This is an advanced stretch technique for hip flexor strain, front hip joint and quadriceps muscle. Opens up the front hip joint, and one of the best hip flexor exercises. Kneeling in this position might not be comfortable for runners with knee injury. Use the standing or Thomas test stretch position for iliopsoas muscles. These muscles tend to be very tight in a lot of people from excessive sitting and lack of regular stretching. Hip flexor strain or injury can often cause micro tears and scarring leading to adhesions, thickening and pain.

This is a quick test to see if you are missing ankle stretch. You need at least 10 degrees of ankle dorsiflexion for walking properly. For squatting, running and other athletic activities you need more range of motion for optimal sports performance and injury free motion. Ankle stretching are important for injury prevention and essential for running.   A lot of athletes and runners are missing adequate ankle flexibility which often results in compensatory changes up the chain with high risk of injury.

Hamstrings are group of three muscles which help bend the knee and extend the hip. Hamstring tightness is very common and can cause running back injuries, low back pain, knee pain, running injuries and impair performance. Here’s a cool and effective hamstring stretch exercise using Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation or PNF technique. This is a physical therapy technique which uses the anatomy and physiology of the neuromuscular system to effectively stretch the muscles. Hamstring stretching exercises is a contract relax technique is used here to inhibit the hamstrings so they can be stretched more effectively. 10 secs of the contract phase and 30 seconds of the stretch phase for 2-3 minutes.