Help, I’ve been sitting for a while and I can’t get up!

Ever wonder why it is so hard to get up after you have been sitting for a while? Well aside from the obvious answer (poor posture or bad chair) the most likely answer is that your hip flexors are too tight! Our current culture has created “professional sitters”. Over time, our hip flexors are in the flexed, shortened position so often, they shorten “permanently”. To combat this, please do the following:

1. Get up. Take multiple breaks during the day. When you go to lunch try to walk and try to move. Don’t just sit down some more for your hour break.
2. Do standing hip flexor stretches throughout the day and especially after a long hike, run or exercise.
3. Strengthen your glutes. Your glutes (buttock muscles) are the “hip extensor” muscles. You must strengthen the antagonistic muscle group or your body will develop unhealthy asymmetries. Lunges, bridges and “proper” squats are great exercises to strengthen the glutes.
4. Last, but not least, get your pelvis adjusted. With a proper functioning lumbar spine, pelvis and hip joints, you will have much greater success relaxing and lengthening your hip flexors.

Until next time, be healthy, happy and smart!

Dr. Jim