Foam Roller Exercise: TFL / Hip Flexor

The Iliacus and Psoas are the primary Hip Flexors and are a group of muscles situated near the top front of your thigh and front hip. Their primary function is to allow you to lift your knee toward your chest and bend forward at the hip. Poor skating mechanics can lead to tight hip flexors due to lack of proper leg and hip extension of the drive leg during the completion of each stride. This muscle group is also even more active in helping to stabilize the glide leg while skating. Consistent attention through Soft Tissue Management to these muscles is extremely important relative to consistent performance and injury reduction.

• Place the foam roller on the ground, then lie face down so that the foam roller is perpendicular to your legs
• Place your upper thigh/hip flexor on the roller, then brace your body with your forearms on the ground in front of you to regulate pressure
• Keeping your core engaged, roll forward and back 2-3 inches.
• Repeat for 1-2 minutes then switch sides