Got achy knees and hips? Look to your ITB’s! Your ‘iliotibial band’. The muscle that runs down the side of your thighs.
These are tight in most people. And they get that way from…
- Having weak hip muscles from sitting too long…
- Running…
- Cycling…
- The way your foot lands when you walk…
- Shoes that aren’t the right fit for your feet…
- And tight and unforgiving fascia!
Fascia…
Your body is covered from head to toe with this very fine layer of connective tissue. When you’re….
- Dehydrated…
- Stressed…
- Have been eating crappy food…
- Drinking too much alcohol…
- Training hard and not stretching enough…
- Or not exercising at all…
…your fascia becomes tight and unforgiving!
This tightness can cause problems in your…
- Joints…
- Tendons and ligaments…
- Muscles…
- Flexibility…
- Recovery time from exercise…
- Posture…..and the list goes on!
The tightness in your ITB’s causes pulling…
Which will ALWAYS affect your knee or hip joint. Which equals achy knees and hips!
So to keep that fascia flexible and moving freely…
Firstly…drink your 2.5-3 litres of water per day.
Secondly…use your Trigger Point Roller on your ITB’s. At least 3-5x per week.
The Trigger Point roller has a 3-dimensional surface…
Which allows your muscle tissue to aerate as you roll it. This stimulates the flow of blood and oxygen.
It’s not pleasant! Most people hate it…at first. But you’ll become addicted to how good you feel after you’ve done it.
And….do this stretch. It’s instant relief for your tight ITB’s!
Have difficulty touching the ground with straight legs? Put yourself in front of a support of some sort…a chair or similar.
Cross your right foot over your left – try and get your feet even and in line with each other.
Hinge forward from the waist until your hands are either touching the ground or your support.
Alternatively you can place your hands on your legs if your balance is good. But NOT on your knees.
Push down on the big toe of your left foot – you should feel the stretch going up the outside of your left leg.
Focus on your breathing. Don’t hold your breath. Hold for 1minute. Repeat on the other side.
Got a roller?
Do you use it? Or is it shoved in a lonely corner! If you’ve got one…use it! It’s a therapy session for your body.
And if you don’t have one…invest in one! It’s a MUST in this age bracket! It releases your fascia, irons out your tight muscles and gives your joints some relief. Goodbye achy knees and hips!
Plus you feel energised after a short rolling session!
PS. Busy professional with little time? Hit an exercise plateau? Bored with your workouts? Or what you’ve been doing for years just not working anymore?
Check out my challenging 20 minute Muscle Toning Programs.
Designed by a woman in her 50’s FOR women over 50…..click on the link here……….