This exercise is a glute stretch and its aim is to lengthen the soft tissue on the back of your hips.
Lay on your back with your knees bent at roughly 90 degrees. Move one foot across to the thigh of the opposite leg, reach with both hands to the leg that hasn't moved and pull your thigh towards your chest. You should feel a stretch on the back of your hip muscles, the gluteals, on the leg that you moved across. Once you have finished the stretch, return back to the start position.
If you struggle to get down and up off the floor this exercise can be performed on a sofa or a bed as well.
As a rough guide aim to hold the stretch position for at least 1 minute, but follow your rehab programme for the recommended duration, and ideally make sure you are warm before you perform it.
You can make this exercise harder by holding onto the shin when you pull your leg closer as this will increase the stretch. If you struggle to perform this exercise, when you have moved your foot across to rest on your opposite thigh, you can simply push down on the knee of the leg which you are stretching by pushing it away from your body. If you are particularly tight or have poor mobility this level of stretch may be appropriate. You can also perform this easier version of the exercise by sitting on a chair, by moving one foot across to rest on your opposite thigh, and then push the knee down towards the floor to create a stretch on your glute muscles.
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FOR PHYSIOS
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PATREON
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