It has been a known fact for many years that too much sitting is bad for our general health and well-being. Unfortunately, for many, it is an inevitable reality that we will spend at least 8-9 hours a day sitting at a desk at work. If we then take into account the time spent travelling to and from work, sitting for meals and watching television or relaxing, the time we spend sitting can easily be upwards of 13 hours a day or 65 hours during a working week!

Spending prolonged periods of time in a seated position causes the hip flexor muscles to become tight and inflexible. Having tight hip flexors is a common factor attributing to many other issues such as; lower back pain, bad pelvic alignment and knee problems. Often, it isn’t until we start to experience pain in other areas of the body that we realise we have a problem which if it had been assessed earlier could have been easily fixed and maintained.

Below we have listed 4 helpful tips that you could implement into your routine to help release tight hip flexors;

1. Set a timer and remember to stand up from your desk every hour and walk around the office.
2.  Attend a pilates or yoga class twice a week; stretching is the best way to release tight muscles.
3.  Ask your physiotherapist to recommend some light exercises for you to do at your desk. Stick them next to your computer or on your wall as a constant reminder.
4.  Purchase a foam roller or spiky ball and rather than sitting on the couch to watch television use that time to stretch. Our expert physiotherapists can tailor a program to stretch these specific areas.

If you have a seated job it may also be a good idea to discuss with your manager the possibilities of implementing a program to improve the ergonomics of your work place.

It is important to address the minor underlying issues of having tight hip flexors before you begin to experience these common and hard to treat pains. Contact our clinic today and book an appointment because like all things in life, addressing a slight problem before it becomes a major issue is the best way to treat and manage pain.