Stretch Your Inner Thighs


The muscles in your thighs are important for all sorts of exercise and daily activities. Whether you're going on a run, climbing stairs, playing tennis, or just walking around, the muscles of your inner thigh are going to be heavily involved. It’s important to stretch them as much as possible to avoid injury or to release the tension if you feel your thighs getting tight. Tight groin muscles can lead to problems with your hip flexors and hamstrings along with a host of other issues. That said, to avoid a painful groin pull, you should stretch with caution. Aim for a mild pulling sensation, and stop if you feel pain.

Steps

Using Basic Stretches

  1. Reach for your toes. This very basic stretch helps lengthen muscles in the back of your thighs as well as the inner section. Remember to do this with pointed toes at first and then with your toes flexed. Hold the position still for at least 20 seconds. Don’t hold your breath while you’re stretching. Focus on long slow deep breathing, relaxing on the exhale.
  2. Try the butterfly stretch. Sit on your ground as if you were going to sit cross-legged. Put both your feet together at the heels and slowly push on knees with your elbows. Don't bob up and down by pushing harder with your elbows. Keep a constant pressure so that you feel a stretch and be sure not to hurt yourself. This is a great stretch for loosening the inner thigh, and it will do both sides at once, which is a huge benefit. [1]
  3. Do side lunges. Take a wide step out with your right foot, bending your right knee to lower yourself down slightly. Hinge forward slightly from the hips, keeping your back straight, and push your bottom back. This will stretch the left inner thigh. Hold this position for a few seconds, before resuming to the starting position. Do it again, this time extending your left leg.[2]
  4. Straddle the wall. Lie down facing a wall with your legs resting straight up against the wall. Spread your legs apart to a comfortable position. Gravity will stretch your inner thighs for you. Take ten to fifteen breaths before slowly coming out of the stretch.[3]

Stretching With Yoga

  1. Try the leapfrog stretch. Kneel down, place your elbows on the floor in front of you and try to spread your knees and legs as far apart as possible without injuring yourself. Make sure it doesn't cause too much pain. It should be a stretch, not a tearing feeling. If the pain starts to feel sharp at any time, stop. Sometimes called the ‘Frogger Pose’ this stretch isn’t too difficult to hold so you can stay in it for a longer period of time. [4]
  2. Strike a wide-legged forward bend ‘E’. Stand with your feet spread wide apart. Hinge forward at the hips and place your palms on the floor in front of you. Keeping your back straight, drop your head to try to touch the top of the head to the floor between your feet. Move your feet further apart, keeping your weight on your hands. [5]
    • Try to keep your weight on your toes rather than your heels.
    • Also called Prasarita Padottanasana, this stretch is great for your hips and hamstrings as well as your inner thighs.
  3. Try the lying groin stretch. Lay flat on your back again and press the soles of your feet together. This stretch will basically be like the normal butterfly pose except you will be lying on your back instead of sitting up. Press your knees to open your legs up, moving your knees away from each other and as close to the floor as possible on either side. This relaxing pose will help loosen your inner thigh. [6]

Stretch Preparation

  1. Wear comfortable shorts and/or flexible pants. Be able to freely move your body, stretching is next to impossible if you’re wearing jeans or some other restrictive material. If you’re alone you can go ahead and do it in your underwear, just wear something that doesn’t restrict the mobility of your hips and legs.
  2. Use shoes or go barefoot. Being only in socks can make you slip and pull a muscle. Especially when you’re pressing both feet against each other or trying to hold a certain stance while standing up, it’s better to have sturdy footing. Lose the socks.
  3. Commit some time to stretching. Don’t expect to fix everything in two minutes. Commit at least 15-20 minutes to doing a variety of stretches, and try to keep that up every day.
  4. Don’t stretch first thing in the morning. Especially if you have a lower back injury, this can exacerbate the problem if you don’t give your body time to warm up a little bit. Wait at least an hour after waking up before you start. [7]



Tips

  • If you stretch too much you can put your muscle into spasm. Try to know your limits and don’t push your body too far.
  • Stretching once isn’t going to fix everything. Remember, it took more than one day for your muscle to get tight and it will take more than one day for it to be loose again. Stick with it.
  • Stretching a little while after exercise is a great way to keep your muscles loose and limber. Some also like stretching before exercise, but stretching after keeps your muscles from tightening up.
  • Make sure to be warmed up before stretching, or you might pull a muscle.
  • Don't fall asleep while stretching. It really hurts when you get up!
  • Join a yoga class. If you don’t like stretching on your own or have troubles keeping up with, joining a yoga class and doing it with other people could be a great way to start a routine.
  • Do not hold a stretch for longer than a minute. There is no additional benefit to stretching for longer than this.

Warnings

  • Tightness in the groin may be an early indicator of hip problems. If you have persistent pain or discomfort in the groin area, visit your doctor.
  • Never do an inner thigh stretch if you think you might slip. Pulling the legs apart too much or too fast could result in a painful groin pull.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/exercise/videos/stretches/seated-butterfly-stretch.php
  2. ↑ https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/main/popup/name/side-lunge
  3. ↑ http://www.doyouyoga.com/5-yoga-poses-to-help-you-get-into-straddle-splits/
  4. ↑ http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Inner-Thigh-Stretches-16738065
  5. ↑ http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/wide-legged-forward-bend/
  6. ↑ http://nanoworkout.com/2013/03/stretch-inner-thighs/
  7. ↑ http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/how-to-stretch-properly-the-dos-and-donts-of-stretching.html
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