If you sit at a desk all day (and let’s face it, isn’t that most of us?), chances are your hip flexors scream at you every now and then. Spending a lot of time sitting—whether it’s at a desk, in a car or even on the couch—puts your hip flexors in a compressed position, causing them to shorten and tighten up.
On the flip side, certain athletes are prone to tight hip flexors—particularly runners and bikers, who repeatedly use the hip flexors to lift their legs, which shortens the hip flexor muscles, says Kimberly Baptiste-Mbadiwe, a physical therapist at the HSS Orthopedic Physical Therapy Center.
To add to that, if certain muscles are weak, including the core, glutes, or piriformis (a deep gluteal muscle that helps external rotation of the hip), it forces the hip flexors to take over some of the job of stabilizing the spine and pelvis, leading the already overworked hip flexors to stiffen.
What are the hip flexors?
Your hip flexors are a group of muscles along the front of your upper thigh. They include the iliacus, psoas major, rectus femoris and sartorius.
The iliacus and psoas major are the primary hip flexors, which work together to flex and stabilize your hip and pull your thigh and torso together when you walk, run, sit or stand. The rectus femoris helps with hip flexion and knee extension, while the sartorius helps flex and externally rotate the hip and flex the knee.
Since the hips connect the lower back to the legs, tight hip flexors make it harder for your pelvis to rotate properly, which can impact several other areas of your body. Signs of tight hip flexors include pain or discomfort in the front of your hip that typically gets worse with prolonged sitting or repetitive hip-flexion movements like running and cycling.
Stretches for tight hip flexors
Glute bridges, planks, crunches and clamshells can help keep your glutes, core and piriformis strong, which will help improve strength and mobility in the hips.
To keep your hip flexors supple, make sure to get up and move more throughout the day. “I recommend changing position every 30 to 45 minutes—or even sooner if needed—to avoid tightness,” says Kimberly Baptiste-Mbadiwe, a physical therapist at HSS. “Stand up, walk around, or perform a quick stretch, if necessary.”
Here are four stretches you can sprinkle into your day to help increase flexibility and mobility in the hip flexors. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds on each side, and repeat for three sets total, at least twice a day.
Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
- Begin by kneeling on the floor.
- Bring your right leg in front of you so that your right thigh is parallel to the floor, with your knee bent at a 90-degree angle and your foot flat on the floor.
- Leave your left knee on the floor, making sure that your shin is pointing straight back (not toward the left or right).
- Put your hands on your hips, then bring your thumbs downward, contract your glutes, and feel your pelvis tuck under you.
- With your back straight, shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch through the front of the left thigh and groin.
- For an even deeper stretch, reach your left arm up overhead and slightly toward the right.
- Repeat on the other side.
90/90 Stretch
- Sit on the floor with your right leg in front of you and your knee bent at a 90-degree angle, so the bottom of your foot is facing the left wall.
- Extend your left leg out to the side and bend your knee at a 90-degree angle, so the bottom of your foot is facing the back wall.
- Square your shoulders to the front. To check that your back remains straight, extend your arms straight out in front of you. Your fingertips should face the front wall.
- Place your fingertips on either side of your right shin for balance. Think about sinking both hips into the floor.
- For an even deeper stretch, lean your chest as far forward as you can go without collapsing your upper body or losing the connection between your hips and the floor.
- Repeat on the other side.
Supine Hip Flexor Stretch
- Lie on your back on the right edge of your bed with both legs extended on the bed.
- Bend your left leg, with your knee pointing toward the ceiling and your foot flat on the bed. Make sure your back is pressed flat against the bed.
- Let your right leg fall off the side of the bed, keeping your back flat.
- Bend your knee back as far as you can, keepingyour back flat and right leg hanging off the bed.
- For an even deeper stretch, grab your left knee and pull it toward your chest.
- Repeat on the other side.
Side-Lying Hip Flexor Stretch
FAQs
Hip flexor stretch (kneeling)
Keeping your back straight, slowly push your hips forward. You should feel a stretch in the upper thigh of your back leg and hip. Hold the stretch for at least 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 2 to 4 times.
Can physical therapy help tight hip flexors? ›
If your hip tightness is accompanied by symptoms like pain and is preventing you from accomplishing the activities of daily living, then physical therapy can be a highly effective form of treatment. Physical therapists are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.
What is the best stretch for hip flexor? ›
Standing Hip Flexor Stretch
Bend your right knee, and bring your right heel up toward your butt. Hold your right foot with the right hand, and gently pull to point your knee toward the floor. You can hold on to a counter or chair with your left hand for balance. Hold for 30 seconds.
How do you stretch your hip flexors after hip replacement? ›
Hip Flexor Stretch
Kneel on one knee with the other foot in front, forming a 90-degree angle. Gently push your hips forward, feeling a stretch in the front of the hip of the kneeling leg. Hold for 15-30 seconds and switch legs.
What is the root cause of tight hip flexors? ›
The most common cause of hip tightness – your desk job.
“Sitting is a flexed position for the hip, so is side sleeping or sleeping in a fetal position, This constant state of flexed will really put strain on these muscles, leading to tightness and eventually a weakened state,” she says.
How do you trigger point release hip flexors? ›
Lay flat on a trigger point ball and apply pressure to the front of the hip. The ball should sit just below the hip crease on the hip flexor. The goal is to use your bodyweight to help to apply pressure down on the ball to help break up the tissue. Move back and forth over the tender areas, holding on the tight spots.
How to fix extremely tight hips? ›
Stretches for tight hip flexors
Glute bridges, planks, crunches and clamshells can help keep your glutes, core and piriformis strong, which will help improve strength and mobility in the hips. To keep your hip flexors supple, make sure to get up and move more throughout the day.
How to release tight hips in bed? ›
Lying on your back, straighten both legs on the bed. Then hug your right knee in toward your chest as you flex your left foot, keeping the left leg straight. Pull the right knee in to feel a sensation in your right hip crease. Hold for five breaths and then switch sides.
What to avoid with tight hip flexors? ›
Exercises to Avoid Following Hip Flexor Strains
- Abrupt high-intensity workouts.
- Jumping.
- Running.
- Squats.
- Lunges.
Prolonged periods of not moving, such as sitting, may cause the hip flexors to tighten, so finding even small ways to move your hips throughout the day — whether that's a dedicated 20 minutes of walking or doing one minute of walking as a “movement snack” — will help keep your hip flexors supple.
Gentle stretching exercises can help reduce hip flexor muscle tension as well as reduce the likelihood for future injury. Try these hip flexor stretches, but make sure you don't push too hard — these stretches should be gentle.
How long does it take for hip flexor tightness to go away? ›
It typically requires one to three weeks of rest and treatment to recover from mild conditions fully. On the other hand, more severe cases can take around four to six weeks or longer. In addition, injuries that did not receive immediate treatment may take months to recover fully and may also cause chronic pain.
How to sit to relieve hip flexor pain? ›
Maintain Proper Posture: Sit with your feet flat on the ground and your knees at a 90-degree angle. Keep your back straight, shoulders relaxed, and head in a neutral position. Sitting Positions: Avoid crossing your legs or leaning over to one side, as it can exacerbate hip tightness.
What are the symptoms of tight hip flexors? ›
Symptoms and Causes
- Pain.
- A feeling of tightness or pulling in your hip.
- Trouble walking or moving without limping.
- Weakness in your lower abdomen or hip.
- Bruising or discoloration.
- Swelling.
- Muscle spasms.
Your hip flexors may feel tight because they are working overtime to help provide stability – not because they need to be stretched! The same thing goes for your hamstrings and quadriceps. Overuse of these large muscle groups may lead to strain in the muscles themselves, or at their attachments to bone.
How long does it take to loosen tight hips? ›
The timeline to improve flexibility varies, with noticeable progress often occurring within a two to three weeks of consistent stretching, up to a few months. Significant improvements may sometimes take several months, depending on individual factors and dedication.
How to release tight hips in bed while sleeping? ›
Sleeping on your back is considered one of the best sleeping positions for tight hip flexors since it stretches and releases tightness in the flexors. The science behind sleeping on your back lies in the natural curve of the spine.
