Beginner Hip Flexor Stretch for Parkinson’s

My clients ask for an easy stretch they can do in the morning or evening that will help with the rounding forward posture and back pain Parkinson’s disease can cause. It’s very common so I started doing this exercise with all my private clients and integrating it into my boxing classes. It’s easy and gets to those pesky psoas muscles that get overly tight especially on people with PD.

The psoas is the major hip flexing muscle that performs several complex actions like lifting your legs and even moving your intestines.

The psoas major attaches at the bottom of the thoracic spine (T12) and along the lumbar spine (through L4), then threads through the pelvic bowl, runs over the front of the hip joint, and attaches at the top of the femur (thigh bone). It is the only muscle that connects the spine to the leg. The psoas is also intimately connected to our adrenal glands, which can make it even tighter when we are stressed.

We experience lower back pain due to prolonged sitting and imbalanced gait movement. If back pain is affecting your life, this beginner Parkinson’s hip flexor stretch will be a game changer. This is sphinx pose with a rolled-up yoga mat or towel helps release the psoas muscles, extends the spine while opening the chest thus relieving back pain and improving posture.

Watch How to Do a Beginner Hip Flexor Stretch for Parkinson’s

1. Roll up a blanket or yoga mat like the one pictured. A foam roller will be too rigid and big.
2. Lie on your belly, with the forearms flat on the floor, elbows under the shoulders, chin on the floor and legs together. Place the blanket above your hips so that it spans from hip to hip.
3. Press the forearms down into the floor while lifting the head and chest off of the floor, keeping the neck in line with the spine.

1. Keep the elbows close to your sides and use the arms to lift you up even higher. Drop the shoulders down, shoulder blades in your back pockets and collar bones lifted.
2. Rest there for at least 90 seconds to 2 minutes or longer so the psoas has a chance to release. BREATH!
3. End by sitting back on your heels or child’s pose

If you don’t feel a stretch using the blanket, and you are really pulling in your belly and lifting your chest, you may be ready to add the balls (coming up in a new post).

If this stretch is too intense or you feel back pain, place one hand on top of the other and rest your head on them and relax.

💜 Coach Kimberly