The hip release you crave is in your TFL muscle.

Get ready to have an "ah-ha" moment with your hip tension.

The TFL (short for Tensor Fasciae Latae) is a lesser known but crucial piece of the pain puzzle in your hips. It’s a thick, tense, rope of muscle, essentially at the top of your IT band. It’s often a surprise how sensational this spot is—when you’re able to access it, it feels like you’ve found the button in your hips that will somehow magically release them. This muscle is underutilized and tight by those of us who sit a lot. In the sitting position, not only is this muscle in its shortened state, but it makes a habit out of that after prolonged periods of sitting. Also, when we sit, the majority of us slightly externally rotate our femur bones, putting our hips into external rotation. The TFL is in a stretch when your thigh bone internally rotates. This is just to say that if you’re a sitter, your TFLs are in the habit of being tight.

But what does that feel like? Tight TFLs can keep several different pain symptoms alive, including back and sacral tightness and general hip stiffness. My buddies who have the tightest TFLs have little ability to internally rotate their femur bone (this stretch/test is in the technique vid below) and that  lack of mobility most certainly leads to tension and problems elsewhere. 

So what does your TFL feel like today? Let's find out together and work out some tension in this much needed rolling technique.

Find more techniques like this one AND 30 minute full body release classes on my Patreon platform. Rolling just once a week for a 30 minute span can regulate your nervous system, improve your sleep and digestion, and lead to a calmer, more centered you. Join for just $10/month.

Take it easy, my friends!

Love,

Maggie