The hip flexors are the group of muscles that allow you to lift your knees toward your chest and bend forward from the hips. What is collectively referred to as the hip flexors is actually a group of muscles that includes the iliopsoas, the thigh muscles (rectus femoris, Sartorius and tensor fasciae latae), and the inner thigh muscles (adductor longus and brevis, pectineus and gracilis).
A lot of strain is put on those muscles during a hockey game as they play a huge part in anchoring skill movements like lunge tackles or generating power like in drag flicking. When those tight muscles are suddenly stretched beyond what they are accustomed to, you might also experience pain in the upper groin region, typically where the hip meets the pelvis. Years of playing hockey can have a detrimental effect on the hips therefore it is important to look after your hips and in particular the suppleness and strength of your hip flexors.
Simple hip-strengthening and stretching exercise can help keep these muscles from becoming tight, therefore decreasing your risk of injury and discomfort. Try these stretches daily and incorporate a few of the strength exercises into your routine 2-3 times per week. Also include in pre game warm up.
Hip Flexor stretching exercises
1.Front Hip Flexor Stretch
- Begin in a forward lunge position and drop your back knee to the floor.
- Raise your arms and hands up over your head and look up.
- Press your hips forward and down toward the floor. Feel a stretch through your torso, hip, groin and thigh.
- Hold the stretch for about 30-45 seconds, release and repeat on the other leg.
- You can modify this stretch based upon your own flexibility and limitations, but be sure to keep your forward knee over or behind your ankle — not in front of it.
2. Glute Bridge
- Lay on your back with your hands by your sides, your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Make sure your feet are under your knees.
- Tighten your abdominal and buttock muscles.
- Raise your hips up to create a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
- Squeeze your core and try to pull your belly button back toward your spine.
- The goal is to maintain a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Perform 8-12 reps holding the top position for 3-6 seconds.
- If your hips sag or drop, lower yourself back on the floor.
- Be sure to contract the glutes hard and keep the hamstrings relaxed. You may need to place your hand on your glutes to help activate them.
- Your glutes should be doing the majority of the work, and the hamstrings are allowed to do a minor amount of the work, but you should not feel any strain in the lower back.
- If you do feel strain in the lower back, immediately lower your torso to the starting position and refocus on contracting your glutes. If the pain persists, stop the exercise.
3. Seated Butterfly Stretch
- Starting Position Sit on the floor, back straight, shoulders down, abs engaged, soles of the feet together in front of you, and knees bent to the sides.
- Action Pull your heels towards you while simultaneously relaxing your knees towards the floor.
- Special Instructions -Stretch to the point of "mild discomfort," not to the point of pain. Never bounce. Do not push your thighs down to the floor with your hands.
4. Advanced IT Band Stretch
- Starting Position Start in a push up (plank) position on your hand and toes (not pictured). Lift your right foot off the floor and slide your right knee forward toward your left hand so that your knee and outer ankle rests on the floor. Slide your left leg back as far as comfortable, but keep your hips square to the floor and level.
- Action Breathe slowly and steadily as you hold the stretch, pushing your hips toward the floor, but keeping the back long, shoulders down and chest lifted. Hold for 10-30 seconds. Switch sides.
- Special Instructions- This is an advanced stretch. Do not attempt this stretch if you are unable to maintain proper form as indicated in the instructions and photo. For a deeper stretch, fold forward and let your forearms rest on the floor in front of your leg.
NB: If you can’t hold the stretches for 30 seconds, hold for 5 to 10 seconds, rest for 5 seconds, and repeat as many times as needed to total 30 seconds. Each time you perform the exercise, try to hold each repetition a little longer, so that you reach your 30-second goal with fewer repetitions.
Hip Flexor Strengthening Exercises
Note: Exercises that strengthen the hip flexors also involve contracting (shortening) these muscles. So if tight hip flexors are a problem for you, it might be wise to limit how many direct hip-strengthening exercises you perform. These exercises are more geared toward people who have been told they have weak hip flexors that need strengthening or are looking for targeted exercises to build more power and stamina in the hip flexors
1. Balancing Hip Flexion
- Starting Position Stand with feet slightly apart, toes forward, hands on hips or one hand on a wall/chair for support. Shift weight to right leg, keeping knee slightly bent and spine straight.
- Action EXHALE: Gradually lift the left leg, keeping it bent at 90 degrees. Lift knee as high as possible, trying to get thigh parallel to floor or higher. Hold here for 2 counts.
- INHALE: Slowly lower leg to ground without letting foot rest on the floor. Complete all reps and switch sides.
2. Reverse Lunges
- Starting PositionStand with legs hip-distance apart, toes pointed forward, back straight, hands on hips.
- Action INHALE: Take a big step backward with your right leg, keeping upper body as straight as possible. Bend both knees lowering your body and back knee toward the floor.
- EXHALE: Straighten legs and push off back leg to step forward to complete one rep.
- You can complete a full set of reps on one leg and then switch sides (pictured) or alternate legs with each repetition.
3. Squats
- Starting Position Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart, back straight, legs straight and hands clasped in front of your chest.
- Action INHALE: Squat by by bending from the knees and hips, keeping back straight, chest lifted and weight in your heels.
- EXHALE: Straighten legs to push up to standing, shifting weight into the left leg while lifting your right leg off to the side, toes pointed forward.
- INHALE: Place right leg back to the floor (hip-distance apart) and bend knees and hips to squat again.
4. Pendulum
- Starting Position Lie on back, arms in a T, legs straight up, feet together, toes pointed or flexed.
- Action EXHALE: Slowly lower legs several inches to the left without touching the floor.
- INHALE: Return to start.
- Repeat to right for one rep.
- Special Instructions-Keep lower back on floor.
Source: various
