Hip Flexor Stretches & Exercises - Ask Doctor Jo

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Doctor Jo is a licensed Physical Therapist and Doctor of Physical Therapy.

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More Details About This Video:
Your hip flexors are made up of many different muscles including the psoas, iliacus, rectus femoris, sartorius, tensor fasciae latae, adductors, and gracillis. The major hip flexor muscle is two muscles combined called the iliopsoas. These muscles work to move your upper thigh (femur) to your chest. When this muscle is injured, it can cause pain even with walking. Here are some stretches for your hip flexors.

First start in a kneeling position. Place the knee of the hip flexor you want to stretch on the ground, and take the opposite leg and bend it in front of you at a ninety-degree angle. You might want to place a pillow under your knee to protect it. You will be in a lunge position with the knee of your injured side on the ground. Now drive the knee of the uninjured side forward away from your body. Hold for 30 seconds, and do this 3 times.

Next, you will be on your stomach, or in prone. Bring your foot of the injured side towards your buttocks and grab your ankle. Gently pull your foot towards your buttocks and then lift your thigh off the ground pushing your leg up in the air. To help lift your hip, push your foot away into your hand. Hold for 30 seconds and do it 3 times.

Finally, lie down on your bed or a high surface. You will need good balance for this so you won't fall off the bed. Slide to the side of the bed with the injured side hanging off the edge. Now bend the opposite knee towards your chest and hold onto it. Just relax your leg off the side and you should feel a stretch. Hold for 30 seconds and do it 3 times.

DISCLAIMER: This video and any related comments are not medical advice. Doctor Jo is a licensed Physical Therapist and Doctor of Physical Therapy; however, she is not YOUR Physical Therapist and can't possibly diagnose you through the Internet. So don't use this information to avoid going to your own healthcare professional or to replace the advice they have given you. This information is only intended to show you the correct technique for physical therapy exercises and should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any medical condition. If you are not properly diagnosed, this information won't help, and it could make things worse. So seriously, check with your healthcare professional before doing these techniques. If you experience any pain or difficulty while doing these exercises, stop immediately and see your healthcare professional.

[AskDoctorJo]

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[ace]

7 years later... helping me stretch in quarantine 😂. Thanks, I will try this tomorrow morning !

[nickkelley]

Thank you! I’ve been doing this after my recent “injury” using a rowing machine. Turns out I wasn’t injured, just very very tight hip flexor muscles after a decade of sedentary lifestyle. This has helped me incredibly!

[teddyp]

This will relieve soo much stress and anxiety that you think is mental. Please don’t take these these stretches for granted they really changed my life. So times we think our problems are soo much bigger than they really are when all you need is a good stretch to bring your body back in alignment. Thank you doctor Jo for everything!

[AskDoctorJo]

Glad the stretches are helping!! If it is just a strain, you will probably heal enough to get back on the mat in a week or two, but be careful not to re-injure it, complete healing takes about 4-6 weeks. Make sure you stretch before and after so the fibers that were torn will heal smoothly!! Good luck!!

[Rafa-kesz]

7 years later and still the best hip flexor video out there

[honeyartstudios]

Thank you so much!
I noticed my butt sticks out and emphasizes my weak abdomen/tummy. I was recommended this

[meklitendale]

After 4 years I'm trying to get my flexibility. And I love the way she is doing in her room not like other in wide area.

[AskDoctorJo]

I am going to try go get a specific hip flexor strengthening video out soon, but in the mean time, any exercises that bring your leg up towards your body will work. I have a straight leg raise exercise in my patellofemoral video if you want to check it out!! Good luck!!

[AskDoctorJo]

If the lordosis is specifically coming from tight hip flexors, they can. You might want to check out some of my back stretches and strengthening videos too. Often lordosis comes from a weak core in general, and strengthening your core will help it. Good luck!!

[AskDoctorJo]

The upper front part of the thigh is where the hip flexors attach. So that is where you should feel the stretch. If you aren't feeling the stretch, then you probably don't have tight hip flexors. Did you have an injury or are you just stretching to stay flexible? Also, make sure your upper body stays up right. If you are leaning forward with the stretch, you won't feel it as much. If you don't have back issues, try leaning back a little. That might help too.

[ShutUpCatProductionsShutUp-bb]

I've been dealing with tight hip flexors for a while now. These exercises seem like a great way to start feeling better.

[AskDoctorJo]

I do think you can get the numbness to go away with a consistent stretching and exercise routine. It really all depends on how much you are out of alignment if it will correct itself, but I definitely think you can manage the symptoms with only occasional flare ups!!

[AskDoctorJo]

LOL! Definitely. Well I hope you feel better soon! Stretching your IT band might also help stretch your "hip area" if you want to check that out. Good luck!!

[AskDoctorJo]

If you are stretching because of an injury, then I would stretch at least 2 times a day if you just had the injury. Once it starts feeling better, then after about 2 weeks, you can drop down to once a day until the pain goes away. I hope they help!! Good luck!!

[AskDoctorJo]

What do you mean specifically when you say stretch your hip? When you stretch something, you are stretching the muscles, not the joint. There are many muscles around the hip, including the hip flexors which is a general term for many muscles at the hip that help flex or bend it. When people refer to the hip, it is most likely their femur bone which sits in the acetabulum or pelvis. The femur bone is the thigh bone. So when people refer to the hip it is technically the thigh as well.

[kaboj]

It is in the front of my hip and I can feel it in my quad too. When I bend over, that also triggers the pain.

[lumijasminasmr]

Thank you for the disclaimer! Very professional and *responsible* to put it out there! Am already excited.

[AskDoctorJo]

Are you able to do these stretches without pain? I have an inner thigh stretching video and a quad stretching video as well. Those might also help to loosen up your hips, but don't stretch into pain. Good luck!!

[sanelisiwemasemula]

Thank you Dr. Jo, your videos really helps me a lot. I'm someone who always injures himself when playing football but all thanks to you I'm able to recover and get back to that pitch. Thank you so much.