Stretching

  The IT band stretch is one of the most commonly prescribed and most commonly misunderstood interventions in running medicine. People stand cross-legged leaning against walls, lie on their sides on foam rollers, and hold pigeon poses, all in the name of stretching the IT band. Some get relief. Many do not. And the reason

  Stretching the psoas is one of the most commonly recommended interventions for anterior hip pain, lower back pain, and hip flexor tightness. It is also one of the most commonly performed incorrectly. The difference between a stretch that genuinely lengthens the psoas and one that simply extends the lumbar spine (without meaningfully stretching the

  A gluteal muscle spasm is an involuntary, sustained contraction of one or more of the gluteal muscles that produces localised buttock pain and often a visible or palpable tightening of the muscle. It can range from a mild, temporary cramping sensation to a severe, debilitating pain that makes sitting, walking, and any movement involving

  Hip tightness is one of the most common complaints among both athletic and sedentary populations, and one of the most commonly mismanaged. The default response to tight hips is to stretch them. Sometimes that works. Sometimes it provides temporary relief that disappears within hours. And sometimes stretching makes things worse. The reason for this

  The figure 4 stretch is the most effective and most versatile piriformis stretch available. Named for the shape the legs make when the ankle of one leg is crossed over the knee of the other, it places the hip in the specific combination of flexion and external rotation that produces a direct, controlled stretch