable and adaptable, often to our detriment.

Stretching the hip flexors regularly is important, here is a good stretch you can do.

However, the hip flexor muscles are surrounded by fascia. Fascia is a large sheath of tissue that is actually quite hard to stretch, and responds much better to a stronger stimulus. If you suffer from back pain or feel that tight hip flexors are impeding your performance (can be a major issue when jumping, don’t allow you to extend you body as much as necessary) then you probably need some serious soft tissue work and hip flexor release. Heading to a professional is your best option, as there are some pretty painful and effective releases they can do to you. I remember once suffering from back pain for about five weeks, getting about three different diagnosis, and finally went to a Myotherapist, who released my hip flexor on the right side and I was as good as new and haven’t had any problems since then.

Here is a picture detailing exactly how to release your hip flexors. If you need a deeper release, raise the tennis ball on a book or some sort of block, and it will get higher up into your hip flexor. To find the spot, lay on your back, put your fingers on your belly button, move them slowly across about 3-5 cm as you lift you leg up. You should feel a tight band around this spot, this is your hip flexor and this is where you will start with the tennis ball. Raise your body up and hold it for about 30 seconds, if you are on the right place you should feel a little pain and release. Keep moving the ball around that area if you don’t feel anything.

Check out this small guide on how to release tight hip flexors for a detailed program.