Hip Mobility Article Summaries

“The Importance of Controlled Hip Mobility”

Michael Davis, DPT, ART

Hips can provide coaches with knowledge related to potential injury as well as what they can expect from performance.  The hip joint is a ball and socket joint, meaning it is able to move in all three planes of motion.  It is a bridge point between the lower extremities and the trunk.  Because of the great mobility in a ball and socket joint, such as the hip joint, ligaments are there to control the degree of motions at the hip.  Most people in today’s society spend much of their time each day seated, which causes these ligaments and muscles associated with the hip to shorten over time.  This causes an anterior tilt of the pelvis which in turn causes the lumbar spine to extend.  The lumbar spine then begins to compensate for the lack of hip mobility by becoming more mobile.  The result – low back pain.  The knees and ankles are also affected  by the lack of hip mobility.  Tight hip flexors lead to week gluteals, adductors and hamstrings.  It is essential to include exercises that allow for full hip extension; kettle bell swings are a great example.

 

“How Not to Warm-Up”

Nick Tumminello

If it doesn’t make scientific sense, and it defies common sense, then it must be nonsense.
– Nick Tumminello

Warm-Up Don’t #1 = Scorpion Twist
Reasoning – cause the simultaneous extension and rotation of the spine, causing stress to spinal facet
joints – triggering low back pain
Warm-Up Don’t #2 = Prone Alternating Superman
Reasoning – lower extremities are heavier than upper extremities, which can cause a torque
around the lumbar spine which can lead to acute back pain and spasm; in addition, current
research has shown that this exercise has little or no benefit on back strength/posture so it’s
basically useless.
Warm-Up Don’t #3 = Windshield Wiper/Hip Crossover
Reasoning – rotation around the spine = bad; refer to Warm-Up Don’t #1 and #2
Warm-Up Don’t #4 = Iron Cross
Basically a more dynamic version of the hip-cross over
Reasoning – lumbar rotation, again.
Warm-Up Don’t #5 = Leg Cradle
Reasoning – Stretching the piriformis by externally rotating and abducting the hip does more
to stretch the posterior lateral hip capsule than the piriformis, which can lead to hip
instability.

“Joe D’s Agile 8”

Joe DeFranco

8 exercises to improve Hip Mobility

1. Foam Roll IT Band

2. Foam Roll Adductors

3. Glute/Piriformis Myofascial Release w/ static stretch on foam roller/tennis ball

4. Rollovers into “V” Sits

5. Fire Hydrant Circles

6. Groiners

7. Double Leg Groiners

8. Static Hip Flexor Stretch

"Prehab Your Program, Program Your Prehab"

Joe Bonyai, CSCS

Prehab exercises are just as important as any other element in a training program, however they must be implemented correctly and carefully as to not over or under-program them.  It is also essential to coach athletes when performing these exercises because they will be more likely to try to rush through them mindlessly.  Common prehab exercises often performed incorrectly include: side-lying abduction, quadruped abduction, prone trap raise, serratus push up, elbow to instep and the hip flexor lunge.  Ways to get more out of prehab: organize better by isolating the exercise at the beginning of a workout before integrating it into a workout, use different exercises and use prehabilitory progressions.  Make sure you understand the context into which everything within your program is placed.