Everyone "holds tension" in their bodies in one form or another. Tension is often a result of acute stress (like a sudden injury) or chronic stress (like unrelenting back pain) - both can cause the body's sympathetic nervous system to engage the "fight or flight" response. This is a normal response that can cause abnormal muscle tone if left unchecked.
Much of the fight or flight response is driven by the secretion of hormones from the adrenal glands which increases the heart rate and causes muscles to tighten. Your body is basically "guarding " against further injury.
If you have a muscle imbalance in your hips or lower back, which may be caused by abnormal movement patterns, prolonged sitting, or immobility due to surgery or injury, then this stress response will be more pronounced in muscle groups that are helping to "guard" or stabilize the area. You will perceive this as tension and often pain. Over time, this can become a chronic injury.
What can you do about all of this tension holding in the hips?
JUST BREATH!
Sounds easy, doesn't it? Try this simple 4-7-8 breathing technique to turn off the sympathetic nervous system and reduce tension in your body:
empty the lungs of air (exhale)
breathe in quietly through the nose for 4 seconds
hold the breath for a count of 7 seconds
exhale through the mouth with pursed lips for 8 seconds (make a "swoosh" sound)
repeat this cycle 4 times
If you suspect that you have a muscle imbalance from an injury or prolonged immobility, there are specific exercises you can do to strengthening the weak muscle groups and lengthen the tight muscle groups. This will help to set your body back into proper alignment and balance. Your customized PT evaluation will reveal exactly what muscle groups are imbalanced and causing tension in your body.
Together we can get you back to the activities you LOVE!
