Shooting from the Hip!

"Don't add strength to dysfunction" Gray Cook

Welcome back, hopefully you have been enjoying the blog entries. This is the first blog in a series of blogs that are revolve around joint mobility. It is to be hoped that it will give you a new respect for correct joint mobilization and flexibility. We will be looking at all the major issues that normally occur due lack of mobility, some fixes and indicators when professional help may be necessary. Mobility or lack thereof is a serious issue and does not normally receive the attention it deserves. Most people are under the assumption that being the strong or having the best cardio is the key to fitness. It is mobility, flexibility then cardio and strength. As the mobility and flexibility give way to true strength.  Our mobility is directly affected by our daily activities, muscle imbalances, environment and training or treating stimuli. All of these factors have a cumulative affect on how we move, sit, stand and how are muscles react to stimuli.

 The first joint we will be addressing is the hip as it is the bridge point for the low back, and the lower extremities.  Dr. Mark Cheng calls the shoulders and hips the four knots as they tie the arms and legs to the body. In knots you need to have optimal balance of strength and flexibility as it cannot be to tight or you cannot untie your shoes or to loose and you will have no stability. We can view the hip several ways one is the joint  where the femur and the pelvis meet. The other is as an engineering marvel its a ball and socket joint which allows for movement in all three planes. The muscular network attached to the lumbo-pelvic complex is quite large.  In this blog we will be focusing on the  hip flexors tensor fasciae latae, psoas, iliacus, piriformis and rectus femoris .The other muscles that we will focus on are the  adductors, pectineus and the piriformis. The psoas originates at the lower spine, while the Illiacus, TFL and rectus femoris originate on the pelvis. The rectus femoris is one of the quadriceps with an attachment point is below the knee, its involved in extension of the knee. The ligaments of the hip help in providing stability in an upright or standing position. This is a key function in the transference of force from the lower extremity to the upper extremities. As long as the hips go into full extension. What prevents the hips from extending is the hip flexors being in a shortened position. This is one of the maladies of the modern man, it results in a forward tilting hip. Which in turn causes the lumbar spine to compensate for the lack of hip mobility. To keep our hips open we must ensure that the musculature around the hips are firing properly.       

One of the main issues we have is the shortening of the hip flexors which is caused by sitting all day at a desk with poor posture. The hips are power generators which have been turned off by modern life. We were designed to be hunters standing, running, and stalking our prey.  Our glutes don't fire properly, hip flexors are tight, and adductors are weak leaving us out of balance with a failing musculature.  When the hips lack sufficient extension force or stability this causes the muscles in the lumbar region become overactive changing its roll in stability. Dysfunction in the hips and lumbar region can manifest in problems throughout the body. Lack of mobility can stem from a flawed training program or adding strength to dysfunction. Before starting any fitness program please get evaluated by a physical therapist or a personal trainer to see what you need to work  on or balance it you out. Once you are cleared to go, be mindful of balance in muscular structure and progressing slowly. If your not progressing your regressing at that point take a step back.

I know enough science from you, I hear it through the keyboard. Onto the solutions after you get assessed or do some self assessment. You start out foam rolling the under active tight muscles and strengthen the long overactive muscles. Also working with kettle bells and free weights doing compound movements will help. The kettle bells in particular as they put you into full hip extension. Before working with kettle bells 

hire a trainer who is certified in training with kettle bells and become proficient in planks, pull ups and wall squats. I will post some mobility links below for you to explore. I have some news of whats to come; next weeks blog is addressing spinal mobility. In the coming weeks we will have a website and a new Facebook page going up.  Thank you for all the support.