Flexibility: Prone Heel to Butt

"Prone Heel to Butt" is an exercise that involves lying face down (in a prone position) and bringing your heels toward your buttocks. This exercise is often used in physical therapy and fitness training to improve flexibility, strength, and mobility in the lower body, particularly the hamstrings and glutes.

Here's how to perform the Prone Heel to Butt exercise:

• Lie face down on a comfortable surface, such as an exercise mat or a padded floor.
• Extend your legs straight, keeping them close together.
• Bend your knees and bring your heels toward your buttocks. Try to keep your knees close together.
• Reach back and grasp your ankles or the tops of your feet with your hands. If you can't reach your ankles, you can use a towel or strap to assist in holding your feet.
• Gently pull your heels toward your buttocks, feeling a stretch in your quadriceps (front of the thighs) and the front of your hips.
• Hold this position for 20-30 seconds while maintaining steady, relaxed breathing.
• Release the stretch and lower your legs back to the starting position.
• Repeat the stretch for a total of 2-3 times.

The Prone Heel to Butt exercise is beneficial for improving the flexibility of the quadriceps and hip flexors. It can be particularly useful for individuals who have tight leg muscles due to sitting for extended periods or engaging in activities that involve a lot of leg use, such as running or cycling. This exercise can be part of a warm-up or a cool-down routine or used in a stretching program to enhance lower body flexibility and reduce the risk of muscle imbalances and injury.

References: 

• Keays, Susan L., Marjon Mason, and Peter A. Newcombe. "Individualized physiotherapy in the treatment of patellofemoral pain." Physiotherapy Research International 20.1 (2015): 22-36.

• Mason, Marjon, Susan L. Keays, and Peter A. Newcombe. "The effect of taping, quadriceps strengthening, and stretching prescribed separately or combined on patellofemoral pain." Physiotherapy Research International 16.2 (2011): 109-119.
• Moriyasu, Akito, et al. "Pole exercise causes body changes in physical flexibility and exercise function." Journal of Novel Physiotherapies 8.1 (2018): 377.