Your iliacus muscle is a small, tube-shaped muscle that can be found beneath your abdomen, just above the top of your hip bone. Therefore, it’s easy to overlook this little gem, especially if you’re new to exercise or focused on strengthening other body parts.
I wanted to go through how to stretch your iliacus muscle.
Keep reading or watching if you do not know your iliacus and why it is important.
The hip flexors are often referred to as the iliopsoas, a combination of the iliacus and psoas muscles. Moreover, the psoas muscle originates on the lumbar spine, while the iliacus is a much shorter muscle and originates in the pelvis.
Specifically, the iliacus and psoas muscles [¹] come together and insert onto the femur (your thigh bone).
Together, they act as the strongest hip flexors in the body.
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There are two hip flexor muscles, and it is important to stretch them individually. We have the iliacus and psoas. Then, for people who sit a lot, there is a good chance that both muscles are tight and short, leading to stiffness, poor movement, and potential injury.
I wanted to go through the most effective way of stretching the iliacus muscle.
90-90 Hip Flexor Stretch With Your Arms Overhead (Side View)
Move into the 90-90 position and tighten your abdominal area. On the side, you kneel, lift your arm, tighten your seat and bring your hips forward. After that, target that iliacus in the pelvis, so you feel a light stretch.
90-90 Hip Flexor Stretch With Your Arms Overhead (Front View)
90-90 Hip Flexor Stretch
Ensure that your foot, knee, and hip are in perfect alignment (90 degrees) and your arm is straight overhead. Afterwards, tighten your abdominal area and glute, and bring your hips forward. Then, get a light stretch through that hip or pelvis area.
After that, hold the stretch for about 20 seconds. At a minimum, do it twice on each side. Moreover, this will target the iliacus muscle, stretching the iliacus muscle, and lengthening that iliacus muscle.
Therefore, this will lead to less pain and tension in the hips, which will increase your hip mobility [²] and help reduce any back or knee pain you might have.
Give that stretch a go, and let me know how it goes or if you have any questions.
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Take care!
Rick Kaselj, MS
If you want to overcome your tight hip flexors quickly, simply, safely, and effectively, then click here to check out the Unlock Your Hip Flexors program.
References
1.Andersson, E., Oddsson, L., Grundström, H., & Thorstensson, A. (1995). The role of the psoas and iliacus muscles for stability and movement of the lumbar spine, pelvis and hip. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 5(1), 10–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.1995.tb00004.x
2. Correlations of Hip Mobility with Degree of Back Pain and. . . : Spine. (n.d.). LWW. https://journals.lww.com/spinejournal/abstract/1988/06000/correlations_of_hip_mobility_with_degree_of_back.12.aspx