Best Exercises For Hip Flexor Pain - From a Physical Therapist

A collection of the best stretches for tight hip flexors and best exercises for hip weakness. Includes tests so you can tell which exercises will be the best for your pain and step-by-step instructions on how to perform them properly. All demonstrated by a doctor of physical therapy. Keep reading for more!

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Pain in the front of your hip can be a common condition. Most people think pain in this area is due to hip flexor tightness. While this is true in many instances, it's not true ALL the time.

Many of us have tight hip flexors. This is often a result of spending so much time in positions with our hips bent (sitting, sleeping in a fetal position, etc). With our hip flexors in this position, over time they can undergo what we call an "adaptive shortening".

This is where the muscles actually tighten up in this shortened position making movement very painful.

The recommended treatment for tight hip flexors is obviously stretching.

But what if the pain in your hip isn't due to hip flexor tightness?

Believe it or not, some people can actually have weakness in their hip flexors that manifests itself as anterior hip pain.

If that's the case, you absolutely don't want to be stretching them! In fact - just the opposite. If your hip flexors are weak and if that's what's causing your anterior hip pain, then the recommended treatment would be strengthening them.

This is best done via specific exercises that are going to work the muscles in this area in the best way possible to help alleviate your pain and discomfort.

In this video, I demonstrate some simple tests that you can do at home to assess whether your hip flexors are tight or weak.

You can then follow along with 2-3 simple exercises and stretches based on your condition to see what exactly are the best exercises for your specific condition.

HOW TO CHECK FOR HIP FLEXOR TIGHTNESS (3:24)
Lay flat on your back on the edge of a table or counter (this can be done on your bed, but if it's too soft the test won't be as accurate).
Hug both knees to your chest.
Slowly lower one leg down towards the table.
The lowered leg should lay flat (or almost touch) the table. If not, this is an indication of hip flexor tightness and you need to stretch it out.

HOW TO CHECK FOR HIP FLEXOR WEAKNESS (4:56)
Put your foot up on a chair - your knee should be at the level of your hip.
Raise your foot off the chair and then lower it back down.
Repeat this ten times.
Repeat on the other side.
They should feel the same on both sides. If one side is weaker or if performing this test is difficult, that would be an indication that your hip flexor is weak and DOES NOT need to stretch but rather needs strengthening.

BEST HIP FLEXOR STRETCHES
The stretches demonstrated in this video are as follows:

PRONE HIP FLEXOR STRETCH (7:00)

SUPINE HIP FLEXOR STRETCH (8:51)

KNEELING HIP FLEXOR STRETCH (9:43)

BEST STRENGTH EXERCISES FOR HIP FLEXORS
If you have hip flexor weakness, these are the best exercises for you:

STRAIGHT LEG RAISES (11:51)

INVERTED "L" STRAIGHT LEG RAISES (12:32)

STANDING KNEE RAISES (13:17)

I hope those help you out of some of the pain or discomfort you might be experiencing in your anterior hip! If you did find some relief from this video, do me a favor and hit that "thumbs up" button! Also, if you know anyone this might help please share with them by pushing the "share" button above.

Thanks so much for watching here on Tone and Tighten!!!!

Be sure to follow T&T across all our social media platforms:

[jsmcguireIII]

As a runner having had several knee surgeries the awareness of asymmetry is critical to dealing with flexor issues. Many of these stretches were in my PT routine for months. This guy knows what he is talking about. The key is to make these a part of your fitness routine forever.

[sharongrimes]

OMG! I’ve been experiencing hip and low back pain for quite awhile now. This is the first time I’ve seen any information on weak vs tight, how to tell the difference, and what to do. I’ve been trying to self treat with stretching. I now know I need to strengthen. 💡Thank you!

[MarcioGhiraldelli]

Mate, you saved my life. I'm 44 years old, and I've been stretching the hell out of my lower back for the last 5 years trying to get rid of pain. After figuring I had to strengthen it instead in a week with few minutes daily exercises the pain is gone! Tks!

[tyler]

Hands down one of the best hip flexor videos. Extremely easy to understand, no fluff or garbage I don’t need to hear. This is something will favorite and watch again.
Thank you!

[lisamoreland]

I LOVE this! Thanks for providing all the details and nuances for the beginner in understanding all this! I can't wait to try it out. Good stuff!

[GdessMvr]

This is perfect. I had pain from doing deadlifts in my upper right thigh. Thanks to your well explained video and exercises I discovered my hip flexor muscle is weak in the right leg. And now know exactly how to strengthen it in order to continue with deadlifts and improve in the gym. I hope everyone having problems with the hip flexor finds your video and receive your great advice!

[lindahansen]

Thank you so much for this video. I always thought I needed to stretch but after doing your simple tests I definitely need to strengthen. When doing the strengthen exercise you show in this video I can't even get my left leg off the floor (maybe an inch); right leg about 4 inches. I've got a lot of work to do. Again thank you.

[NicknamedSin]

Watched this vid the entire way through. Super informative, clear delivery, with no rambling. Thanks doc. My hip flexors were weak. Perhaps from being in a seated position for hours on end. Such is life while in student mode. Cheers.

[magalicapi]

Thank you! It's the first time I hear someone explain the difference so clearly. I've had 2 total hip replacement surgeries (anterior approach) on my right hip (had the first in 2016 and a revision in 2018 because it got loose). And the pain sometimes is even worse than before the surgery. I got nerve damage and meralgia paresthetica from the first surgery. I can't lift my right leg when lying down (can't do leg raise). Muscle atrophy, etc. The problem is that I haven't found a strengthening and/or stretching routine or treatment that doesn't cause a lot of pain and when I try squats or leg raises etc. and then stretch even if I do it with help of a strap I can't walk for 2 days after. Because I had anterior approach hip replacement there are no restrictions on the movement, no risks of dislocating when flexing or extending.  
Please advise!

[alexanderhenderson]

Thank You so much. Throughout my hip pain I've been stretching it out. It never really seemed to help, after that quick test I realize just how weak my hip flexor is (could barely get to ten on my left side, right side I can go up and down all day). Very insightful and easy to grasp. Just the mental relief of knowing what the problem is feels amazing. I look forward to strengthening this left hip flexor and eliminating this pain.

[WorkinSteamin]

Brilliant. This nailed a longstanding concern -weak hip flexor, with great, simple exercises to fix. Thank you!

[mflowerz]

Love this! No fluff, waste of time, get right to it. YES! I’m following you now. 👍🏼

[marlonramsauer]

Bro, you really save my life 🙏🏻🙏🏻 I was suffering for psoas pain, so bad and after watching this video, everything has changed.
It's the first day I made the exercises you said and I swear it's unbelievable, I do still have pain, but I can do a lot more movements
Thanks for sharing with us your knowledge 🙏🏻

I've tried everything, thanks bro, really thanks 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[bobmclaughlin]

Just back from my first PT session for hip flexor. Lots of pain, hard to walk. Your video was much more instructive!! I understand much more than what I was offered at PT. I’m starting your routines today. Thanks!!

[krissche]

Thank you so much! I have been trying to figure out my own routine for this when I developed a weakness in one side, but I think that I would have gotten much better targeting of the area and better effects if I had just seen this before. I will now start with this and see if it get better.

[juliehanrahan]

This was incredibly helpful. I have been spending hours and hours trying to stretch what I thought was a tight left quadricep. I watched the video and did your tight-or-weak test. Bingo! I have a very tight left hip flexor... and I now have some great stretches to work with. You are so clear and concise. I've already subscribed. Thank you so much!

[konkoly]

Bro, that one where you pull your leg to your chest and let your other one just dangle really really opened up my hip after about 3 minutes or so. Thank you so much. Will be incorporating that into my daily routine.

[kierstaspendlove]

This is so incredibly helpful! I have suffered with hip flexor pain for years and everyone has always just given me stretches, but doing the test, mine are super weak! So helpful to have this info and a way to move forward!! Thank you!!

[elisabetdelgadovilar]

Thanks a lot for explaining the difference between tight and weak hip flexors. I always thought I had to stretch even realising that I wasn’t getting any benefit and what I just learned is that my hip flexors are too weak 😓 thanks a lot 🤗

[victorpham]

Just wanted to say thanks for making these videos it has helped me figure out why my hip has been numb for so long. Feels like Christmas came early for me.👍