Hi All and WELCOME to the next installment of 'Stretch of the Week'.  Apologies for the lateness of this post - I had an extra Volunteer Shift at the Children's Hospital last week, and then this week was the EOFY, and I had to focus on my financial records for Tax Time.  In order to catch-up there are 2 stretches posted today (#'s 18 & 19) ... Enjoy!!!

For the immediate future we will continue with our focus on the lower body in preparation for this years Bridge to Brisbane.  Of course if you are training for a running event you should not restrict all your stretching to your legs and lower body, to perform at your best you need to keep your entire body stretched and supple.  I simply thought a brief focus on some varied and proven stretches for your low back and legs would help keep more of you running. Always Remember - thorough stretching is the key to continued performance ... fail to stretch properly and thoroughly, and you risk missing your event through pain that could have been avoided if you had stretched ... simple!

The stretch for today focuses on the Hip Flexor Muscles, and most directly the Quadriceps Group (Thigh).  Most people stretch their quads a lot, but are you doing it effectively?  More importantly, are you stretching just your quads and not the deeper hip flexor muscles that can cause considerable pain and dysfunction if neglected??  Did you even know that there are muscles deep in your abdomen that create hip flexion, and are quite integral to running (and even walking) ???  Well there are, and they are called the Psoas (pronounced So-As) and the Iliacus - they always work together and are commonly known as your Iliopsoas !

Failure to stretch these deep hip flexors can create pain in the groin, or the lower abdomen, or the thigh, or even the lower back.  All of which can (and probably will if you continue to neglect them) prevent you from running and competing.
Don't ever under estimate the importance of stretching and the benefits it holds.

As far as technique goes for this stretch, it is important to note that the full chain of the stretch - covering all hip flexor muscles - pulls between the Lumbar Spine and the knee (actual attachment is the top of the Tibia Bone, past the knee).  It can seem reasonably difficult to form a continuous stretch through this entire chain, so if it is to you - break it down and take it slowly.

Essential components of the stretch (to achieve that continuous chain from lumbar spine to knee) are extension at the hip and flexion at the knee.  Effectively - extension at the hip will create the stretch on your iliopsoas, and the flexion at the knee will create the stretch on your quads.  It is also quite important that the extension at the hip be created by leaning or lunging forward from the hip - you must try to move your pelvis and torso together as 1 object.  Dont push your pelvis forward and leave your spine behind - this will create extension at your hip, but it will also create extension through your lower back and this is more likely to lead to injury. 

The iliopsoas muscles attach to the Lessor trochanter (or the inside, top of your femur bone) and so extension at the hip will put them on stretch sufficient enough to make a big difference while maintaining safe support for your lower back.  If you do include extension at your lumbar spine, the effect of gravity on your upper body can cause you to overextend and sprain your lower back and this would bring on reasonable back ache and possible disc damage.

To maximise the stretch on your quads simply increase the distance between the supporting knee and the forward foot.  As a guide, you should aim to have 90 degrees at the knee of your forward leg when you reach stretch on the quads of your supporting leg.  Beginners might nee to have their foot and knee a little closer to start, whereas experienced stretchers might step it out a little further ... play with it and see what works best for you.  Just always remember to not over-stretch, and always maintain a stable base and don't wobble.

This stretch is beneficial to anyone recovering from a Hip Flexor Strain, an Avulsion Fracture in the Pelvic Area, Iliopsoas Tendonitis, Trochanteric Bursitis, Quadriceps Strain, Quadriceps Tendonitis, and that old pearler that seems to trouble a lot of professional sports people ... Osteitis Pubis.

Always remember that while stretching may be recommended to aid recovery out of injury, you should always be very careful when stretching through rehabilitation.  Your soft tissues are likely to be more vulnerable to re-injury if you stretch too much or too hard during this time.  Always check with your Health Care Professional who is guiding you through your recovery to make sure it is appropriate to start stretching, and please -ALWAYS FOLLOW THE RULES FOR SAFE STRETCHING (The first posting on this stretching blog).

Image taken from "Lower Body Stretches" wall chart by B. Walker.

Hi All and welcome to the next installment of 'Stretch of the Week' ... my apologies for the lateness this week - clinic has been busy!

This week I thought we would stretch our Hip Flexors and Knee Extensors - you guessed it, I am talking about your Quadriceps Group (or your Thigh muscles).  I perused my trusty Stretching Anatomy book and the stretches in there looked more difficult and/or dangerous than the stretch I will describe for you, and in my mind easier stretching means better results.  I am sure you are all aware of this stretch, it is widely used in lots of places - gyms, training groups, almost everywhere people stretch they are sure to be using a variation of this one.

The main muscles we want to focus on with this stretch is the Quads - as mentioned above - but also the Psoas and Iliacus Muscles (often referred to as the Iliopsoas, and found deep in the lower abdominal region on the front of your lumbar spine).  Tension in the Psoas and Iliacus can lead to low back ache by pulling forward on the lumbar vertebrae.  This stretch is done kneeling on 1 knee (sometimes referred to as a lunge position), and stabilising your body by holding onto a stable object like a chair or a post or anything that will not move.

Technique:
Position yourself kneeling on 1 knee with the other foot stretched out in front of you a little further away than the length of your Femur (thigh bone).  Stabilise your body by holding a stable object - chair, table, post, whatever.  Place your other hand on your hip to help your balance.

Take a deep breath in, then as you exhale gently push your pelvis forward towards your other foot.  You should feel tension not only through the front of your thigh, but also through your pelvis ... this is where your Psoas and Iliacus go.

Hold this position for 15-20 seconds, and don't hold your breath, then gently release the stretch by returning to the starting position and repeat on the other leg.

Tips:
Try to keep a neutral spine throughout the whole stretch.  By this I mean as you push your pelvis forward, let your whole upper body go with it rather than extending the lower back.

Also in relation to your pelvis, try to keep it 'squared off' with your torso.  By this I mean try to move the whole torso - pelvis and upper body - as 1 unit, and don't let your groin get left behind or tilt your pelvis forwards. 

If you can only stretch a short way forward to start with, it is more important to maintain neutral spine and squared-off pelvis than to sacrifice these for greater distance.  The more you do the stretch, the further you will be able to go and the better you will feel.

Variations of this stretch can be done standing, or even in side lying position, but I believe this is the best way to achievethe best results for effort when stretching these muscles.

Variation to deepen the stretch to the Quads:
Once you are comfortable with this stretch and you feel it is not giving you as much benefit for your Quads, you can step up the intensity and difficulty with the help of a towel or some rope/cord.   As you get into the starting position place a rolled up towel or some rope/cord under the ankle of the leg you are kneeling on, and hold the ends with your free hand - over your shoulder.  Then once you are in full stretch forward, pull the towel/rope/cord over your shoulder which will in turn flex the knee you are kneeling on and give a deeper stretch to the Quadriceps group of muscles.  Be careful not to over stretch your Quads or you may do more harm than good.

Always remember to relax into your stretches - don't fight against the stretch (it may cause more harm than good), and always do each stretch 3 times, at least twice each day.

This stretch has not been directly taken from any specific source, but reference is made to "Stretching Anatomy" by A.G. Nelson and J. Kokkonen - pp106-109, and "The Anatomy of Stretching" by B. Walker - pp108-1