What is Hip Internal and External Rotation?

Understanding Hip Internal and External Rotation: Muscles, Testing, and Exercises

In this video, we break down everything you need to know about hip internal and external rotation:

What they are and how to visualize these movements.
Which muscles drive the motion, including key players like the glute max, glute medius, piriformis, TFL, and deep hip rotators.
How to test for imbalances between internal and external rotation.
Whether you're a fitness enthusiast, physical therapy professional, or just curious about improving hip mobility and strength, this video will guide you through the basics and provide insights into common imbalances.

Stay tuned for tips on how to test your range of motion and exercises to strengthen the muscles involved!

💪 Like, comment, and subscribe for more videos on mobility, strength, and functional movement!
----
👩🏻‍🏫 Check out our CEU courses on the Pelvis for Health and Fitness Professionals:

👩🏻‍💻 PCES - Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist

👩🏻‍💻 Pelvis Pro
---

00:00 Intro

00:16 Demo of External and Internal Rotation

01:03 Muscles that Drive External Rotation

01:30 Muscles that Drive Internal Rotation

02:06 Conclusion

⁣⁣

[CoreExerciseSolutions]

👇Comment below to let me know what questions you had or how it went! 👇👀

[bradbaker]

This is the first time I fully understand this concept. Thank you!

[dgross]

thanks for explaining this. i was getting frustrated as some dude was trying to explain pelvic tilt solutions, kept using the term external and hip rotation but never made it clear what this meant, making a lot of what he was saying sound contradictory and confusing. thanks for having the good sense to think about people like me who don't speak chiropractic.

[samhowl]

I doubt you will see this, but I have been struggling with a concept in golf called bracing. As the golf club comes down, the leg in front has to be braced. For years I have struggled with understanding how to do this.

I thought the leg from the hip to the foot was either rotating internally or externally. Realizing from your video that essentially when the hip and thigh rotate externally, the lower part of the leg, calf, ankle, and foot rotate internally, has unlocked the brace for me. This creates stability throughout the leg and facilitates a smooth unwinding.

Many thanks

[snehanair]

Thank you so much for this small yet, very easy explanation.

[zephyrkhambatta]

Thank you so much for explaining that :) I appreciate it.

Love from Singapore,
Zephyr

[altiboxtv]

I want to say that you are very easy to understand and I enjoy your channel a lot :)

[YogaStrengthRelease]

Thanks for posting this one. I was confused with the anatomical rotation of the hips for Tiryang Mukha Ekapada Paschimattanasana with the torso folding over the front straight leg.

[DrZia-oojz]

Clear simple explanation, v good demonstration.

[HarpreetSinghChandar]

Nice it really help me a lot mam thnx❤

[YoungElevated]

Thanks Sarah, I definitely have external rotation after looking at your video. Thanks!

[kevinpeterson]

Thank you so much for posting this video. I am currently studying Corrective Exercise Specialization... and a lot of the functional anatomy of muscles groups are not taught using connecting concepts. Rather, all the actions and functions of the muscles are just presented in the readings as plain facts... I was wondering if muscles responsible for internal hip rotation (or vice versa) could be identified based on location in the body... Because if not... I guess I'd just have to memorize them by piecemeal for the exam. Any feedback would greatly help. Thank you so much.

[nurimahrasidz]

What about doing it in supine? (For bed bound patients) I mean the the hip ball would move the same range for standing and supine?

[Armando_Lara]

Is it necessary to have knee flexion to be considered "hip external rotation"?

Great images! Thank you very much!

[ramapradeepkrishnan]

Hi Sarah, still have a question. While I play badminton my knees are rotating internally while jumping and landing hence the hip rotates internally. Does that means I need to work on external hip rotation to balance the internal rotation. Kindly advise.

[cliffburton]

Which way does the femoral head need to glide in order to perform hip internal rotation?

[jeffharper]

Hi what are the exercises please and thank you ?

[nightmare]

I have duck feet and overpronation is that internal or external rotation

[maryellenbrines]

Hi Sarah! I'm doing the happy hips program and this is my issue! I was hoping to see you test for it and the exercises for it!! Will you be putting them up on youtube?

[ghadamedhat]

Please give us exercises to correct the external rotation