Hip Flexors Get Weak When We Sit Too Much
upstart writes with a story about how to avoid back pain if you spend a lot of time sitting for your job:
Simple stretches and strengthening exercises can leave you less stiff:
I am sure you've been told you should stand up and move away from your work stations or use a standing desk where possible. One of the major benefits of doing this is to activate and stretch the hip flexor area.
[...] Hip flexors are the powerful muscles located at the front of your hip. [...] Hip flexors are activated when you draw your knee towards your chest. They are important for walking and running.
Weak hip flexors may make climbing stairs, running or even walking on a flat surface difficult or painful. It can also can cause other muscles in the area to work hard to compensate. This changes your gait (the way you walk).
Tight hip flexors can make walking and standing difficult because they pull your spine down. This makes you lean forward, which puts strain on your lower back muscles (which work in opposition to keep you upright).
An imbalance between the hip flexors and the opposing muscles pulling your torso in the opposite direction can lead to lower back pain.
[...] As with all muscles, hip flexors lose strength and mass through lack of exercise.
Another contributing factor is sitting for long periods, which keeps the psoas muscles relaxed in a shortened position for a long time.
This is particularly important for those of us who spend long periods seated at a work desk, and is why many health-care professionals advise taking a break from sitting or opting for a standing desk.
[...] Failure to look after your hip flexors can lead to an altered gait, posture problems, injury and back pain.
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