In Hip ROM #4, how should the legs move during the stretch?

In Hip ROM #4, how should the legs move during the stretch?

• A. Legs perform circular motions in small circles.
• B. Legs stay bent with feet flat on the mat.
• C. Legs extend toward ceiling or parallel, then lower/reach out. Can be parallel or externally rotated. Avoid low-back arching.
• D. Legs cross and scissor back and forth.

Answer: (C)

This stretch tests how to move the legs through a lengthening sequence that opens the hip while keeping the pelvis stable and the spine neutral. Start with the legs extended toward the ceiling or held parallel, then lower them and reach out, allowing the legs to stay either parallel or externally rotated. The key cue is to avoid arching the lower back—keep the pelvis level and the core engaged so the stretch comes from the hip joints and hamstrings rather than from the spine. This pattern gradually lengthens the hip flexors and hamstrings and helps improve hip ROM without compensations that place stress on the back. Other patterns, like making small circular motions, keeping the legs bent with feet flat, or crossing and scissoring, don’t align with this goal. They either restrict the stretch or promote movements that can compromise spinal alignment or knee health.

This stretch tests how to move the legs through a lengthening sequence that opens the hip while keeping the pelvis stable and the spine neutral. Start with the legs extended toward the ceiling or held parallel, then lower them and reach out, allowing the legs to stay either parallel or externally rotated. The key cue is to avoid arching the lower back—keep the pelvis level and the core engaged so the stretch comes from the hip joints and hamstrings rather than from the spine. This pattern gradually lengthens the hip flexors and hamstrings and helps improve hip ROM without compensations that place stress on the back.

Other patterns, like making small circular motions, keeping the legs bent with feet flat, or crossing and scissoring, don’t align with this goal. They either restrict the stretch or promote movements that can compromise spinal alignment or knee health.