Hamstring stretches, hip flexor stretches, straight leg raises, and bridges are just some of the exercises and stretches for hip pain. By keeping your hip joint limber and strong, you can improve your mobility, help with hip range of motion, and alleviate pain.
Read on to learn how to do eight different resistance exercises and stretches for hip pain, including those mentioned above.
Be sure to get the “all clear” from your healthcare provider before starting any new physical activity. They may suggest skipping some moves or adding others based on your specific needs.
What Causes Hip Pain?
4 Stretches for Hip Pain
When stretching for hip pain, move slowly into each position until you feel a mild pulling sensation around the target area. Hold each stretch for about 60 seconds and then slowly move out it. Stretches for hip pain can be done daily.
A word of warning: Stretching too aggressively or bouncing while you stretch may injure muscle tissues. An excessive tug or pull on a muscle may cause damage, leading to more pain and decreased overall mobility.
If you feel pain while stretching your hip, stop and check in with your PT. Some stretches for hip pain can be modified to allow you to safely stretch without pain.
Hamstring Stretch
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Yourhamstringsattach to the pelvis behind your hip. These muscles work to bend your knees and extend your hips.
Tightness here may cause pain in the back of your hips and limit your ability to move normally.
To effectively stretch your hamstrings:
If you cannot get into the bent position, keep both legs wide and straight. Reach for one foot at a time.
How to Do a Hamstring Stretch for Beginners
Hip Flexor Stretch
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Your hip flexors are muscles located in the front of your hip and thigh. They are often tight in those who have arthritis or sit a lot.
To stretch your hip flexors:
If your knee on the floor is painful, place a small pillow underneath it to provide a cushion.
Iliotibial Band Stretch
Verywell / Ben Goldstein
Theiliotibial bandis a thick band of fascia that courses from your lateral hip to your lateral knee. It does not contract, but it attaches to muscles that do. Pain in your iliotibial band may be felt in your lateral hip.
To stretch your iliotibial band:
Piriformis Stretch
Lippinocott Williams & Wilkins / Wolters Kluwer Health
Yourpiriformismuscle is a small, pear-shaped muscle deep in your posterior hip. It resides near thesciatic nerveand often gets tight if you have hip pain due to sciatic nerve irritation.
To stretch your piriformis:
If your sciatic nerve is irritated, this stretch may aggravate it further, causing pain or tingling in your leg. In that case, release the stretch a bit. If pain or tingling persists, see your physical therapist.
Piriformis Stretching Routine for Beginners
4 Strengthening Exercises for Hip Pain
These hip pain exercises can be done three to four times each week.
Bridge
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The bridge exercise strengthens yourgluteusand hamstring muscles that support the back of your hips. To perform the bridge:
Some people with low back pain may have a difficult time performing the bridge and may need to dial back the challenge a bit. A safer alternative may beperforming a posterior pelvic tilt.
Straight Leg Raises
Straight leg raises are simple yet effective exercises to strengthen your hip flexors,hip abductors, or gluteus muscles.
To properly perform straight leg raises:
To strengthen your gluteus medius on the side of your hip:
To strengthen your gluteus maximus in the back of your hip, perform the straight leg raise on your stomach. Here’s how:
How to Do a Straight Leg Raise
Monster Walks
Monster walking can help improve hip strength in a variety of muscle groups. It also has the added benefit of being a weight-bearing exercise.
Here is how to perform monster walking to improve hip pain:
To strengthen your gluteus maximus muscles in the back of your hip:
Hip Hikers
Hip hikers are a great body weight exercise to strengthen your gluteus medius on the lateral aspect of your hips. Here is how you do it:
Some people with groin and anterior hip pain from osteoarthritis may feel a pinching sensation in their inner groin when performing this exercise.
Pelvic Drop Exercise to Improve Hip Strength
Is Yoga Safe for People With Hip Pain?A 2016 study found that certain weight-bearing yoga poses may rapidly fatigue hip muscles in people with hip pain, leading to increased pain and impaired movement.Caution should be used when performing yoga stretches for hip pain.
Is Yoga Safe for People With Hip Pain?
A 2016 study found that certain weight-bearing yoga poses may rapidly fatigue hip muscles in people with hip pain, leading to increased pain and impaired movement.Caution should be used when performing yoga stretches for hip pain.
Summary
Physical therapy for the hip typically includes exercises and stretches that can help improve strength and mobility and relieve pain.
Some common stretches for hip pain, such as ones that involve the hamstrings and iliotibial band, can decrease tightness in the muscles, ligaments, or hip joint capsule. Exercises like monster walks and straight leg raises can strengthen the muscles around the hip and take pressure off ligaments and nerves, which could further decrease overall hip pain.
Frequently Asked QuestionsThere are many reasons why you may have hip pain. For many, finding the reason for the pain helps identify the right solutions and strategies that can make the pain go away.Learn MorePossible Causes of Hip PainYou should see a healthcare professional if your hip pain arose from a traumatic event, such as a fall, or if your pain limits your mobility or doesn’t improve with rest.You may have tight hip flexors if you deal with constant lower back pain or typically feel that your rectus femoris is fatigued when running or playing a sport like soccer.However, seeing a physical therapist can help you know if your hip flexors are tight, as they can accurately assess your range of motion.Learn MoreHip Stress Fracture SymptomsIt depends. Ice is definitely better for an acute hip injury that’s less than six weeks old, as it can decrease excess swelling and inflammation that can slow down the healing process. Heat is generally better for chronic hip pain related to arthritis and strains.Learn MoreChoosing Ice or Heat
Frequently Asked Questions
There are many reasons why you may have hip pain. For many, finding the reason for the pain helps identify the right solutions and strategies that can make the pain go away.Learn MorePossible Causes of Hip Pain
There are many reasons why you may have hip pain. For many, finding the reason for the pain helps identify the right solutions and strategies that can make the pain go away.
Learn MorePossible Causes of Hip Pain
You should see a healthcare professional if your hip pain arose from a traumatic event, such as a fall, or if your pain limits your mobility or doesn’t improve with rest.
You may have tight hip flexors if you deal with constant lower back pain or typically feel that your rectus femoris is fatigued when running or playing a sport like soccer.However, seeing a physical therapist can help you know if your hip flexors are tight, as they can accurately assess your range of motion.Learn MoreHip Stress Fracture Symptoms
You may have tight hip flexors if you deal with constant lower back pain or typically feel that your rectus femoris is fatigued when running or playing a sport like soccer.However, seeing a physical therapist can help you know if your hip flexors are tight, as they can accurately assess your range of motion.
Learn MoreHip Stress Fracture Symptoms
It depends. Ice is definitely better for an acute hip injury that’s less than six weeks old, as it can decrease excess swelling and inflammation that can slow down the healing process. Heat is generally better for chronic hip pain related to arthritis and strains.Learn MoreChoosing Ice or Heat
It depends. Ice is definitely better for an acute hip injury that’s less than six weeks old, as it can decrease excess swelling and inflammation that can slow down the healing process. Heat is generally better for chronic hip pain related to arthritis and strains.
Learn MoreChoosing Ice or Heat
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hammer AM, Hammer RL, Lomond KV, O’Connor P.Acute changes of hip joint range of motion using selected clinical stretching procedures: A randomized crossover study.Musculoskeletal Science and Practice. 2017;32:70-77. doi:10.1016/j.msksp.2017.08.011Adler KL, Kenney R, Messing S, Giordano BD.Activity of periarticular hip musculature during yoga in patients with hip pain: a descriptive study of a case series.J Yoga Phys Ther. 2016;06(04). doi:10.4172/2157-7595.1000259Konrad A, Močnik R, Titze S, Nakamura M, Tilp M.The influence of stretching the hip flexor muscles on performance parameters. A systematic review with meta-analysis.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(4):1936. doi:10.3390/ijerph18041936Cleveland Clinic.Here’s how to choose between using ice or heat for pain.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hammer AM, Hammer RL, Lomond KV, O’Connor P.Acute changes of hip joint range of motion using selected clinical stretching procedures: A randomized crossover study.Musculoskeletal Science and Practice. 2017;32:70-77. doi:10.1016/j.msksp.2017.08.011Adler KL, Kenney R, Messing S, Giordano BD.Activity of periarticular hip musculature during yoga in patients with hip pain: a descriptive study of a case series.J Yoga Phys Ther. 2016;06(04). doi:10.4172/2157-7595.1000259Konrad A, Močnik R, Titze S, Nakamura M, Tilp M.The influence of stretching the hip flexor muscles on performance parameters. A systematic review with meta-analysis.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(4):1936. doi:10.3390/ijerph18041936Cleveland Clinic.Here’s how to choose between using ice or heat for pain.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Hammer AM, Hammer RL, Lomond KV, O’Connor P.Acute changes of hip joint range of motion using selected clinical stretching procedures: A randomized crossover study.Musculoskeletal Science and Practice. 2017;32:70-77. doi:10.1016/j.msksp.2017.08.011Adler KL, Kenney R, Messing S, Giordano BD.Activity of periarticular hip musculature during yoga in patients with hip pain: a descriptive study of a case series.J Yoga Phys Ther. 2016;06(04). doi:10.4172/2157-7595.1000259Konrad A, Močnik R, Titze S, Nakamura M, Tilp M.The influence of stretching the hip flexor muscles on performance parameters. A systematic review with meta-analysis.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(4):1936. doi:10.3390/ijerph18041936Cleveland Clinic.Here’s how to choose between using ice or heat for pain.
Hammer AM, Hammer RL, Lomond KV, O’Connor P.Acute changes of hip joint range of motion using selected clinical stretching procedures: A randomized crossover study.Musculoskeletal Science and Practice. 2017;32:70-77. doi:10.1016/j.msksp.2017.08.011
Adler KL, Kenney R, Messing S, Giordano BD.Activity of periarticular hip musculature during yoga in patients with hip pain: a descriptive study of a case series.J Yoga Phys Ther. 2016;06(04). doi:10.4172/2157-7595.1000259
Konrad A, Močnik R, Titze S, Nakamura M, Tilp M.The influence of stretching the hip flexor muscles on performance parameters. A systematic review with meta-analysis.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(4):1936. doi:10.3390/ijerph18041936
Cleveland Clinic.Here’s how to choose between using ice or heat for pain.
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