If you’re like a lot of people, you spend most of your day at a desk. All that time sitting can wreak havoc on your hips—not to mention, being sedentary is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, too. And considering the fact that your hips are part of the foundation of your strength—and hugely important when it comes to supporting your weight and moving around without pain—letting them get too tight practically guarantees daily discomfort.
“Prolonged sitting at a desk not only shortens your hip flexors, but also weakens the antagonist muscle group, your hip extensors or glutes,” explains Jeanine Robotti, physical therapist, clinic director, and Pilates instructor at Physio Logic in New York City.
The strongest group of muscle in your hip flexors is called the iliopsoas, and it connects your low back to your thigh bone; it’s the muscle that contracts and pulls your thigh toward the torso, allowing you to walk. “The iliopsoas muscle is an important core and hip stabilizer. If this muscle is overtight or in spasm, it can cause low back pain, due to the pulling on the lumbar spine, as well as hip pain,” Robotti says. Over time, she explains, this can result in degenerative changes in your hip joints, and mechanical problems due to muscle imbalances can lead to joint dysfunction. Muscle imbalances can also happen when you only do one type of exercise, like running. [Full Article]