Hip impingement exercises can help relieve symptoms offemoroacetabularimpingement (FAI)—a condition in your hip(s) that may cause hip pain, leg pain, and limited overall mobility.The pain from FAI may prevent you from performing your normal work or recreational activities.Working with a physical therapist can help you regain range of motion and strength and improve your mobility. Strengthening and stretching exercises are vital to recovering from FAI.A physical therapist can map out an exercise routine for you. This article explains how to do seven common exercises.Exercise as Primary Treatment for FAIA physical therapist may offer a variety of treatments to manage your pain and movement dysfunction. Exercise will most likely play the biggest role in treating your FAI.Research shows that exercises can help you fully recover and manage future episodes of pain from FAI.The exercises may focus on improving hip mobility and flexibility,hip strength, balance, and overall functional mobility. Managing FAI with non-surgical treatments involves a tailored physical therapy plan.In the early stages of FAI, you may be able to continue walking, running, or cycling with proper rest, stretching, and anti-inflammatories. But if the impingement progresses, cut back on these types of exercise or allow longer periods for rest and rehab. Since swimming is non-weight-bearing, it may be better tolerated as impingement progresses.After surgery for FAI, you should be able to run after recovery, which can take 6 months to a year.Exercises you should avoid include any movements in which the knee moves above the hip. Other exercises to avoid include:Deep squatsLungesLeg pressesDeadliftsAny exercises requiring heavy weightsThese exercises can aggravate hip impingement. After surgery, return to exercise gradually and avoid hip-straining moves at first.You may be glad to know that the following exercises are safe to do. And they will put you in the driver’s seat of your recovery.Talk with your healthcare professional before you begin any exercise program. You want to be certain the exercises are safe and appropriate for you. Then pay close attention as your physical therapist shows you how the exercises should be done.

Hip impingement exercises can help relieve symptoms offemoroacetabularimpingement (FAI)—a condition in your hip(s) that may cause hip pain, leg pain, and limited overall mobility.The pain from FAI may prevent you from performing your normal work or recreational activities.

Working with a physical therapist can help you regain range of motion and strength and improve your mobility. Strengthening and stretching exercises are vital to recovering from FAI.

A physical therapist can map out an exercise routine for you. This article explains how to do seven common exercises.

Exercise as Primary Treatment for FAI

A physical therapist may offer a variety of treatments to manage your pain and movement dysfunction. Exercise will most likely play the biggest role in treating your FAI.

Research shows that exercises can help you fully recover and manage future episodes of pain from FAI.The exercises may focus on improving hip mobility and flexibility,hip strength, balance, and overall functional mobility. Managing FAI with non-surgical treatments involves a tailored physical therapy plan.

In the early stages of FAI, you may be able to continue walking, running, or cycling with proper rest, stretching, and anti-inflammatories. But if the impingement progresses, cut back on these types of exercise or allow longer periods for rest and rehab. Since swimming is non-weight-bearing, it may be better tolerated as impingement progresses.

After surgery for FAI, you should be able to run after recovery, which can take 6 months to a year.

Exercises you should avoid include any movements in which the knee moves above the hip. Other exercises to avoid include:

These exercises can aggravate hip impingement. After surgery, return to exercise gradually and avoid hip-straining moves at first.

You may be glad to know that the following exercises are safe to do. And they will put you in the driver’s seat of your recovery.

Talk with your healthcare professional before you begin any exercise program. You want to be certain the exercises are safe and appropriate for you. Then pay close attention as your physical therapist shows you how the exercises should be done.

1

Hip Flexor Stretch

Many people with hip FAI experience tightness in a muscle group called theiliopsoas. These muscles, located in the front of your hips, help flex your hip upward.

Tightness here may be one cause of the pinching feeling you get in the front of your hip when sitting or bending. Stretching yourhip flexor musclesmay be one part of your FAI exercise program.

Stop the stretch if you feel intense pain in your hip or leg. Any mild discomfort while stretching should go away once you return to the starting position of this exercise.

2Piriformis StretchYourpiriformismuscle is located deep in your hip underneath yourgluteus muscles. It rotates and stabilizes your hip. It may feel tight if you have hip impingement or FAI.A physical therapist may recommend that you stretch your piriformis muscle as part of your FAI rehab.Here’s how:Lie on your back with your knees bent.Cross the leg to be stretched over your other knee. Your ankle should rest on your thigh next to your knee.Grab the thigh of your leg supporting your bent leg. Gently pull it towards your chest.You should feel a slight pull in the back of your hip.Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Then rest.Repeat three to five times.You may prefer an alternative stretch for your piriformis.Try this:Lie on your back.Lift your knee up toward the opposite shoulder.Grab your knee and gently pull until you feel a stretch in the back of your hip and buttocks.Hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Release.Repeat three to five times.Stop if you feel increasing or lasting pain.Beginner Piriformis Stretching Routine

2

Piriformis StretchYourpiriformismuscle is located deep in your hip underneath yourgluteus muscles. It rotates and stabilizes your hip. It may feel tight if you have hip impingement or FAI.A physical therapist may recommend that you stretch your piriformis muscle as part of your FAI rehab.Here’s how:Lie on your back with your knees bent.Cross the leg to be stretched over your other knee. Your ankle should rest on your thigh next to your knee.Grab the thigh of your leg supporting your bent leg. Gently pull it towards your chest.You should feel a slight pull in the back of your hip.Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Then rest.Repeat three to five times.You may prefer an alternative stretch for your piriformis.Try this:Lie on your back.Lift your knee up toward the opposite shoulder.Grab your knee and gently pull until you feel a stretch in the back of your hip and buttocks.Hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Release.Repeat three to five times.Stop if you feel increasing or lasting pain.Beginner Piriformis Stretching Routine

Piriformis Stretch

Yourpiriformismuscle is located deep in your hip underneath yourgluteus muscles. It rotates and stabilizes your hip. It may feel tight if you have hip impingement or FAI.

A physical therapist may recommend that you stretch your piriformis muscle as part of your FAI rehab.

Here’s how:

You may prefer an alternative stretch for your piriformis.

Try this:

Stop if you feel increasing or lasting pain.

Beginner Piriformis Stretching Routine

3

Groin Stretch

Sporrer / Rupp Cultura / Getty Images

woman doing groin stretch (a potential hip impingement exercise)

Hip FAI often triggers tightness in the inner thigh and groin. Your physical therapist may tell you to stretch yourgroin muscles, or hip adductors, as part of your exercise program.

Remember to stop if you feel pain.

4Hip StrengtheningYuri_Arcurs / Getty ImagesYou might have weakness around the muscles of your hip. If so, hip strengthening may be one of the goals of your exercise program.Many exercises can build up hip strength. Ask for a demonstration and practice a few of the more common ones.They include:Ball bridgesBridgesClamshellsHip hikesIsometric hip raiseLateral band walkingSingle leg bridgesStraight leg raisesYou can do these exercises daily. Or your physical therapist may prescribe them less often because exercising every other day may give your hip the “rest time” it needs.

4

Hip StrengtheningYuri_Arcurs / Getty ImagesYou might have weakness around the muscles of your hip. If so, hip strengthening may be one of the goals of your exercise program.Many exercises can build up hip strength. Ask for a demonstration and practice a few of the more common ones.They include:Ball bridgesBridgesClamshellsHip hikesIsometric hip raiseLateral band walkingSingle leg bridgesStraight leg raisesYou can do these exercises daily. Or your physical therapist may prescribe them less often because exercising every other day may give your hip the “rest time” it needs.

Hip Strengthening

Yuri_Arcurs / Getty Images

Photo of a woman running with hip pain.

You might have weakness around the muscles of your hip. If so, hip strengthening may be one of the goals of your exercise program.

Many exercises can build up hip strength. Ask for a demonstration and practice a few of the more common ones.

They include:

You can do these exercises daily. Or your physical therapist may prescribe them less often because exercising every other day may give your hip the “rest time” it needs.

5Core StrengtheningYou may benefit from doing exercises on your core since your abdominals, hip muscles, and low back muscles all attach to the pelvis.Your pelvis houses the socket of your hip joint. So gaining control of your core and pelvis may be important to your FAI exercise program.These exercises could help:BridgingPelvic clockPelvic tilt​Prone straight leg raisingCore exercises can be done in 15 to 20 repetitions. Your physical therapist can show you how to do each exercise.

5

Core StrengtheningYou may benefit from doing exercises on your core since your abdominals, hip muscles, and low back muscles all attach to the pelvis.Your pelvis houses the socket of your hip joint. So gaining control of your core and pelvis may be important to your FAI exercise program.These exercises could help:BridgingPelvic clockPelvic tilt​Prone straight leg raisingCore exercises can be done in 15 to 20 repetitions. Your physical therapist can show you how to do each exercise.

Core Strengthening

You may benefit from doing exercises on your core since your abdominals, hip muscles, and low back muscles all attach to the pelvis.

Your pelvis houses the socket of your hip joint. So gaining control of your core and pelvis may be important to your FAI exercise program.

These exercises could help:

Core exercises can be done in 15 to 20 repetitions. Your physical therapist can show you how to do each exercise.

6

Balance and Proprioception Exercise

Rollover / Getty Images

Person on a wobble board (a potential hip impingement exercise)

Your FAI rehab program may include balance andproprioceptiontraining.Proprioceptionis your body’s awareness of its position in space and how it interacts with everything around it.

Improving balance can help you gain control of your pelvic and lower extremity regions. Doing so takes pressure off your hip joint and helps relieve the pain from FAI.

Balance exercises may start out with a simple, single-leg stance: Stand on one foot and hold your balance for 30 seconds.

Other balance exercises include:

Balance Exercises in Physical Therapy

7Functional TrainingJohn Fredele / Getty ImagesYour FAI rehab program should be geared to your specific needs. You and your physical therapist can work together to come up with the best exercise and training program for you.You may need help:Learning to jump and land properlyPerformingsingle-leg hop testingand trainingContinuing to gain balance and muscular control of your hips, pelvis, and lower extremitiesSummaryExercises to strengthen and stretch the hip muscles—as well as the core, which helps stabilize the hip—are vital for recovering from an FAI. Balance and functional training can also help relieve pain and restore function.Your physical therapist can create a personalized exercise plan for you, show you how the exercises are done, watch you do them, and keep a close eye on your progress.

7

Functional TrainingJohn Fredele / Getty ImagesYour FAI rehab program should be geared to your specific needs. You and your physical therapist can work together to come up with the best exercise and training program for you.You may need help:Learning to jump and land properlyPerformingsingle-leg hop testingand trainingContinuing to gain balance and muscular control of your hips, pelvis, and lower extremitiesSummaryExercises to strengthen and stretch the hip muscles—as well as the core, which helps stabilize the hip—are vital for recovering from an FAI. Balance and functional training can also help relieve pain and restore function.Your physical therapist can create a personalized exercise plan for you, show you how the exercises are done, watch you do them, and keep a close eye on your progress.

Functional Training

John Fredele / Getty Images

Person doing a box jump (a potential hip impingement exercise))

Your FAI rehab program should be geared to your specific needs. You and your physical therapist can work together to come up with the best exercise and training program for you.

You may need help:

Summary

Exercises to strengthen and stretch the hip muscles—as well as the core, which helps stabilize the hip—are vital for recovering from an FAI. Balance and functional training can also help relieve pain and restore function.

Your physical therapist can create a personalized exercise plan for you, show you how the exercises are done, watch you do them, and keep a close eye on your progress.

3 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.Trigg SD, Schroeder JD, Hulsopple C.Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome.Curr Sports Med Rep. 2020;19(9):360-366. doi:10.1249/jsr.0000000000000748Pennock AT, Bomar JD, Johnson KP, Randich K, Upasani VV.Nonoperative management of femoroacetabular impingement: a prospective study.Am J Sports Med. 2018;46(14):3415-3422. doi:10.1177/0363546518804805Newman DP, Zhou L.Piriformis Syndrome Masquerading as an Ischiofemoral Impingement.Cureus. 2021;13(9):e18023. doi:10.7759/cureus.18023

3 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.Trigg SD, Schroeder JD, Hulsopple C.Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome.Curr Sports Med Rep. 2020;19(9):360-366. doi:10.1249/jsr.0000000000000748Pennock AT, Bomar JD, Johnson KP, Randich K, Upasani VV.Nonoperative management of femoroacetabular impingement: a prospective study.Am J Sports Med. 2018;46(14):3415-3422. doi:10.1177/0363546518804805Newman DP, Zhou L.Piriformis Syndrome Masquerading as an Ischiofemoral Impingement.Cureus. 2021;13(9):e18023. doi:10.7759/cureus.18023

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.

Trigg SD, Schroeder JD, Hulsopple C.Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome.Curr Sports Med Rep. 2020;19(9):360-366. doi:10.1249/jsr.0000000000000748Pennock AT, Bomar JD, Johnson KP, Randich K, Upasani VV.Nonoperative management of femoroacetabular impingement: a prospective study.Am J Sports Med. 2018;46(14):3415-3422. doi:10.1177/0363546518804805Newman DP, Zhou L.Piriformis Syndrome Masquerading as an Ischiofemoral Impingement.Cureus. 2021;13(9):e18023. doi:10.7759/cureus.18023

Trigg SD, Schroeder JD, Hulsopple C.Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome.Curr Sports Med Rep. 2020;19(9):360-366. doi:10.1249/jsr.0000000000000748

Pennock AT, Bomar JD, Johnson KP, Randich K, Upasani VV.Nonoperative management of femoroacetabular impingement: a prospective study.Am J Sports Med. 2018;46(14):3415-3422. doi:10.1177/0363546518804805

Newman DP, Zhou L.Piriformis Syndrome Masquerading as an Ischiofemoral Impingement.Cureus. 2021;13(9):e18023. doi:10.7759/cureus.18023

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

What is your feedback?