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Difference Between Hip Flexor Stretch & Quad Stretch

Sitting for long periods keeps the hips in a flexed position, so it's not surprising that hip flexor tightness is a common complaint. Tight hip flexors can alter your posture and contribute to low-back pain. Stretching them may offer relief. Several muscles are responsible for flexing the hips, including one of the quadriceps muscles on the front of the thigh, so a comprehensive stretching program for the hip flexors needs to take into account the position of the knee as well as the orientation of the hip.

  1. Hip Flexors

    • The hip flexors are a group of muscles that flex the hip joint, or pull the thigh and trunk toward each other. The psoas, which originates on the lumbar spine, and the iliacus, which originates on the inside of the pelvis, share a common insertion on the upper thigh bone. Together, they form the iliopsoas, the most powerful hip flexor. Other muscles of the thigh, such as the sartorius and tensor fasciae latae, also act as hip flexors, as does one of the quadriceps muscles, the rectus femoris.

    Quadriceps

    • Located on the front of the thigh, the quadriceps, or quad, muscle is named for its four muscle bellies, or heads. Three heads originate on the thigh bone, or femur. The fourth head -- the rectus femoris -- originates on the front of the pelvis, above the hip joint. All four heads insert through a common tendon onto the knee cap and the upper shin bone, or tibia. They work together to extend the knee joint. Because the rectus femoris also crosses the hip joint, it acts as a hip flexor as well.

    Hip Flexor Stretching

    • To stretch your hip flexors, you must extend your hip, moving the thigh backward in relationship to your trunk. A classic iliopsoas stretch is the kneeling hip flexor stretch. Start in a lunge with your right foot forward and your left knee back. Lower your left knee to a padded mat, and position your right foot slightly ahead of your right knee. Press your hips forward and down until you feel a stretch in the front of your left hip. Hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds, then repeat, switching legs. Because the back knee is only slightly flexed, the kneeling hip flexor stretch does not appreciably stretch the quads.

    Quad Stretching

    • Your knee must be bent for a quad stretch. To stretch your quads in a standing position, place your left hand on a wall or other support for balance. Bend your right knee, pointing it toward the floor. Grasp your foot with your right hand and pull your heel toward your buttock until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh. Do not allow your knee to move out to the side. Hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. Repeat, switching legs. By moving the knee backward and extending your hip, you will stretch the rectus femoris along with the other quadriceps muscles. If the knee is not flexed deeply, the iliopsoas will be stretched more than the quadriceps.

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