Improving Hip External Rotation Increases Mobility: Stretches and Exercises
Stretching and Exercise Program For Improving Hip Internal Rotations
What Is A Weak Hip Internal Rotator?
A Weak Hip Internal Rotator Can Cause Pain When You Try To Rotate Your Leg Outward.
Weak internal rotators are those muscles that prevent your hips from moving freely during standing or sitting. They include the gluteus medius, rectus femoris, semimembranosus, and tensor fascia latae (TFL). These muscles have been shown to contribute to knee pain, lower back pain, and other conditions.
In general, if these muscles are tight they will cause problems with your ability to walk or sit up straight. If you experience any of these symptoms while performing a certain exercise, it may indicate that one or more of these weak internal rotators is causing your problem.
The best way to determine which muscle group is contributing to your problem is through testing. You can then choose from a variety of treatments that will help correct the situation.
How To Test Weak Hip Internal Rotators?
Lie on your back and bend your knees. Cross one leg over the other with your foot flat on the floor.
Slowly lift your bottom off the floor by raising your hips while keeping your pelvis level.
Stop lifting when you can no longer keep your bottom on the floor.
If you feel a stretch in your inner thigh or in the back of your knee, you have identified a weak inner rotator. This may also be causing other problems with your lower body such as knee pain or tight hips.
Weak hip internal rotators can cause pain when you try to rotate your leg inward.
How To Stretch Weak Hip Internal Rotators?
You Can Stretch Weak Hip Internal Rotators By Stretching The Muscles That Are Tight.
When one or more of the muscles that allow your hips to move are tight, they will prevent your hip from moving freely. This can cause problems with your lower back or even your knees.
By performing the following stretches on a regular basis you can improve the flexibility of your hips and relieve lower back pain caused by inflexible hips.
To stretch the tight muscles and allow your hips to move more freely, follow these steps:
Lie on your back with one knee bent and the foot flat on the floor. Cross the other leg over the straight leg with the foot on the floor. Pull your knee toward your chest. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds then switch legs and repeat.
This is a mild stretch that can be done daily until you begin to notice improved flexibility in your hip muscles.
Here are some more advanced stretches that you can add to your hip flexibility routine.
Lying Hip Rotator Stretch
This stretch targets the hip rotators, which attach to the outer ridge of your hip bone and allow your hip to twist.
Begin by lying on your back with both legs straight. Bend your knee and bring your foot toward your bottom. Grasp behind your knee and pull it back slowly, keeping your leg as straight as possible.
Hold for 30 seconds then switch legs and repeat. Do this 3 times with each leg.
Extended Side-Lying Clam
Begin by lying on your side with your legs together and bent so that your knees are close to your chest. Hug your bottom leg into your chest while straightening the top leg out in front of you. The top leg should be as straight as possible, but not attached to the floor.
Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side. Do this 3 times for each leg.
Wrap-Up
Whether you suffer from back pain caused by weak hip muscles or something else, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to exercise safely. By performing the exercises and stretches listed in this article, you can strengthen your lower body and improve your hip flexibility.
Doing so will make your body stronger and reduce your chances of experiencing pain while moving around. It will also improve your posture, and decrease the stress in your back.
Back pain is a serious problem faced by many people today. It restricts the mobility of the sufferer and makes simple tasks very difficult to accomplish. There are several reasons for back pain, some more serious than others, but often the problem can be solved with a few lifestyle changes and a little physical therapy.
One common cause of back pain is the position of the upper body. When your upper body leans forward for extended periods of time, the muscles have to work harder to keep you from falling face first. This can cause fatigue which leads to cramps and even tension.
When the muscles in the upper body are tense or fatigued they put more strain on the lower back causing pain. This can easily be avoided by practicing good posture. When your back is straight you are in the position nature intended. Your ears, shoulders and hips should be lined up in a straight line.
To practice good posture, follow these steps:
Stand up right now and pull your shoulders back. Your ears should be exactly above your shoulders. You should not be slouching.
Feel the difference?
This is the proper way to stand and the way you should be sitting too.
When sitting, you should have a lumbar support. If you are sitting at a desk right now, try leaning back in your chair. You should feel the small of your back fit snugly into the chair. This forces your shoulders back and keeps you from slouching.
Now that you know how to correctly position your upper body, you need to learn how to move it. The most common cause of back pain is injuries that result from physical activity. If you are an active individual, you should know that a few simple precautions can prevent most injuries.
Before any rigorous activity, you should always warm up first. This involves gentle stretching of the muscles you will be using and quick movements to get the blood flowing.
After a physical activity, it is just as important to cool down afterward. A good way to do this is to simply perform a light version of the activity at a much slower pace.
Failing to warm up or cool down can cause pulls and strains that lead to pain and injury. If you don’t want to pull a muscle or injure a joint, take five minutes to stretch before you begin and after you finish.
Most people believe that back pain caused by physical activity is the result of injury. While this is true in some cases, most back pain is caused by the simple breakdown of muscles. This might sound strange, but it’s true.
If you suffer from back pain that occurs after a specific activity, the muscles involved are almost always sore, but not injured. Over-worked muscles experience minor tissue damage and become inflamed. This causes localized swelling and significant pain. While this won’t cause a permanent injury, it can be very painful and make it impossible to continue your usual activities.
This kind of set-back is temporary and will heal itself over night. It can be sped up by massaging the area, taking an anti-inflammatory and getting a good nights sleep. The most important thing is to avoid aggravating the muscle further. This can be avoided by taking a break from your usual activities.
If you have back pain that persists for more than two days, especially if it is severe, you should see a doctor. While most back pain is due to simple overuse, it could be something more serious. If the pain persists or gets worse, you may have an underlying condition that requires medical attention. Ignoring it and simply waiting for it to go away might leave you in a wheelchair.
There are many causes of back pain. Fortunately, most of them are simple to identify and easy to treat. By taking good care of your body and using caution when performing new activities, you can avoid unnecessary pain.
Your back is a complicated structure that supports the weight of your upper body. It also houses and protects your spinal cord, which controls the majority of your body functions. This makes it extremely important to your survival, which is why you should take good care of it.
It can be very frustrating to experience back pain, even more so if it’s a chronic problem. A person will often try anything to get rid of the pain. Some remedies are more effective than others. If you are one of these people who have tried everything and failed, maybe it’s time to look into surgical intervention.
If you are considering spinal surgery, you should probably consider having a second opinion. While this kind of procedure is typically safe and effective, there are some rare instances where things can go wrong. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Part of getting a second opinion entails looking at your options. Not every doctor will use the same method, or even the same surgeon. While some are qualified to perform certain procedures, they might lack the skill and finesse of other doctors. You want to find someone who is both qualified and reputable in the field.
This may seem like an overwhelming task. You don’t have to go through it alone though. You can get a lot of advice and assistance through the internet or by asking your friends and family for recommendations.
One thing to keep in mind is that you usually get what you pay for. While this isn’t always the case, it’s best to find a surgeon who is experienced and has a good reputation. In some instances, it might be better to pay a little extra to have the procedure done right instead of having to go through it again.
If you’ve found a competent surgeon and scheduled your procedure, make sure you prepare yourself both mentally and physically beforehand. The more prepared you are, the smoother the process will go and the sooner you’ll be back to your normal life.
After it’s all said and done, you’ll soon be on your way to recovery. This will probably include some bed rest and a prescribed course of medication. Physical therapy is also recommended to help speed up the healing process.
While spinal surgery is a serious procedure, you don’t have to worry about it as much if you picked the right doctor and underwent the procedure without any complications.
With proper care, you should have no problem living a normal life. You’ll just have to be a little more careful with what you do. As long as you pace yourself and follow the doctor’s orders, you should make a full recovery.
If you are experiencing back pain and would like to seek out a second opinion, or would like to find a surgeon to perform surgery, the first step is to ask your family physician for a referral. If not, a simple internet search will provide you with several doctor’s names in your area. From there you can peruse their websites and see if they are a good fit for you.
The next step is to arrange a consultation with the doctor of your choosing. During this visit, you should discuss your condition, past surgeries, and go over both your pros and cons of having surgery. You should also ask any questions you may have so there are no surprises later on.
You will probably have to wait a period of time before the surgery can be scheduled. This is normal so don’t be alarmed if it takes a few weeks, or even months, before you can get the procedure done.
After the procedure is complete, you will probably have to go through physical therapy to help you regain strength and flexibility. This also involves taking a course of medication to speed up the healing process.
With proper care and medication, most people make a full recovery and are able to resume their normal lives. Just be sure you don’t overdo it at first.
If you would like to seek out a second opinion or just want to see if there are any other options for you, the first thing you should do is contact your family physician for a referral. They most likely have experience with the surgeons in your area and can provide you with confidential information on them.
Another option is to perform an internet search for doctors in your area. You can also ask friends or family for recommendations. Once you have a few people in mind, you can contact them to see if they offer a second opinion or consult.
While there are several hospitals in your area that offer spinal fusion, you may only be able to choose from a few doctors within those facilities. This is because they have specific requirements that must be met before they can perform surgery on you. While some hospitals are more flexible than others, this is something you will have to determine before moving ahead with your plans.
While spinal surgery does provide you with the opportunity to get your life back, you need to be aware that there are several risks. It is possible for you to suffer a blood clot after the procedure. If this happens, it can cause a stroke or heart attack. Other risks include paralysis, infection, internal bleeding and many others.
These complications don’t happen often, but they are possibilities you need to consider before moving ahead with surgery.
If you’re still interested in moving ahead, the next thing you should do is call your insurance company to see if this surgery is covered. While it may be an outpatient procedure, the general anesthesia can sometimes make the procedure fall into the category of inpatient.
While you are likely to have some out of pocket expenses for the surgery itself, there are other costs that can add up as well. For example, while you will not have a regular physician during your stay, you will likely have a team of doctors and surgeons overseeing your care. In addition to this there will be costs for the hospital room and any medical equipment used during your stay.
The last thing you should do before moving ahead with surgery is to check with all of your creditors to make sure your bills will be paid while you are laid up. Once you go through all of this, you should feel confident about your choice. If you still have any doubts, you may want to seek a second opinion from another doctor or surgeon before moving ahead.
Once you’ve decided, the next thing you need to do is contact the hospital and schedule your surgery. While you can schedule this at any time, most hospitals have certain times that are better for operations than others. You should speak to your doctor about this so you can schedule your procedure at a time that best fits your needs.
Once you’ve scheduled your surgery, the next thing you need to do is make arrangements for someone to pick you up when you are discharged. This may be a family member or friend, but if not you may have to pay for a private driver. Be prepared for this expense; it can get costly depending on where you live and where you’re going after surgery.
Once you’ve made your arrangements for surgery and transportation, all that’s left is to get ready for the big day. To help with some of the costs of your procedure you may want to consider taking some of your essential belongings and selling them online. While you won’t get a lot of money from it, every little bit will help.
Once you’ve gotten your affairs in order, all that’s left is to go in for surgery. Good luck!
Sources & references used in this article:
An eight-week golf-specific exercise program improves physical characteristics, swing mechanics, and golf performance in recreational golfers by SM Lephart, JM Smoliga, JB Myers, TC Sell… – The Journal of Strength & …, 2007 – pitt.edu
Dynamic stretching: The revolutionary new warm-up method to improve power, performance and range of motion by M Kovacs – 2009 – books.google.com
The effects of scapular stabilization based exercise therapy on pain, posture, flexibility and shoulder mobility in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome … by A Moezy, S Sepehrifar, MS Dodaran – … of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2014 – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov