Pelvic Hike and Sports Performance
Pelvic hike is when there is a lateral shift in the pelvis resulting in uneven hips. This postural change can occur for The following two reasons.
1. Muscular Imbalances
The Quadratus Lumborum, Adductors, and Glute Medius are weakened and shortened more on one side of the body and or...
2. Posture or Habit
Athletes create physical habits that help us perform and compete. For
example; If you are a basketball players and your run and jump off one leg more than the other, or a soccer player that predominately uses one leg to strike a ball more than the other, this will cause a lateral shift in the pelvis. If you are already have a anterior pelvic tilt (which most players in both sports have) then this is a additional imbalance that can cause knee pain, low back pain and even shoulder pain.
How can you tell if you have a uneven hip?
Stand in front of a mirror that you can see from at least hips up. Place hands on your waist and perform a single leg squat and hold for :10. Complete on both sides and compare the difference.
The other way you can check is a leg length test, this is done while you lay on your back and have someone check for leg length discrepancy. The side that is shortened, the QL, Adductors and Glutes may need to be released to improve leg length and reduce back pain.
Here are some examples of what you can do on a daily basis to help keep the hips even and healthy.
Rectus Femoris Release with Lacrosse Ball
2. TFL Twist
3. Foam Roll Piriformis
Stay tuned for more videos and exercises as we are adding our extensive video library just for members! If you haven't checked out our athlete and parent resource page, we offer free downloadable PDF's with exercises, information on Long Term Development and more!
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