Lower Body Stretching Groin Hamstrings Hip Flexors Iliotibial Band Quadriceps The Student/Athlete Educational Foundation, inc. Wakefield, MA 01880 781-850-4520
Foot Up Quadriceps Stretch 1. Stand in a safe area with a stable elevated surface behind you about hip level. 2. While keeping your balance (hold on to something if you need to) place the top of your foot up on the edge of the stable surface. 3. Slowly move your body down and away leaving your foot on stable surface and hold. 4. Return to starting position, relax, and repeat. Hip-Groin Side Stretch 1. Stand with good erect posture and spread legs apart. 2. Keep trunk upright throughout exercise. 3. Lean toward your left side bending left knee and hip, keeping right leg straight and hold. 4. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat. Hip/Groin Stretch 1. Sit safely on the edge of a chair. 2. Spread legs widely apart and turn feet outward 3. Place back of arms on the inside of each knee. 4. Keeping chest pushed out, begin to lean trunk forward and let arms slide down inside of legs slightly pushing out on legs at the same time. 5. Once you feel a stretch, hold. 6. Bring trunk back up to the starting position and repeat.
Hip-Groin Wall Stretch 1. Lie on back with feet on wall and buttocks near base of wall. 2. Keep legs against wall throughout exercise. 3. Spread legs apart letting gravity assist in the stretch and hold. Doorjamb Hip/Hamstring Stretch 1. Lie on your back in a doorway with your leg to be stretched next to doorjamb. 2. Place your foot on the doorjamb with knee bent and keep opposite leg out straight. 3. Slide your foot up doorjamb straightening your knee and hold it there. Double Toe Touch Hamstring Stretch 1. Sit on a firm surface with your legs straight. 2. Keep your legs straight throughout exercise. 3. Reach your hands toward your toes, pull your feet up, and hold. 4. Return to the starting position, relax, and repeat. 4. Return to the starting position, relax, and repeat.
Drop Leg Hip Stretch 1. Lie on back on firm surface with side to be stretched next to edge of surface. 2. Drop UNINVOLVED leg next to edge off surface toward floor. 3. Bring knee of INVOLVED leg toward chest, grasp with hands, and squeeze to chest and hold. 4. Return to the starting position, relax, and repeat. Elbow To Floor Hip Stretch 1. Sit on the floor with the leg to be stretched straight out and your other leg bent out to the side. 2. Roll the side of the foot of the straight leg so it touches the floor. 3. Sit up and turn your trunk to the side of the straight leg and place hand on floor, straight across from hip, keeping elbow straight. Your trunk and hip should be at a 90- degree angle. 4. Bend your other elbow and lean your trunk over, attempting to touch your elbow to the floor. Keep your opposite elbow straight during the stretch. 5. Return to the starting position, relax, and repeat. Hamstring/Hip Stretch 1. Lie on your back on firm surface with knees bent, feet resting on surface. 2. Lift your leg on side to be stretched and grasp with hands on thigh under knee. 3. Squeeze your knee toward chest and hold. rn to the starting position and repeat.
Hip-Adductor Stretch 1. Sit on firm surface with back straight, bend hip and knees, bringing the soles of your feet together. Your knees will rise slightly. 2. Push knees toward surface keeping feet together and hold. 3. Relax and repeat. High Surface Hamstring Stretch 1. Sit at the edge of a firm surface with your leg to be stretched on surface, your knee straight and your opposite leg off the edge of the surface. 2. Reach your hands toward your toes, pull your foot up, and hold. 3. Return to the starting position, relax, and repeat. Hip Stretch with Chair 1. Stand in front of chair and place foot on seat. 2. Lean forward over bent knee and hold. 3. Relax and return to the starting position. 4. Repeat.
Hip Stretch Prayer Position 1. On firm surface kneel on hands and knees. 2. Sit back on heels and bring chest to knees. 3. Keep hands resting on floor and hold. 4. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat. Knee Pull Hip Stretch 1. Lie on your back on firm surface with knees bent and feet flat. 2. Bring one knee toward chest, grasp with hands and pull, bringing knee toward chest and hold. 3. Relax and return to the starting position and repeat. Kneeling Hip Stretch 1. Get on all fours on firm surface so hands are at shoulder level and hips over knees. 2. Maintain spine in neutral during exercise. 3. Rock backwards moving hips toward heals and hold. 4. Slowly return to starting position 5. Repeat.
Leaning Hip Stretch 1. Sit safely on the edge of a chair. 2. Spread legs slightly apart, feet flat on the floor. 3. Place hands together between your legs. 4. Drop your torso forward, hands lowered between legs 5. Once you feel a stretch, hold. 6. Bring trunk back up to the starting position and repeat. another stretch. Lunging Hip Stretch 1. Kneel on your left leg, bending your right leg to 90 degrees at the hip with your knee resting foot on floor 2. Keep upper body erect throughout the exercise. 3. Lunge forward with knee on floor and hold. 4. Relax, return to the starting position, and repeat. Prone Cross-Over Hip Stretch 1. Lie on your stomach on a firm surface. 2. Bend your right knee to 90 degrees. 3. Keep that knee bent and your thigh supported throughout exercise by keeping it on the surface. 4. Rotate your right leg moving your foot inward across your left leg and hold. 5. Return to the starting position, relax, and repeat. 5. Repeat with other leg.
Prone Hip Flexor Stretch 1. Lie on your stomach on a firm surface. 2. Bend your knee to 90 degrees. 3. Keep knee bent and thigh supported throughout exercise. 4. Rotate leg moving foot outward and hold. 5. Return to the starting position, relax, and repeat. Hip Iliotibial band stretch 1. Stand with good erect posture with hip to be stretched next to the wall. 2. Place arm on wall above shoulder level. 3. Lean hips toward wall keeping trunk erect and hold. 4. Return to the starting position, relax, and repeat.