Can Walking on an Incline Irritate the Hip Flexor?

Your hip flexors run down the front of your hips and thighs. They engage during hip flexion, which is when you bring your thigh up and toward your ribs. Regardless of whether you are outside climbing a hill or utilizing an incline on a treadmill, the added incline places increased stress on your hip flexors. If you have tight hip flexors, this can lead to pain in your hips and back.

Your psoas is a deep muscle running diagonally from your spine down to your femur, or thigh bone. As the psoas crosses your hip, it joins your iliacus to become the iliopsoas, which is your main hip flexor. Your iliacus covers the inside surface of your pelvis and inserts into your femur. With every step you take, your iliopsoas engages, which can place a large amount of stress on this small muscle.

According to a study published in the “Journal of Experimental Biology” in 2009, adding an incline while walking increases the mechanical work performed by your hip and knee joints. This is because you must lift your leg higher with each step. This forces your hip joint to flex, or bend, at a sharper angle. Your hip flexors, along with muscles surrounding your knees, are responsible for this motion. If your hip flexors are tight, this can lead to irritation.

To determine whether the irritation you feel is from your hip flexors, perform this move. Lie on your back with both legs straight. Pull your right knee toward your chest. If your left leg rises off the floor, you probably have a tight hip flexor. Repeat with the other leg. Tight hip flexors can lead to more issues than just discomfort; they also cause poor posture and pain in your lower back, hips and groin.

To reduce irritation and increase your range of motion, add in some stretching. Active, static stretching performed three times per week can improve hip flexion, according a 2010 report in the “Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.” One example is the supine hip flexor stretch. Lie on your back with both legs extended. Engage your core, and slide your left foot toward your hip by pointing your left knee toward the ceiling and keeping the sole of your left foot flat on the floor. Reach down with both hands and grab the back of your left thigh. Pull your knee toward your chest. Keep your right leg straight and push the back of your right heel into the floor. Hold the stretch for 30 to 45 seconds, return to the starting position and repeat two to five times. Switch legs and repeat.