Table of ContentsView All
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Table of Contents
ROM Measurement
Normal Hip ROM
Limited Hip ROM Causes
When to Seek Care
Improving Hip ROM
Obesity, a fall, infections, or even just chronic wear and tear can cause damage to your hip, which can then affect your hip ROM. This article covers the causes of decreased hip ROM, along with exercises to improve it.
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How Is Range of Motion Measured?
There are two types of range of motion:
If you are experiencing reduced hip ROM, you may have noticed a limp in your walk, difficulty getting out of the car, pain in your groin after sitting for prolonged periods, or another abnormality. These, along with pain or stiffness in your hips or legs, are reasons to see a healthcare provider for an evaluation.
A healthcare provider—usually a physical therapist,physiatrist, family medicine healthcare provider, or orthopedic surgeon—will measure your hip ROM using a device called agoniometer.
What Is a Goniometer?
Goniometer: A Tool for Measuring a Joint’s Range of Motion
What Is Normal Hip ROM?
The hip joint functions like a ball in a socket, capable of swiveling along three different axes to create six different movements.
Hip ROM is measured in degrees. For example, when you are standing straight, your hip joint is in 90-degree flexion.
The degrees of hip ROM include:
Causes of Limited Hip ROM
Any condition that causes swelling, inflammation, pain, discomfort, mechanical issues, or spasticity of the muscles around the hip can cause you to lose some ROM. Some conditions that lead to limited hip ROM include:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
If you experience any of the symptoms below, you should call your healthcare provider:
Timely medical treatment may help you avoid serious complications.
Most conditions that impact your hip’s range of motion are chronic in nature. If you notice that you are gradually losing ROM, are altering your gait, or can no longer perform your activities of daily living, you may want to see a healthcare professional.
They may suggest conservative treatment like:
If conservative treatment is not helpful after three months, a cortisone shot and surgery may be discussed.
How to Improve Hip ROM
Your hips are involved in all or most of your movements. When they’re not moving well, there’s a chain reaction of restriction.
The quickest way to get back to performing your daily activities free of pain and restrictions is to craft a holistic plan that includes healthy eating, stretching, strengthening exercises, and the use of anti-inflammatory medication when needed.
Implementing a daily stretch and exercise routine is a simple and effective way to increase your ROM, and it can be modified depending on your current abilities and limitations.
Hip Stretches
Stretching exercises can help many of the muscles that support your hip joint. These include:
Prone hip rotation:Lie face-down on your stomach, resting your head on your hands. Bend your knees to 90 degrees so that your feet are in the air. Slowly lower your feet to the sides as far as you comfortably can. Hold for two to five seconds. Start with five to 10 repetitions per day.
Piriformis stretch:Lie flat on your back. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the ground. Bend one leg so that the foot rests against the side of your knee that is closest to your body. Clasp your hands around the back of that leg, then pull it, along with your other leg, towards your chest. Hold for 10 seconds, then switch legs. Repeat each leg twice per day.
Frog stretch:Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Spread your legs as far to the sides as you comfortably can, feeling the stretch in your groin. Relax into the stretch for 20 seconds, once per day.
Butterfly stretch:Start in a seated position on the floor. Bend your knees, bringing the soles of your feet together in front of you. Bring your heels as close to your bottom as you comfortably can without stressing your knees. Gently flutter your knees up and down for twenty beats, once per day.
Kneeling lunges:Beginning in a neutral, standing position with your hands on your hips, lunge one foot forward then gently lower your back knee to the ground. Sink your hips toward the ground, keeping your front knee perpendicular to your front ankle. Hold for twenty seconds then switch legs. Do one set per day.
Hip Strengthening
Muscle-strengthening exercises can also help to improve hip ROM. Some of these exercises include:
Hip hikers:Stand on a step so that one foot is lowered off the edge. With your hands on your hips, raise the hip on the lowered side up and down 20 times. Turn around and switch sides. Do this exercise once per day.
Bridges (single and double leg bridges):Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart. Ground the back of your shoulders into the floor and press your hips to the ceiling, keeping your knees perpendicular to your ankles. Do two, 30-second holds, once per day.
Hip squeezes:Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Place a rolled-up towel, pillow, or yoga block between your knees. Squeeze the object between your knees, engaging the muscles in your legs and buttocks. Squeeze 20 times. Rest, then repeat. Do this exercise once per day.
Single leg raises (with and without ankle weights):Stand in neutral and place your hands on your hips. Raise one leg straight up in front of you, keeping your hips level. Lower your leg. Do 10 to 20 leg raises with each leg, once per day.
Side leg raises (with and without ankle weights):Stand in neutral and place your hands on your hips. Raise one leg out to the side, keeping your hips as level as possible. Lower your leg. Do 10 to 20 leg raises with each leg, once per day.
If you have difficulty balancing yourself with standing exercises, place a hand on a chair or against a wall for stability.
These exercises should first be performed under the guidance of a healthcare professional to make sure you are doing them properly and without pain.
In most cases, total hip replacement surgery restores stability and range of motion in the hip and eliminates osteoarthritis.
Summary
Hip range of motion can become limited due to chronic overuse, acute traumatic injuries, arthritis, or other conditions that cause inflammation in the hip joint or damage to the surrounding tissues. With the guidance of a healthcare provider or physical therapist, a regimen of hip strengthening and stretching exercises can gradually improve your hip ROM.
Depending on the extent of your injury, progress may seem slow, but for most people, achieving your ROM goals is within reach.
14 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.Bandy WD, Sanders, B, eds.Therapeutic Exercise for Physical Therapist Assistants. 2nd ed. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; 2007.Han H, Kubo A, Kurosawa K, Maruichi S, Maruyama H.Hip rotation range of motion in sitting and prone positions in healthy Japanese adults.J Phys Ther Sci. 2015 Feb;27(2):441-445. doi:10.1589/jpts.27.441Mihcin S, Çıklaçandır S, Koçak M, Tosun A.Wearable motion capture system evaluation for biomechanical studies for hip joints.JBE. 2020 Dec;143(1). doi:10.1115/1.4049199Reiman MP, Matheson JW.Restricted hip mobility: clinical suggestions for self-mobilization and muscle re-education.Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2013;8(5):729-740.Eberlin C, Kucharik M, Cherian N, Meek W, McInnis K, Martin S.Adhesive capsulitis of the hip: A case presentation and review.Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2022 Oct;14(4):37679. doi:10.52965/001c.37679Berthelot JM, Brulefert K, Arnolfo P, le Goff B, Darrieutort-Laffite C.Update on contribution of hip labral tears to hip pain: A narrative review.Joint Bone Spine. 2023 Jan;90(1):105465. doi:10.1016/j.jbspin.2022.105465Yale Medicine.Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hip fractures among older adults.Dawson-Amoah K, Raszewski J, Duplantier N, Sutton Waddell B.Dislocation of the hip: A review of types, causes, and treatment.Ochsner J. 2018;18(3):242-252. doi:10.31486/toj.17.0079Boston Children’s Hospital.Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Septic arthritis.Sadowska M, Sarecka-Hujar B, Kopyta I.Cerebral palsy: Current opinions on definition, epidemiology, risk factors, classification, and treatment options.Neuropsych Dis Treat. 2020 Jun;16(1):1505-1518. doi:10.2147/NDT.S235165Kruse DW.Intraarticular cortisone injection for osteoarthritis of the hip. Is it effective? Is it safe?Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2008;1(3):227-233. doi:10.1007/s12178-008-9029-0NYU Langone Health.Surgery for osteoarthritis of the hip.
14 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.Bandy WD, Sanders, B, eds.Therapeutic Exercise for Physical Therapist Assistants. 2nd ed. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; 2007.Han H, Kubo A, Kurosawa K, Maruichi S, Maruyama H.Hip rotation range of motion in sitting and prone positions in healthy Japanese adults.J Phys Ther Sci. 2015 Feb;27(2):441-445. doi:10.1589/jpts.27.441Mihcin S, Çıklaçandır S, Koçak M, Tosun A.Wearable motion capture system evaluation for biomechanical studies for hip joints.JBE. 2020 Dec;143(1). doi:10.1115/1.4049199Reiman MP, Matheson JW.Restricted hip mobility: clinical suggestions for self-mobilization and muscle re-education.Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2013;8(5):729-740.Eberlin C, Kucharik M, Cherian N, Meek W, McInnis K, Martin S.Adhesive capsulitis of the hip: A case presentation and review.Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2022 Oct;14(4):37679. doi:10.52965/001c.37679Berthelot JM, Brulefert K, Arnolfo P, le Goff B, Darrieutort-Laffite C.Update on contribution of hip labral tears to hip pain: A narrative review.Joint Bone Spine. 2023 Jan;90(1):105465. doi:10.1016/j.jbspin.2022.105465Yale Medicine.Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hip fractures among older adults.Dawson-Amoah K, Raszewski J, Duplantier N, Sutton Waddell B.Dislocation of the hip: A review of types, causes, and treatment.Ochsner J. 2018;18(3):242-252. doi:10.31486/toj.17.0079Boston Children’s Hospital.Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Septic arthritis.Sadowska M, Sarecka-Hujar B, Kopyta I.Cerebral palsy: Current opinions on definition, epidemiology, risk factors, classification, and treatment options.Neuropsych Dis Treat. 2020 Jun;16(1):1505-1518. doi:10.2147/NDT.S235165Kruse DW.Intraarticular cortisone injection for osteoarthritis of the hip. Is it effective? Is it safe?Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2008;1(3):227-233. doi:10.1007/s12178-008-9029-0NYU Langone Health.Surgery for osteoarthritis of the hip.
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.
Bandy WD, Sanders, B, eds.Therapeutic Exercise for Physical Therapist Assistants. 2nd ed. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; 2007.Han H, Kubo A, Kurosawa K, Maruichi S, Maruyama H.Hip rotation range of motion in sitting and prone positions in healthy Japanese adults.J Phys Ther Sci. 2015 Feb;27(2):441-445. doi:10.1589/jpts.27.441Mihcin S, Çıklaçandır S, Koçak M, Tosun A.Wearable motion capture system evaluation for biomechanical studies for hip joints.JBE. 2020 Dec;143(1). doi:10.1115/1.4049199Reiman MP, Matheson JW.Restricted hip mobility: clinical suggestions for self-mobilization and muscle re-education.Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2013;8(5):729-740.Eberlin C, Kucharik M, Cherian N, Meek W, McInnis K, Martin S.Adhesive capsulitis of the hip: A case presentation and review.Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2022 Oct;14(4):37679. doi:10.52965/001c.37679Berthelot JM, Brulefert K, Arnolfo P, le Goff B, Darrieutort-Laffite C.Update on contribution of hip labral tears to hip pain: A narrative review.Joint Bone Spine. 2023 Jan;90(1):105465. doi:10.1016/j.jbspin.2022.105465Yale Medicine.Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hip fractures among older adults.Dawson-Amoah K, Raszewski J, Duplantier N, Sutton Waddell B.Dislocation of the hip: A review of types, causes, and treatment.Ochsner J. 2018;18(3):242-252. doi:10.31486/toj.17.0079Boston Children’s Hospital.Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Septic arthritis.Sadowska M, Sarecka-Hujar B, Kopyta I.Cerebral palsy: Current opinions on definition, epidemiology, risk factors, classification, and treatment options.Neuropsych Dis Treat. 2020 Jun;16(1):1505-1518. doi:10.2147/NDT.S235165Kruse DW.Intraarticular cortisone injection for osteoarthritis of the hip. Is it effective? Is it safe?Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2008;1(3):227-233. doi:10.1007/s12178-008-9029-0NYU Langone Health.Surgery for osteoarthritis of the hip.
Bandy WD, Sanders, B, eds.Therapeutic Exercise for Physical Therapist Assistants. 2nd ed. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; 2007.
Han H, Kubo A, Kurosawa K, Maruichi S, Maruyama H.Hip rotation range of motion in sitting and prone positions in healthy Japanese adults.J Phys Ther Sci. 2015 Feb;27(2):441-445. doi:10.1589/jpts.27.441
Mihcin S, Çıklaçandır S, Koçak M, Tosun A.Wearable motion capture system evaluation for biomechanical studies for hip joints.JBE. 2020 Dec;143(1). doi:10.1115/1.4049199
Reiman MP, Matheson JW.Restricted hip mobility: clinical suggestions for self-mobilization and muscle re-education.Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2013;8(5):729-740.
Eberlin C, Kucharik M, Cherian N, Meek W, McInnis K, Martin S.Adhesive capsulitis of the hip: A case presentation and review.Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2022 Oct;14(4):37679. doi:10.52965/001c.37679
Berthelot JM, Brulefert K, Arnolfo P, le Goff B, Darrieutort-Laffite C.Update on contribution of hip labral tears to hip pain: A narrative review.Joint Bone Spine. 2023 Jan;90(1):105465. doi:10.1016/j.jbspin.2022.105465
Yale Medicine.Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hip fractures among older adults.
Dawson-Amoah K, Raszewski J, Duplantier N, Sutton Waddell B.Dislocation of the hip: A review of types, causes, and treatment.Ochsner J. 2018;18(3):242-252. doi:10.31486/toj.17.0079
Boston Children’s Hospital.Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Septic arthritis.
Sadowska M, Sarecka-Hujar B, Kopyta I.Cerebral palsy: Current opinions on definition, epidemiology, risk factors, classification, and treatment options.Neuropsych Dis Treat. 2020 Jun;16(1):1505-1518. doi:10.2147/NDT.S235165
Kruse DW.Intraarticular cortisone injection for osteoarthritis of the hip. Is it effective? Is it safe?Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2008;1(3):227-233. doi:10.1007/s12178-008-9029-0
NYU Langone Health.Surgery for osteoarthritis of the hip.
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