A Move You Should Do MONDAY – Seated Knee Hug

The seated knee hug is a simple but effective move to help eliminate lower back pain by balancing out a trio of muscles: back extensors (erector spinae) and two hip flexors (rectus femoris and psoas major). Here’s how to do it:

Sit on a chair or bench with you feet hip width apart and toes pointed straight ahead
Lift one knee towards your chest and then as your knee approaches your chest, gently pull it up with your hands to complete the end of the range
Make sure your back stays upright as you flex your hip
Perform 6-10 repetitions

Why does this matter?

Have you ever felt back stiffness or pain when you roll out of bed in the morning or stand up from sitting? This is likely due to an overactive psoas major. One way to relax the psoas major is to activate the other hip flexor, the rectus femoris, the only quadricep muscle that crosses the hip joint.

Most people who experience lower back pain after standing or sitting also tend to toe outon one side. This posture causes the psoas major to become overactive as it is also a hip external rotator. Because it attaches to the lumbar spine, it can create anterior shear of the lumbar segments causing lower back pain and stiffness.

Psoas major

The rectus femoris also flexes the hip, but it does so without rotating the hip and without creating lumbar spine stresses.

By doing the seated knee hug and NOT allowing your hip or knee to turn out, you will activate the rectus femoris and inhibit the psoas major. As an added bonus, if you keep your back straight during this exercise, you teach your low back muscles (erector spinae) to stabilize your spine against excessive flexion.

The seated knee hug is a quick way to get rid of lower back stiffness after sitting or lying for prolonged periods of time. Do yourself a favor and activate your quad, inhibit your hip flexors and strengthen your back in less than a minute.

Because nobody has time to be in pain.

Until next time…