Frog Stretch For Inner Thigh Pain Relief

The adductor muscles of the legs are in the inner part of the thighs. They attach from the pelvis to the inner thigh bone (femur) and knee. As they are named, they adduct, or bring the leg toward the midline. Short adductors include the adductor longus, adductor brevis, and the pectineus muscles, while the long adductors include the adductor magnus and gracilis muscles.  Each adductor group has its own unique stretch.

The short adductors attach from the pubic bone to the inner thigh. A great stretch for these muscles is called the frog stretch, which I demonstrate in the video below.  There are three levels of this stretch, each one giving a little extra length to the short adductors.

Although some people have weak adductors, which require strengthening, many people get tight adductors instead. If your adductors are tight, try the frog stretch; and if you are unsure, try the frog stretch as well--it will let you know if you have tight adductors. Have fun.

Los Angeles Chiropractic: Quadriceps Stretches for Pain Relief

I've been showing you stretches to open up your hip flexor complex, which includes the iliopsoas (iliacus and psoas major together) muscle.  Another muscle, which is an integral part of this complex and also needs attention in many people, is the rectus femoris (part of the quadriceps muscle) on the front of the thigh.

The rectus femoris attaches from the front of the pelvis to the shin (tibia).  It is involved in both knee extension (straightening the knee) and hip flexion.  In some people, it may be the hip flexor muscle in need of the most lengthening.  When this muscle is tight, it can lead to a number of problems, most notably low back pain and patellar tendonitis.  In either of these cases, stretching will bring quick relief and also prevent the formation and continuation of a chronic problem.

In the video below, I demonstrate four stretches that are excellent openers for the rectus femoris or quadriceps, and thus the hip, low back and knees.  The are actually four successive levels varying in difficulty and intensity.  You should try each one from the beginning to determine your current level.  When you find the one that challenges you the most, but which you can still do without causing too much pain or loss of balance, practice it for one to two weeks before trying the next level.

Within that time, you should be able to master the current level, if you do the stretch every day; and by moving on to the next level, that one will then become challenging but doable.  A principle of all exercise, whether we are talking weight lifting, cardio or stretching, is that you will have to try the next highest level at a lower intensity (whether that means reps, duration, increased intensity of stretch, or whatever) before you will be able to do it regularly and with greater ease.  For example, you won't be able to master the third level stretch in the video until you can do the second level with some ease; then by taking it to the next level, and practicing, even if it's uncomfortable, for a shorter period should in time allow you to do that next level comfortably (as comfortable as a stretch can be), and so on to the next level beyond that.  In other words, you won't be ready for the next level until you do it repeatedly, and ultimately, that will become your next level of mastery (also a metaphor for life!)

Try these stretches to add even greater opening of your hip flexor complex.  I guarantee that once you master all four levels of this rectus femoris stretch, your low back, hips and knees will thank you.  And you'll also see some amazing improvements in your posture.  Try them, you'll see.

Beverly Hills Chiropractic: Gluteus Medius Exercises

A few posts ago, I showed an excellent exercise to strengthen the gluteus maximus muscles.  Another gluteal muscle that tends to get weak, or lazy is perhaps a better way to say it, is the gluteus medius.  This hip abductor is located on the outer edges of the pelvis, and they function to hold the pelvis upright as we stand and walk.

When the gluteus medius gets weak, it can leave you susceptible to pelvic subluxations, low back pain and even knee pain.  A recent sports injury and rehabilitation study showed that knee pain and problems in runners could be helped by strengthening the hip muscles, particularly the gluteus medius.

Watch the video below to learn the best exercise--hip abductions--to strengthen the gluteus medius hip muscles.

Beverly Hills Chiropractic: Tight Hamstrings Cause Low Back Pain

Low back pain can have many sources--organic disease, herniated disks, and over-worked muscles can all cause pain in the lower back.  One factor that many people are unaware of are short, tight muscles.  The hamstrings are one such muscle group that can cause low back pain.

The hamstrings attach to the bottom portion of the pelvis, the ischial tubes, or "sit bones" as they are called in yoga.  When the hamstrings get tight, they pull downward on the sit bones, which in turn causes the pelvis to rotate backward.  As a righting compensation, the lumbar spine (low back arch) will decrease its natural arch and flex somewhat forward causing a straightening of the lumbar curve.  This straightening increases the compressive forces of the intervertebral disks, causing stress, pain and risk for disk herniation.

One simple answer is to stretch your hamstrings--but NOT like your PE teacher taught you in the sixth grade.  Reaching down to touch your toes merely increases the pressure on the lumbar spine--this can cause a herniated disk in susceptible people.  If you've ever heard somebody say that they've "thrown out" his or her back by bending over to pick something up, tight hamstrings was very likely a part of the equation.

This does not have to be you.  The solution is stretching your hamstrings regularly.  When it comes to stretching the hamstrings, there is a right way and a wrong way.  Watch the video above to learn the proper way to stretch your hamstrings.  If you are suffering from low back pain and need a chiropractor in Los Angeles, West Hollywood or Beverly Hills, please visit my sports chiropractic office to get low back pain relief.