Being stuck home most of the time in 2020 has been rough for the most part – but it has had its relative “perks”. Aside from getting to see my family WAY more than I used to, I have also had the ability to put a little more work and effort into my running. Additionally, I am actually trying to be a “good” runner and have been spending more time on stuff that I usually do NOT do – such as warming up before runs and cooling down with stretching afterwards. I am also trying to get rid of some long-nagging trouble issues – one of which being hip pain that I have learned how to deal with over the years, but has needed some work for a while.
Enter the Hip Hook.
I stumbled upon this product when doing some perusing of the internet and from the videos on the website to the excerpts of the book Tight Hip, Twisted Core – The Key to Unresolved Pain it almost felt like the author Christine Koth was speaking to me.
“Do you have pain in your back, tailbone, pelvis, hip, knee, or foot that won’t go away, no matter what you try?” Check. It has been this weird, almost “phantom” pain that I have just lived with but haven’t found anything that works. The thought and research by Ms. Koth is that these sorts issues can persist because of tightness in the iliacus (sounds like “silly yak kiss”), a muscle in your hip that is part of what is commonly called the “hip flexor.”
“The iliacus muscle connects to the pelvic bone and blends with your psoas, making up your hip flexor. A tight iliacus is directly linked to pain in the Lower Back, Tailbone, Hips, Knees, Feet And Toes. The problem is that the iliacus is prone to holding tension and has always been incredibly hard to target. Until now…”
- Discover how this muscle impacts your body from head to toe
- Determine if you are one of the millions of people with a tight iliacus muscle and why
- Release the tension in the muscle for good
- Get your body aligned for pain-free performance
- Prevent this muscle from getting tight ever again
It was this reading that put me on the path to trying out the actual Hip Hook. It looks pretty simple in nature, but the work behind it is backed by both science, as well as many people who have purchased through the website and have seen relief.
The Hip Hook It is only meant to be used a few minutes per day and the process is pretty straightforward. I am simplifying a bit, but the general idea is to lay on your stomach, with the short end of the Hip Hook positioned to provide pressure and the eventual releasing of tension in the psoas muscle. The real work happens by using the longer arm of the hook to move the shorter arm laterally a bit, into the pelvis and the iliacus.
With the myriad of helpful videos it was easy to find the sweet spot and understand how things were supposed to work. After some initial trial-and-error, and a few weeks of consistency, I can say that I actually do feel some pretty solid relief – enough that I am fully bought in and ready to give this a go long term. I have used a tennis ball before, which has helped a bit, but has never really done much on an ongoing basis. It just feels…different…in a good way when that pressure is released.
If you are like me, and have been dealing with ongoing hip discomfort or pain, and nothing has seemed to work, this may indeed be what you are looking for.
Shoot, tension in the iliacus is also said to lead to discomfort in the lower back, tailbone, hips, knees, feet, and toes. So if these are consistent trouble spots you have been dealing with without much luck, this may be an option. Wouldn’t pain-free running be worth it?
Product: Hip Hook (Facebook | Instagram)
- $129 (Use Code RUNOREGON for 10% off)
- Book ($24.99 or $9.99 on Amazon Digital)
Christine Koth – Holistic Physical Therapist
Founder of Aletha
Bestselling Author of Ti
Inventor of the Hip Hook
Thank you to Althea for providing us with a sample. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
