You use the muscles in your inner thigh and groin area more often than you would possibly think. whenever you walk, turn, or bend, these muscles play a key role keep you balanced, stable, and moving safely.

The inner thigh muscles are called the adductors. They’re made from five different muscles. These muscles are attached to your pelvic (hip) bone and femur, or upper long bone .

Besides helping you progress safely, your adductors also are crucial to stabilizing your hips, knees, low back, and core.

In this article, we’ll take a better check out why it’s important to concentrate to those muscles once you stretch. And if you would like samples of effective, easy stretches, we’ve those, too.

What are the advantages of stretching your inner thighs?

According to the American Council on Exercise, including inner thigh stretches in your workout routine or when your muscles feel tight may help:

• ease muscle tension in your legs and groin
• improve flexibility
• increase your leg muscles’ range of motion
• prevent muscle strains, tears, and other injuries
• increase circulation to your groin
• help reduce post-workout aches and pains
• boost your athletic performance
• improve your balance and posture

When do you have to stretch your inner thighs?

Researchers agree that a mixture of dynamic and static stretching is most useful for improving flexibility, boosting athletic performance, and preventing injury.

Fitness experts recommend doing dynamic stretches before you begin exercising. A dynamic stretch may be a sort of targeted warm-up. It prepares your body for exercise by mimicking the motion of your planned activity.

Dynamic stretches also help increase your blood heat and blood flow, and obtain your muscles able to work. this will help prevent injuries, sort of a muscle strain or tear.

Static stretches, on the opposite hand, are most beneficial when they’re done after a workout. These are stretches that you simply hold in situ for a period of your time , with none movement. they permit your muscles to relax and relax while increasing flexibility and range of motion.

ResearchTrusted Source has shown that static stretches tend to be less effective if they’re avoided a warm-up, or dynamic stretching.

Dynamic inner thigh stretches

Before you begin exercising, or if your groin muscles feel tight, spend about five minutes doing dynamic stretches. These stretches can help warm up your muscles and obtain them able to move safely.

Leg swings

This simple dynamic stretch involves standing in one spot while you swing your legs as a part of a warm-up. It targets your inner thighs, hips, and glutes.

• Stand together with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Lift your right leg off the bottom , and keep your weight on the heel of your left foot.
• Hold onto a wall or chair for support if you would like to.
• Starting slowly, swing your right leg sort of a pendulum from side to side. attempt to avoid twisting your torso an excessive amount of .
• As your muscles start to relax , you’ll devour the pace and swing your leg out further with each move.
• Perform 20 times on each leg.

Crossover stretch

If you enjoy dancing, this move should come naturally as it’s almost like the “grapevine” dance move.

• Start together with your feet together, then step to the left together with your left foot.
• Cross your right foot ahead of your left leg.
• Step to the left again together with your left foot, and convey your right foot to hitch your left foot.
• Once both your feet are together, repeat within the other direction.
• You can start slowly, but devour the pace as you get wont to the move.
• Try to continue for a minimum of 2 to three minutes.

Static inner thigh stretches

The following inner thigh stretches are often done at the top of your workout to spice up flexibility and range of motion, and to assist your muscles relax after understanding .

Butterfly stretch

This stretch targets the muscles in your inner thighs, hips, and lower back.

• Sit on the bottom , and place the soles of your feet together ahead of you. Let your knees bend bent the edges .
• Place your hands on your feet as you pull your heels toward you.
• Keep your back straight and your abs engaged as you let your knees relax and inch closer to the ground . You’ll feel slight pressure on your groin muscles.
• Breathe deeply and hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds.
• Repeat 3 times. Move your feet closer to your groin for a more intense stretch.

Lateral squat

• Stand up and place your feet double shoulder-width apart.
• Shift your weight to your right leg, bend your right knee, and push your hips back as if you’re getting to sit down.
• Drop as low as possible while keeping your left leg straight.
• Keep your chest up and your weight on your right leg.
• Breathe deeply and hold for 10 to twenty seconds before returning to the starting position.
• Repeat 3 to 4 times, then switch to the opposite side.

Reclining angle bound pose

This relaxing stretch can help relieve muscle tension in your hips and groin. It’s an especially good stretch if you spend most of your day sitting.

• Lie down flat on your back.
• Bend your knees and move your soles inward in order that they’re touching.
• Move your knees down toward the ground in order that you are feeling your groin muscles stretching.
• Breathe deeply and hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Repeat 3 times. attempt to move your feet closer to your buttocks with each stretch.

Safety tips

To stay safe while stretching, keep the following pointers in mind:

• Don’t bounce. Sudden, jerky, or bouncy movements can injure or tear the muscles.
• Start slowly. Don’t attempt to do an excessive amount of too quickly. Start with a couple of stretches, and add more as you gain more flexibility.
• Don’t forget to breathe. Breathing helps relieve stress and tension in your muscles, and it can assist you hold a stretch for extended .
• Don’t push beyond what’s comfortable. Some discomfort is normal, but you shouldn’t feel any pain when you’re stretching. Stop directly if you are feeling sharp or sudden pain.

You should also see a doctor if you experience intense pain that gets worse once you walk or sit, or that creates it hard to maneuver your legs.

The takeaway

Your inner thigh muscles, also referred to as the adductors, play a crucial role keep you balanced, stable, and moving safely. They’re also crucial to stabilizing your hips, knees, low back, and core.

The best thanks to keep these muscles relaxed and versatile is by including dynamic stretches in your warm-up and static stretches in your cooldown routine. Stretching your adductors regularly can improve your flexibility and performance, and also prevent injury and stiffness.

Talk to your doctor if you’ve got any concerns about stretching, especially if you’ve got an injury or medical condition.