Seated Figure-Four Stretch
oec:seated-figure-four-stretch
A seated mobility stretch that targets the deep external rotators and glutes by resting one ankle across the opposite thigh.
Generated by gemini-3.8-flash from the sources below. No person has checked this record. Don't rely on it for safety.
Also called: Seated Figure 4 Stretch, Seated Piriformis Stretch, Chair Figure-Four Stretch, seated figure four
How to do it
Setup
- Sit upright near the edge of a sturdy bench or chair with both feet flat on the floor and knees bent at approximately 90 degrees.
- Lift one leg and rest the outside of that ankle across the opposite thigh, just above the knee, allowing the crossed knee to open out to the side.
Movement
- Maintain a tall posture with a neutral spine and level pelvis.
- Hinge slightly forward at the hips while keeping your chest lifted until a comfortable stretch is felt in the outer hip and glute of the crossed leg.
- Hold the position steadily for the prescribed time without bouncing.
- Carefully return the torso upright, uncross the leg, and repeat on the opposite side.
Breathing
Breathe slowly and deeply through the nose, exhaling gently to relax deeper into the hip stretch.
Cues
- Hinge from the hips, not the waist
- Keep your chest proud
- Flex the top ankle slightly to protect the knee
Common faults
- Rounding the lower and mid-back to reach forward rather than hinging at the hips.
- Keep the chest high and initiate the movement purely by tilting the pelvis and torso forward as a single unit.
- Forcing or aggressively pushing down on the elevated knee.
- Allow gravity to open the hip naturally, or use only very light hand pressure without causing knee joint discomfort.
Safety
- Avoid this stretch if you experience sharp pain inside the knee joint; keep the elevated foot lightly dorsiflexed to stabilize the knee.
Muscles
Joints
- Hip: External rotation, Flexion, Abduction
- Lumbar spine: Isometric stabilization
Details
- Movement
- Stretch
- Modality
- Flexibility, Mobility
- Mechanics
- isolation
- Force
- static
- Laterality
- unilateral
- Kinetic chain
- open
- Level
- beginner
- Equipment
- Flat bench or Chair
- Record
- Duration
- Load
- none
Sources
- wger: seated figure four, by ricardodavidrd (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.