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The Ultimate List of Hip Impingement Stretches (with Videos)

10 Stretches to Ease Pain and Improve Mobility

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Hip impingement can cast a shadow over even the simplest movements, robbing you of mobility and joy. 

Affecting roughly 10% to 15% of the population, it arises from an abnormal rubbing of the hip bones, causing pain and irritation.

Before resigning yourself to drastic measures like surgery or painkillers, consider the gentle power of targeted stretching. By increasing flexibility and range of motion, stretching create vital space within the joint, reducing friction and easing discomfort. Embark on a journey to rediscover pain-free movement with our ultimate list of 10 hip impingement stretches.

Exercises

There’s a plethora of options available when it comes to stretching to strengthen the muscles surrounding your hip impingement, but here are a few of our favorites.

00:00:02.170 [Music] 00:00:07.560 the supine hip internal rotation stretch 00:00:10.960 helps to improve our hip mobility and 00:00:12.960 internal rotation of our hips this 00:00:15.559 allows us to get our hips around to set 00:00:18.160 up properly for this drill you're going 00:00:19.720 to lay on your back on the ground you're 00:00:21.960 going to have a slight Bend to your hips 00:00:23.599 and have your knees bent from this 00:00:26.240 position you're going to bring your feet 00:00:27.439 outside of your hips and your knees 00:00:29.560 you're going to let your knees fall in 00:00:31.840 and pull them back out fall in and pull 00:00:34.960 them back out as those knees fall in 00:00:38.079 you'll feel a good stretch throughout 00:00:39.559 the hips we've talked about as an 00:00:42.559 athlete your hips those are the center 00:00:44.440 of your Universe they allow us to move 00:00:46.800 with efficiency and deliver power so if 00:00:49.520 you want to make sure that you have 00:00:50.960 healthy hips and glutes use the supine 00:00:53.520 hip internal rotation 00:00:56.000 stretch

Supine Hip Internal Rotation Stretch

Benefit: Creates vital space within the hip joint, minimizing impingement.Steps:

  • Lie flat on your back, knees bent, and feet flat.
  • Cross one ankle over the opposite knee.
  • Gently pull the crossed leg towards you, keeping your back flat. Feel the stretch in your hip.

00:00:00.850 [Music] 00:00:08.710 place a pillow or airex pad under one of 00:00:12.170 your knees your other foot is positioned 00:00:14.180 in front of your body tuck your hips and 00:00:16.940 engage your abdominal muscles then 00:00:18.920 gently lunge forward be sure to keep 00:00:21.710 your chest up and back straight you 00:00:24.050 should feel a gentle stretch in the 00:00:25.550 front of your thigh or hip hold this 00:00:27.980 stretch for 30 seconds perform two to 00:00:30.800 three stretches on each side

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Benefit: Lengthens tight hip flexors, improving hip extension and alleviating impingement pain. Steps:

  • Kneel on one knee; the other leg stretched out with a flat foot
  • Lean forward onto your front knee, feeling a stretch in the front of your hip on the back leg.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR1rtQ-PF38

Piriformis Stretch

Benefit: Releases tension in the piriformis, potentially reducing pain radiating down the leg. Steps:

  • Lie on your back with your knees bent.
  • Cross one ankle over the opposite knee and gently pull the knee towards your chest until you feel a stretch in your buttock.

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Groin Stretch

Benefit: Lengthens and loosens the groin muscles, boosting hip and leg flexibility. Steps:

  • Sit on the floor with your legs apart and the soles of your feet together.
  • Lean forward, reaching your chest towards the floor while keeping your back straight. Feel the stretch in your inner thighs.

00:00:00.800 Butterfly stretch. 00:00:02.140 Here you wanna becomfortable on the ground. 00:00:04.200 You're gonna sit in a butterfly stretch. 00:00:06.210 So you're bringing your feet 00:00:07.930 so that they're facing each other, 00:00:09.383 the bottoms of your feetare touching each other 00:00:12.600 and then you're gonna bendyour knees and push them away. 00:00:15.810 You can use your arms toget a little more of a push 00:00:19.010 on those legs and reallyopen up the inner thigh 00:00:22.160 but you're sitting hereso you can allow gravity 00:00:25.440 to pull your legs apartand help you to stretch. 00:00:28.400 Lean into it. 00:00:29.610 You can feel that lowback open up as well. 00:00:32.500 But the focus of this is totry to open up the inner thigh 00:00:36.110 and get a nice stretch here. 00:00:37.430 You wanna start with aminimum of 30 seconds 00:00:40.200 but do try to build up to two minutes. 00:00:42.860 You also wanna focus onany pain in your knees. 00:00:45.610 So if there is any tensionor some scar tissue in there 00:00:48.260 that's uncomfortable, thenyou're gonna have to modify this. 00:00:51.040 You don't want pain in your knees. 00:00:52.430 You want the stretch tobe in the inner thighs 00:00:54.840 and just being able tohold that there gently, 00:00:57.400 so that you can get a good stretch 00:00:59.540 with the butterfly stretch.

Butterfly Stretch

Benefit: Increases hip range of motion and reduces stiffness, alleviating impingement discomfort. Steps:

  • Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet together and knees bent out to the sides.
  • Press your knees towards the floor, feeling the stretch in your hips and inner thighs.

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Pigeon Pose

Benefit: Lengthens and releases tight glutes, improving hip mobility and pain control. Steps:

  • Start on all fours, bring one knee forward between your hands, and bend the other leg behind you.
  • Lean forward until you feel a stretch in your glutes and hip flexor.

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Supine Figure-Four Stretch

Benefit: Lengthens the piriformis muscle and eases external hip rotation, both crucial for pain relief in hip impingement.Steps:

  • Lie flat on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  • Cross one ankle over the opposite thigh, just above the knee.
  • Gently pull the crossed knee towards your chest until you feel a stretch in your buttock and outer hip.
  • Hold for 20-30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

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Reclined Piriformis Stretch

Benefit: This variation targets the piriformis from a different angle, providing deeper release and potentially alleviating sciatica-like pain. Steps:

  • Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  • Cross one ankle over the opposite knee, just above the knee.
  • With your arms outstretched, gently clasp the back of your crossed thigh and pull it towards you until you feel a stretch in your buttock.
  • Keep your other leg flat on the floor and your back straight.
  • Hold for 20-30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

00:00:01.659 another great stretch for your thoracic 00:00:03.740 spine is like this so on all fours on 00:00:06.920 the floor same great position chin 00:00:09.139 tucked in slightly hands on these 00:00:10.580 shoulders still got your puddle of water 00:00:13.160 sitting into your back that's called 00:00:14.539 threading the needle 00:00:15.440 this is where you take weight on your 00:00:16.789 right hand and you're now going to take 00:00:18.380 your left hand and thread it underneath 00:00:20.090 so you're now trying to get movement 00:00:22.670 through here but keeping this bit still 00:00:24.890 and you could do both sides of it and 00:00:27.380 what you do when you do it you feel no 00:00:29.119 pain at all and your lower back because 00:00:30.439 you're trying to keep that bit still 00:00:31.699 when you're making your thoracic spine 00:00:33.080 move and we want to do this to maintain 00:00:35.960 mobility up here and take the load and 00:00:38.210 the pressure off your lower back

Thread the Needle Stretch

Benefit: Combines hip flexion and internal rotation, improving mobility and reducing impingement pain.Steps:

  • Start on all fours with your hands shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart.
  • Thread one arm under your body, reaching towards the opposite side.
  • Place your hand flat on the floor outside your opposite hand.
  • Gently slide your hips back towards your heels, keeping your back flat and core engaged. Feel the stretch in your hip flexor and inner thigh.
  • Hold for 5-10 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

00:00:00.240 Hi, I'm Dr. Natalie Cordova. 00:00:02.210 This is the Superman exercise. 00:00:04.100 Ideally, you'restrengthening the paraspinals 00:00:06.800 along the spine and engagingthem as you allow your arms 00:00:10.500 and your legs to be raised off the ground. 00:00:12.400 So getting on the floor, 00:00:15.670 reaching your arms out in front of you, 00:00:17.550 your feet off of the groundjust a couple inches, 00:00:20.210 you're starting from here. 00:00:21.410 One of the key things isthat you're making sure 00:00:23.540 your pelvis is neutral, sothat your spine is comfortable. 00:00:26.510 And you're not toohyperextended or hyperflexed, 00:00:29.490 but it's a comfortable position. 00:00:31.110 So from here, you're raisingup your arms and your legs 00:00:34.380 four to five inches, you'reholding it for a second or two 00:00:37.730 and then bringing it back down 00:00:39.010 and raising it up and bring it back down. 00:00:41.520 You repeat that 10 times,and then do one or two sets.

Superman on a Bender

Benefit: Strengthens your back and glutes, which support hip stability and reduce impingement symptoms.Steps:

  • Start on your hands and knees with your hands shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart.
  • Extend one arm and the opposite leg straight, keeping your core engaged and back flat.
  • Hold for 5 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
  • As you get stronger, you can add a slight bend in the extended arm and leg for a deeper stretch.

The Benefits of Stretching for Hip Impingement

Beyond the immediate relief it offers, FAI stretches offer many benefits that pave the path to improved mobility. Explore these benefits through the voices of experts and the power of scientific evidence.

Improved Range of Motion

Stretching relieves pressure from the hips and enhances the range of motion for muscles. A study found that stretching five times a week for six weeks increased the range of motion by up to 2.4 degrees per muscle group.

Decreased Pain and Discomfort

"We even regularly see the complete resolution of symptoms in people told they will have chronic hip pain unless they seek out extreme interventions such as surgery." - On the Go Physical Therapy

Pain is the most significant effect of a hip impingement. Stretching and exercise are proven pain relief methods.

A 2010 study found that a combination of stretching and strengthening exercises effectively reduced pain and improved function in individuals with hip impingement.

Enhanced Stability and Strength

Stretching can enhance the communication between your nervous system and the muscles around your hip. This improved communication allows for better coordination and activation of these muscles for greater control and stability.

A 2017 study found that a combination of stretching and strengthening exercises improved hip stability and function in individuals with FAI.

Reclaimed Confidence and Quality of Life

Having a hip impingement can significantly decrease your ability to move, impacting your confidence and quality of life. Stretching offers a method to relieve pain, reduce symptoms, and enhance mobility. This allows you to move more easily to regain your confidence and quality of life.

9 Tips to Supercharge Your Hip Impingement Stretches

Stretching for hip impingement isn't just about holding a pose and calling it a day. It's a mindful journey towards reclaiming your flexibility and pain-free movement. Follow these nine stretching tips to supercharge your stretches and maximize their benefits.

Warm Up for 5-10 Minutes Before Stretching

Like warming up your car before a drive, prepping your muscles with 5-10 minutes of light cardio like walking or gentle jumping jacks gets your blood flowing and prepares your body for deeper stretches.

Practice Controlled Breathing

Deep, controlled breaths are your secret weapon during stretches. Inhale as you ease into the pose, allowing your muscles to relax. Exhale as you gently deepen the stretch, sending oxygen to your muscles and maximizing their benefit.

Hold Each Stretch for 20-30 Seconds

Most stretches thrive on a 20-30-second hold. This gives your muscles time to lengthen and release tension. Avoid bouncing or jerking, as these can lead to injury and negate the benefits. Instead, hold the pose with steady, gentle pressure.

Mind Your Alignment and Form

Proper form is your key to unlocking pain-free stretching. Keep your back straight, core engaged, and shoulders relaxed throughout each pose. Remember, good alignment maximizes stretch, while poor alignment can lead to discomfort or injury.

Listen to Your Body

Pain is your body's way of saying, "Hey, something's not right!" If you experience sharp pain during a stretch, stop immediately and consult your doctor. Gentle discomfort is okay, but sharp pain is a sign to back off, modify the stretch, or choose a different one.

Incorporate a Variety of Stretches

Don't get stuck in a rut! Mix up your routine with various stretches to target different muscle groups and areas of your hip. This keeps your body challenged and prevents plateaus in your progress, helping you reach your flexibility goals faster.

Utilize Helpful Props

Yoga straps, blocks, and foam rollers are your allies in the stretching world. These props can help you reach deeper stretches, modify exercises, and improve overall comfort and effectiveness. Don't hesitate to use them to personalize your stretches and unlock optimal results.

Be Patient and Consistent

Remember, hip impingement stretches are a journey, not a quick fix. Be patient and consistent with your practice, and celebrate even minor improvements. Over time, your dedication will pay off in newfound flexibility and pain-free movement.

Add Hot & Cold Therapy for Added Relief

Consider incorporating heat therapy, like a warm bath or heating pad, before stretching to relax your muscles further. After your stretches, cold therapy, like an ice pack, can help reduce inflammation and accelerate recovery.

Conclusion: Embracing a Pain-Free Future, One Stretch at a Time

Living with hip impingement feels like a constant negotiation with limitations. But amidst the struggle, remember this: you have the power to reclaim your movement, and it begins with a simple stretch. Stretching is not a quick fix for any injury. It's a long-term solution that requires patience and persistence. However, the benefits greatly outweigh the effort needed. Practice these stretches daily to see an improvement in your hip impingement.

About the Author

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Brandon Landgraf is the Digital Marketing Manager for Carex Health Brands. He finds passion and fulfillment in creating content that enhances, improves, and enlivens others' quality of life. All of his written work is formulated to not only offer essential advice and tips but back it with proven studies and experts. His mission is to connect with readers and provide steps to make their lives better.

About Carex Health Brands

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Carex is your one-stop shop for home medical equipment and for products that assist caregivers with providing the best possible support and care for their loved ones. Carex Health Brands has been the branded leader in in-home, self-care medical products for over 35 years. Our goal is to improve the lives of our customers by bring them quality products that bring dignity back to their lives. With our three nationally distributed brands, Carex Health Brands serves national, regional and independent food, drug and mass retailers along with wholesalers, distributors and medical dealers.

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