With the majority of Melbournians walking more to get out of the house(!), get in those 10,000 steps, and catch up with family and friends, those muscles are starting to feel a bit tight!

Dr. Craig Lia, Osteopath at Back in Health, suggests some some simple ways to help alleviate tightness from the increased mileage:

Hip flexor stretch

Feeling tight in the front of your hips and legs?

Kneel on you right knee
Place your left foot on the floor in front with your knee bent
Lean forward, stretching your right knee
Get the most out of the stretch by reaching with your right arm up over to the left
Aim for 30-60 seconds
Swap sides and repeat

Hamstring stretch

Trouble touching your toes or tightness in the back of your legs?

Standing on left leg
Place your right leg on a step
Reach forward with your right hand, stretching the back of your right leg
To achieve a stretch through the different portions of your hamstring, reach in different directions. Towards 3 o’clock with stretch the outer portion and towards 9 o’clock will stretch the inner portion.
Aim for 30-60 seconds
Swap sides and repeat

Calf Stretch

Feeling tight at the back of your lower leg?

Stand an arm’s length from the wall
Both hands on the wall, place your right leg in front
Press your left heel down with your left knee straight, keep your right knee bent
Not getting a stretch? Trying shifting your hips to the right or left
Aim for 30-60 seconds
Swap sides and repeat

This blog was written by Dr. Craig Lia (Osteopath) from Back in Health. Back in Health Osteopathy practitioners are based in our Fitzroy North and CBD locations.