Do one thing

Do one thing

A common question I pose to new clients in the clinic is “what do you do besides just run?” Most times my inquiry is met with a confused look. The same question applies to triathletes: what do you do besides swim, bike, or run? What I am fishing for as I begin the initial evaluation is does this person work on flexibility, address strength training with a consistent gym routine, or even work on postural balance by working on core muscles? The answers I receive cover a broad spectrum. However, the majority of people respond with chesire cat grin as they confess they do nothing more than train for their particular sport. I do not fault them for this, yet try to ultimately help them to recognize that this approach only works for so long. Particularly with Masters athletes, I find this approach to place most folks on the path to injury.

Though most of the physical therapists at Sports and Spinal have worked with pro athletes in some capacity, I would argue that we work most consistently with “professional” athletes all day long. These are the spirited club runners who train early in the morning before they then sit all day at work. This group also includes the triathletes who train before work, sit, then train more after work! Needless to say, this group is a dedicated bunch. They are concerned about their race times, and their training time, but first and foremost is their time commitments to work. At Sports and Spinal, we see certain deficits afflicting many different types of clients. One example we see is that for people who are seated all day, certain muscles groups are almost always tight. It actually makes sense when you consider which muscles are placed in a shortened position when seated. This group includes the hamstrings which are shortened by virtue of the knees being flexed while seated. The hip flexors are also placed in a shortened position because the hips are moderately flexed when seated, particularly when using poor posture strategies.

We know that the “professional” athlete is usually short on time. Therefore we start off the New Year with a new column entitled “Do one thing” which gives the reader one exercise to focus on adding to their existing routine. The goal will be to make it a simple task which can be done with time efficiency, and in any location. The first target will be the tight hip flexors mentioned above. Maintaining flexibility in the hip flexors will reduce strain on the lumbar spine, as well as enable full hip range of motion for the running athlete. The hip flexor group, made up of the iliacus and psoas muscles, originates directly attached to the vertebrae of the lumbar spine(lower back), and the inside of the pelvis. The muscle inserts onto the inside of the of the femur, or thigh, bone. These details are mentioned because they will factor into the posture one assumes when stretching the muscles.

To stretch the left hip flexors, assume a partial kneeling position such that the left knee is on the ground, and the right foot is on the ground with the knee flexed at a 90 degree angle. The right foot should be facing straight ahead. Both sides of the pelvis, and the shoulders should also be positioned in the same manner. A person should actively try to assume a tall posture with a gentle bracing of the core muscles. Imagine the pelvis is a bucket. The gentle bracing of the core muscle should keep that bucket level via a subtle backward tilt. Holding this posture, the person will shift their weight forward toward the right foot. The pelvis and shoulders should move forward equally such that the ‘tall’ posture is maintained. A gentle stretch should be felt in the front of the right hip. For a gentle increase in the stretch, a person can sidebend to their left side which will lengthen the muscle being stretched. As needed, further stretch can be applied by reaching the right arm overhead toward the left side. Hold the stretch 30 seconds, repeat twice each side.