Pectineus Stretch

This muscle is a small muscle that lies from your pubic bone to the shaft of the femur (upper leg bone). The action this muscle produces is hip adduction (bringing the leg towards the midline of your body) and hip flexion (bringing your knee up towards your chest). If you sit a lot during the day, such has sitting at a computer desk; this muscle may be tight resulting in back pain or radiating pain down one of your legs. If you don’t find yourself sitting a lot, but play sports like soccer or football this muscle actually produces the action of kicking a ball. Either way, pain or no pain, straining your leg muscles or sitting at a desk all day, this muscle can become tight and needs to be stretched. Include the following stretch in your cool down stretching routine or add it to a daily stretch after leaving work.

Here’s how:

Step one: Standing in front of a wall or counter split your legs bringing your left leg back and keep your back knee straight. Your front leg, right leg, the knee will bend slightly.

Step two: Rotate your back foot in towards the midline of your body. You will notice when doing this motion that your hips will also rotate towards the right if it is your left leg that is back and rotated inwards. Bring your hips back to a neutral position.

Step three: Once you have brought your hips back to a neutral position tuck your but in, posterior pelvic tilt. You should feel a stretch deep in front top portion of your leg. Hold the stretch of 20 seconds and perform 3 repetitions on each leg.

This exercise can be tricky so let me know if you are having a hard time feeling the stretch.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

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