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19 Beginner-Friendly Hip Mobility Exercises to Boost Flexibility

Feeling tight hips? Don't ignore the warning signs. Pliability offers easy hip mobility exercises to improve flexibility. Start your journey today!

Do you ever feel tightness in your hips? It could happen when you get up from a chair or squat to lift something off the floor. You may not think much of it then, but those little moments of discomfort can add to trouble. And what’s more, tight hips don’t just hurt; they can also hinder your performance in the activities you enjoy. If you ignore the warning signs, over time, this can lead to serious injury. Hip mobility exercises can help you avoid all that by increasing your range of motion to move freely and without pain. If you make these exercises a regular part of your routine, you’ll notice less stiffness and discomfort and greater flexibility to help you easily perform daily tasks and workouts.

At Pliability, our easy-to-use mobility app can help you reach your mobility goals. With clear video instruction and customizable routines, we make incorporating hip mobility exercises into your life simple. Whether you want to improve your performance in a particular sport or stop feeling pain while you go about your day, Pliability can help you get there.

What Is Hip Mobility?

woman working out - Hip Mobility Exercises

Hip mobility refers to how well your hips move. More specifically, it’s about how easily you can move around without experiencing:

  • Hip pain
  • Stiffness
  • Tightness

Your hip joint is like a ball and socket, and it’s more weight-bearing than other joints, like your shoulders,” says Dr. Charlotin.

Hip Joint Muscles

The large bones that make up your hip joint, like your:

  • Femur
  • Thighbone
  • Pelvis anchors several big muscles

These include your hip flexors and glutes and others that move down your thigh to your knee, like my:

  • Abductors
  • Adductors
  • Quadriceps
  • Hamstrings

If any of these muscles are tight, it can cause limited hip mobility,” explains Dr. Charlotin.

Why is Hip Mobility Important?

By now, you know that you can’t underestimate the importance of your hips. The more mobile your hips are, the better your range of motion will be. “If you are stiff in your hips, it can limit your mobility and affect your movement patterns,” says Dr. Charlotin. 

This will make it harder to do athletic activities such as running, squatting, or jumping and make everyday activities, such as walking while tackling errands or bending to pick something up, more complex. 

Hip Impact on Spine

Hip stiffness can also affect your lower back, leading to lower back pain. “If your hip muscles are tight, your spine picks up the slack, which can cause strain and stiffness over time,” says Dr. Charlotin.

Related Reading

5 Causes of Poor Hip Mobility

sketch of a back bone - Hip Mobility Exercises

1. Sedentary Lifestyles: The Silent Killer of Hip Mobility

Sitting for too long creates a perfect storm for hip mobility issues. A sedentary lifestyle can tighten your hip flexors. This causes your muscles to lose the elasticity they need for a full range of motion, says Dr. Charlotin.

2. Hip Bursitis: When Repetitive Use Takes Its Toll 

Hip bursitis is a painful inflammation of the bursae around your hip and can cause hip mobility issues. It’s most commonly caused by repetitive use and over-stressing the areas around your hip joints — but it can also be caused by direct trauma or infection. 

Bursitis can often go away on its own with rest and physical therapy. However, if your hip pain or immobility from bursitis is severe or persistent, doctors may recommend surgery.

3. Hip Arthritis: The Degenerative Joint Disease

Several types of arthritis can contribute to hip pain, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis in the hips can:

  • Cause changes to the shock-absorbing cartilage between bones 
  • Contribute to hip muscle tightness

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory form that causes the body’s immune system to mistakenly attack the tissue lining the joints, including the hip joints.

4. Hip Tendonitis: The Overuse Injury 

Hip tendonitis, also known as hip flexor tendonitis, happens when a tendon that attaches the iliopsoas muscles, which flex the hip, gets irritated or inflamed. This causes pain and mobility issues. Tendonitis is usually caused by repetitive motions in your hip that put excessive stress on a tendon, such as playing sports like:

  • Running
  • Swimming
  • Hockey, or participating in spin (cycling) classes and high-impact workouts

Hip tendonitis is often treated with rest, physical therapy, and pain-relieving medications. In severe cases, your doctor may recommend surgery.

5.  Muscle Imbalances: The Role of Weakness in Hip Mobility 

If specific muscles, like your core or glutes, are weak, it can force your hip flexors to work harder. This can lead to strain in the hip muscles, which, in turn, can cause tightness.

Pliability App Benefits

If you're feeling limited by pain or the ability to move, Pliability aims to complement your fitness routine and help you move better. Sign up today for 7 days absolutely for free, on iPhone, iPad, Android, or on our website to improve flexibility, aid recovery, reduce pain, and enhance range of motion with our mobility app.

What Are the Symptoms of Weak Hip Mobility?

woman with hip pain - Hip Mobility Exercises

Poor hip mobility can bring on many symptoms that can negatively impact your daily life, especially if you’re active. Hip mobility exercises can help target these symptoms and improve your hip joint’s range of motion.

Stiffness and Discomfort During Movement

Hip mobility exercises can help ease stiffness and discomfort in the hips and surrounding muscles. When you have limited hip mobility, it’s common to experience reduced flexibility. As a result, you may feel discomfort or tightness in your hips when performing everyday activities like walking or climbing stairs. 

It’s common to feel this discomfort when transitioning between movements, such as standing up from a seated position.

Reduced Flexibility

Reducing tightness in the hip flexors and improving hip mobility can help alleviate hip pain and stiffness. Limited hip mobility can also reduce hip flexibility, affecting overall movement patterns. 

You may have a less functional range of motion while performing squats or lunges. This can affect:

  • Your performance in the gym
  • Your everyday activities

Difficulties with Activities Like Squatting and Lunging

Limited hip mobility can affect posture, cause lower back pain, and increase the risk of injury. As you lose range of motion in the hips, your body compensates by altering movement mechanics. This can lead to poor posture and improper form during exercise, ultimately resulting in injury. 

You may have difficulty with squats and lunges if you have tight hip flexors. This can alter your movement patterns, affecting your form and putting unnecessary stress on your lower back, leading to:

  • Pain 
  • Injury

Related Reading

How Can I Regain My Hip Mobility?

woman working out - Hip Mobility Exercises

If you want to move well, you need flexible hips. The hip joint is the body's largest and can perform many motions. But like any other joint, the hips can become stiff and limit movement over time. The hip has three primary movements:

  • Flexion and extension (moving the leg backward and forward)
  • Abduction and adduction (moving the leg out to the side and in towards the other leg)
  • Rotation (moving the foot left and right and moving the straightened leg towards the toes). 

Understanding how to improve hip mobility helps to know a little bit about the anatomy of the hip.

The Importance of Consistency and Patience

Improving hip mobility takes time. Consistently performing the stretches and exercises outlined in this article will help restore the proper range of motion in the hips. 

But you must be patient and gradually increase the intensity to regain mobility safely. If you push too hard too fast, you risk injuring yourself and further delaying your progress.

Static Stretches to Improve Overall Hip Mobility and Flexibility

To get started, here are some static stretches to improve hip flexibility. These stretches should be held for at least 30 seconds and performed daily or multiple times weekly.

Hip Flexor Stretch

Kneel on your left knee and put your right foot before you. Your right hip and knee should roughly make a 90-degree angle. If this position hurts your knee, feel free to put a pillow under it. Put your left hand on your left hip and gradually push your hip forward.

Your left hip should end up in front of your left knee. Keep your chest up, and don’t bend forward at the hips.

Dynamic Stretches/Exercises to Improve Hip Mobility and Strength

Dynamic stretches help warm up the body and improve overall performance. They also target specific muscles and help improve both strength and mobility. Here are 2 exercises to improve hip mobility and strength:

1. Reverse Active Straight Leg Raise

  • Lie down on your back and bring your legs up, keeping them straight
  • Your back and legs should make as close to a 90-degree angle as possible
  • Keep one leg straight up using a strap or band while slowly lowering the other to the floor
  • Keep your core tight during this process because that’s what stabilizes the spine and pelvis
  • Repeat five times on each leg.

2. Single Leg Hip Lift

  • Lie down on your back with both feet planted flat on the floor.
  • Your knees and calves should roughly make a 90-degree angle. 
  • Raise your right leg up straight so that only your left foot is touching the floor. 
  • Using your glute muscles, bring your back up off the ground while keeping your head and shoulders firmly planted. 
  • While relaxing the glutes, slowly lower the butt and back towards the ground again.
  • Repeat five times, then switch legs.

Strength Training for the Hip and Pelvis

While these stretches will improve your hip mobility, strength training is another excellent way to improve mobility and decrease the chance of injury. With that said, here are some strength exercises that will primarily work the hip flexor muscles:

  • Bridges
  • Split Squat
  • Lateral Squat
  • 4-Way Mini Band
  • X Band Walk
  • 4-Way Cable Hip
  • Lateral Lunges
  • Rotational Lunges
  • Lateral Step Up
  • Rotational Step Up

Tailored Yoga for Performance

Pliability offers a fresh take on yoga tailored for performance-oriented individuals and athletes. Our app features a vast library of high-quality videos designed to:

  • Improve flexibility
  • Aid recovery
  • Reduce pain
  • Enhance range of motion

Pliability provides daily updated custom mobility programs for those interested in optimizing their health and fitness. It also includes a unique body scanning feature to pinpoint mobility issues. If you're feeling limited by pain or the ability to move, Pliability aims to complement your fitness routine and help you move better.

Free Trial Offer

Sign up today for 7 days free on iPhone, iPad, Android, or our website to use our mobility app to:

  • Improve flexibility
  • Aid recovery
  • Reduce pain
  • Enhance range of motion

19 Beginner-Friendly Hip Mobility Exercises to Boost Flexibility

woman working out near the ocean - Hip Mobility Exercises

1. Get Your Hips Moving Again with Hip CARs

Hip CARs (controlled articular rotations) are exercises that take your hip joint through its full range of motion. It’s very effective at:

  • Expanding the range of motion
  • Improving hip function
  • Maintaining the overall health and integrity of the joint

How It’s Done

  • Stand with one arm outstretched, holding a railing, bar, or other support. The other arm should extend out, too.
  • Brace abs and tense your muscles to keep your body rigid.
  • Press the inside leg down hard (through the heel) and keep the knee locked.
  • Raise the knee of the outside leg as high up in front of the chest as you can without compensating.
  • Open the knee up to the side and turn the foot outward, ensuring the hips remain square (don’t let them rotate).
  • Turn the sole of the foot up to the wall behind you (think heel to the sky). 
  • Go only as far up as you can without the hips compensating; this should be pure hip internal rotation.
  • Lower the knee directly underneath your hip, maintaining a 90-degree angle at the back knee.
  • Reverse motion. Knee out to the side, then up high in front of the chest.
  • Repeat 2-3 sets of 3-5 reps/side on the opposite side.

2. 90/90 PAILS/RAILS Mobilize Your Hips

This mobility exercise combines passive stretching for the hip external rotators with isometric strengthening.

  • PAILS: Progressive angle Isometric loading
  • RAILS: Regressive angle Isometric loading

This is a highly effective exercise to make the hips feel more unrestricted and move better.

How It’s Done

  • Step 1: 2-minute passive stretch.
  • Step 2: PAILS: 10-second ramp up tension. 10-second isometric contraction at 70% effort.
  • Step 3: RAILS: 10-second ramp up tension. 10-second isometric contraction at 70% effort.
  • Step 4: 30-second stretch.
  • Step 5: Repeat steps 2 and 3 once more.

3. Stretch and Strengthen Your Hip Flexors

This is a classic hip flexor stretch paired with isometric strengthening. This combination helps expand the range of motion more effectively than passive stretching alone.

This will increase your hip extension capacity so you can fire your glutes effectively – extremely important for runners and anyone who performs lower body weight training exercises.

How It’s Done

Step 1: Passive Stretch

  • Start in a 1/2 kneeling position. Back knee directly under hips and shoulders. Front knee in line with the heel of the front foot.
  • Place hands on the front knee and press down lightly to engage the anterior core.
  • Tuck the hips and tailbone underneath you.
  • Squeeze the back glute and brace abs to stabilize the spine.
  • Lunge forward slightly until you feel the hip flexor stretch (without losing your spine position)
  • Hold this stretch for 90 seconds – 2 minutes.

Step 2: Isometric Strengthening

  • Press your back foot and shin into the floor while attempting to drive your knee forward (50% effort).
  • Hold this for 10-20 seconds.

Step 3: Relax And Hold The Passive Stretch For 30 Seconds

Step 4: Repeat Step 2 Once More, Then Perform The Same Steps On The Other Side

4. Open Up Your Hips with a 90/90 Hip Opener

This is a great hip opener. It targets the lateral glutes and external rotators. Strengthening these muscles will:

  • Reduce tension in the adductors (inside leg)
  • Improve hip stability
  • Improve the squat technique and depth

How It’s Done

  • Start in the 90/90 base position.
  • Press your front knee down so it doesn’t lift during the movement.
  • Post up onto the big toe of your back foot.
  • Open up the trail knee and swivel the heel.
  • Plant the heel and drive as much distance between both knees as possible.
  • Squeeze for a split second before returning to 90/90 base.
  • 2-3 sets of 5 reps/side

5. Get a Good Stretch with Bear Sit Passive & Active Stretch

This mobility exercise combines a passive and active stretch for the hip adductors (inside legs).

This exercise will increase the extensibility of the adductor muscles.

How It’s Done

Passive stretch:

  • Sit on the floor with feet in front of the body.
  • Turn your knees and feet out straight from the back of the knees to the heels.
  • Grab ankles, prize the knees apart, and sit nice and tall.
  • Try to flatten your lower back.
  • You should feel this in the groin.
  • Hold for 60 seconds while maintaining slow, diaphragmatic breaths.

Active stretch:

  • Transfer your arms in front of the body, make fists, and drive the shoulder blades down.
  •  Breathe hard and keep your whole body tensed.
  • Maintain the position for 10-20 seconds.
  • Grab your ankles and revert to the passive stretch.
  • Repeat the active stretch once more after 30 seconds of rest.

6. Figure Four Glute Stretch

Preparation

  • Lay supine on your back.
  • Lift your knees above your hips.

Movement

  • Cross one shin across your thigh with the hip turned out, actively flexing the foot.
  • Hold for at least 45 seconds to a minute before switching to the second side.

7. Tabletop 1 Leg Hip Circles

Preparation

  • Find a tabletop position, hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
  • Use padding under both knees if needed.

Movement

  • Hover one knee under your abdomen and draw a full range of motion circles with your knee to lubricate your hip.
  • Complete five circles in each direction before switching sides.

Technique Tips

As you move, do your best to stabilize the core so only one hip moves.

8. External Rotation Clams

Preparation

  • Lay on your side with knees bent towards the naval.
  • Stack shoulders, hips, and knees as best as you can.

Movement

  • Keep the heels together and externally rotate your top hip as far open as possible without the core moving or letting the heels fall apart.
  • Repeat 6-8 repetitions before switching to the second side.

Technique Tips

Focus on the range of motion and isolating the gluteus.

9.  Internal Rotation Side Lying

Preparation

  • Lay on your side with knees bent towards the naval.
  • Stack shoulders, hips, and knees as best I can.

Movement

  • Keep the heels together and lift the top heel off the bottom heel internally, rotating the top thigh.
  • Repeat 6-8 repetitions before switching to the second side.

10. Plie Squat with Elbows on Thighs For Support

Preparation

Stand tall with feet as wide as my shoulders, legs turned out, and toes and knees pointing in the same direction.

Movement

  • Sink my hips into a plie squat and place my elbows on my thighs to support and assist in the rotation.
  • Hold 45 seconds to a minute to open the inner thighs and pelvic muscles. 

11. 90-90 Hip Opener Low Lunge

Preparation

  • Step one leg forward into a low lunge with the back knee on the mat from a kneeling position.
  • Position your back knee below the hip so both legs create a ninety-degree angle.

Movement

Without changing the position of your body, activate the core to stretch the front of your hips.

12.  Lacrosse Ball Release

  • You need any hardball, lacrosse ball, cue ball, baseball, or anything for this one.
  • Lay on your back, lift one leg up, bend that knee, and put your foot on top of your other knee, making a vertical figure-four.
  • Twist your hips slowly toward the side of your outstretched leg and place the ball under your glute. Then, roll your body back onto the ball and let your knee flop to the side so your legs are in an accurate, horizontal figure-four with the hard ball under one cheek.
  • Leave it there for a minute or so, move it up or down about an inch, depending on how you feel, and leave it for another minute. 
  • Switch sides. 

The pressure of the ball on your glute works wonders for your hip.

13.  Epic Quad Stretch

  • Get your foam block or a small towel. 
  • Put the block against the wall and your knee on top of it so your shin and foot are vertical, straight up along the wall's surface behind you, knee driving into the ground.
  • Your other foot should be on the ground before you, knee bent at a 90-degree angle (like a lunge).
  • Make sure your upper body is perfectly straight up and hold the stretch for a minute or so. 
  • Then, switch sides.

14.  Kneeling Lunge to Half-Split Rocks

  • Start by kneeling with both knees on the floor.
  • Move into a kneeling lunge.
  • Step your right foot forward until your right thigh is parallel to the floor (about one or two feet in front). 
  • Let your left leg extend behind, place the top of your left foot on the floor, and reach your arms straight overhead (without scrunching up your shoulders). 
  • Then, move into a half-split. 
  • Slowly shift your weight back, sending my butt toward your left heel, as your right toes come up off the floor and your right leg is now straight (your right heel should still be planted on the floor). 
  • At the same time, bend forward over your right leg and touch your hands to either side of your right foot. 
  • Move back and forth with control between these two positions five times before repeating the sequence with the other leg in front.

15. Standing Leg Swings

  • Stand with your feet together next to a wall or doorway that you can hold with your hand for balance. 
  • From this position, swing your inside leg forward and backward with control, making sure not to swing so far forward or backward that you can't keep a relatively neutral/straight back (no need to hurt yourself or impress the Rockettes). 
  • Repeat five times forward and backward.
  • Then stand facing the wall and repeat five more times, swinging the same leg from side to side. 
  • Switch sides and repeat the same sequence with the opposite leg.

16. Frog Squat

  • Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width. 
  • Turn your feet out at a diagonal and make sure your knees align vertically with your ankles. 
  • Keeping weight in your heels, bend your knees and slowly lower your butt to the floor as low as you can comfortably go. 
  • Hold this low squat position for about 30 seconds, using your elbows to press your knees gently outward. 
  • Release to a standing position and shake your legs out. 
  • Repeat five times.

17. Seated Spinal Twist 

  • Sit on a mat, or the floor with both legs bent slightly below 90 degrees. 
  • Maintain a neutral spine as you gently twist to one side, placing the back of the opposite arm against the leg you’re turning toward. 
  • Breathe deeply in this position, and ensure you only twist as far as possible while keeping good posture.

18. Diagonal Banded Quad Rock

  • Set up a resistance band around a sturdy anchor close to the floor. 
  • Loop the band around one hip while facing away from the anchor point. 
  • Angle yourself slightly diagonal to the anchor point, with the band pulling outward from your leg. 
  • Gently rock back and forth in this position, but feel free to stop at any point that feels good.

19. Downward Dog 

  • Start on your hands and knees with your hands below or slightly in front of your shoulders. 
  • Press with your hands as you lift your knees off the floor, straighten your legs, and lift your hips upward. 
  • Keep your spine neutral throughout the movement. If you prefer to make this movement more dynamic, try lifting your heels one at a time as you hold the stretch.

Is It Okay to Do Hip Mobility Exercises Every Day?

woman on a workout mat - Hip Mobility Exercises

You can safely perform hip mobility exercises every day, if you want to. Regular hip mobility work can improve flexibility and prevent stiffness. The key here is regular, low-impact exercises that won’t overwork the hip joints. Though it might sound counterintuitive, remember that mobility work gives your joints room to move. 

The more you do it, the better. Even hip joints need recovery time. If you’re hammering away at your hip mobility routine, allow enough time between sessions for the tissues to recover.

What Are the Benefits of Improved Hip Mobility?

Having good hip mobility allows you to perform the movements and exercise that’s a part of your daily life and it can make you less likely to suffer specific injuries. Peloton instructor Andy Speer. “Mobility gives your body room to move.” 

The good news is that mobility is primarily a lifestyle choice. Regular physical activity is the key to increasing and maintaining good mobility, which is why children tend to have excellent mobility. You don’t have to do cartwheels to boost yours; instead, try mobility training. 

How Much Mobility Work Do You Need?

It’s more beneficial to practice mobility five times a week, for 5 to 10 minutes each time, than it is to do an hour-long session once a week,” Andy says. You might do 5 to 10 minutes of mobility training daily and make two or three days more extended practice, like 15 to 30 minutes. It will have you feeling fantastic and moving well.” 

That said, the frequency and duration of your mobility training will depend on you:

  • Your current fitness level
  • Your fitness goals
  • Whether you’re dealing with an injury or any problem areas

Mobility Training Frequency

You might start with a few times a week and build up. Ideally, you’ll want to include mobility training daily, if possible.  Regarding mobility training, the general rule is to do it as often as you need to but to begin slowly, working on just one or two areas of the body. 

Maybe that’s your shoulders and spine or your knees and ankles. But it’s essential to focus on quality over quantity when it comes to mobility exercises.  Start by doing fewer exercises and concentrating on using proper form. 

Listen to Your Body

Don’t rush through the exercise set list. As always, listen to your body and modify or skip anything that causes pain. “Consistency is key,” Andy explains. Do it however it best fits into your life.

If stacking mobility training with your other workouts is best for your schedule, then do that. Doing the longer mobility classes on days between more intense training will help your recovery between workouts.”

How to Build Hip Mobility Safely

Hip Mobility Exercises: Why One Size Does NOT Fit All

The hip is a complex structure that includes pelvic bones, the thigh bone, and cartilage called a:

  • Labrum
  • Joint capsules
  • Muscles
  • Fascia
  • Nerves
  • Blood vessels

A movement restriction in any of these structures can limit mobility.

Many athletes don’t become aware of possible bony limitations until they feel their hip mobility plateau despite consistently working at it. Pelvic and thigh bone shapes vary by individual, and this structural variation is why some people prefer to squat down with their toes parallel while others are more comfortable squatting with their feet pointing outward.

Personalized Mobility Plan

Specific exercises can help increase your range of motion, but exercise can’t change your bone structure. Forcing progress with a plan that doesn’t suit you can lead to injuries.

The good news is that unless you have an injury or medical issue, you don’t need to invest in X-rays and MRIs to individualize your hip mobility plan. Instead, use the following two movements to discover your:

  • Hip mobility opportunities 
  • Boundaries

Assess Your Limits: FABER and FADIR

Two simple self-assessments can help you individualize your hip mobility plan. If you feel limited movement, pay close attention to where the restriction stems. Your senses will help you decode your next steps.

As with any exercise, if you feel a stuck or painful region, gradually back out of the movement instead of trying to push through it.

Assessment 1: FABER

FABER stands for flexion, abduction, and external rotation, which are the anatomical motions of the hip. The FABER position looks like a figure four lying on your back.


How to do it:

  • Lie flat on your back, keeping your left leg straight and relaxed on the floor. 
  • Bend your right knee and place your right foot outside your left leg, just above knee height. 
  • Allow your right knee to open to the side, as if you were doing a one-sided butterfly stretch while lying on your back. 
  • Use your right hand to apply a very gentle downward force on your right thigh. 
  • Repeat on the other side.

Signs of movement limitation: If you feel gentle pulling along the length of the inner thigh, your body is telling you to stretch your hip adductors. Consider either the seated or face-up butterfly stretch or banded quad rocks,

Assessment 2: FADIR

FADIR refers to another set of hip motions:

  • Dlexion
  • Adduction
  • Internal rotation

The FADIR position looks like you’re hugging your knee toward the opposite armpit, but your foot is in an unusual position.


How to do it: 

  • Lie flat on your back, keeping your left leg straight and relaxed on the ground. 
  • Keep the back of your left knee area as close to the ground as possible. 
  • Bend your right knee to approximately 90 degrees, and pull your right thigh toward your chest. 
  • See if you can grasp the back of your thigh with your hands or a yoga strap. 
  • Your hip and knee should now be close to 90 degrees. 
  • Bring your thigh a bit closer if you can do so without lifting your other leg, and without rounding your low back

Clock Position Mobility

Imagine your right knee is at the center of a clock. Your right foot is pointing at six o’clock, your left side is at nine o’clock, and your right side is at three o’clock. Keep your right knee at the center, then glide your right foot toward three o’clock as much as possible. 

Maintain this rotation
, then use your hands or the yoga strap to draw your right knee as close as you can to your left armpit while maintaining a neutral spine. Repeat on the other side.

Avoid Groin Pain Exercises

If you have groin pain or stiffness during the FADIR assessment, steer clear of drills that drive the top of the thigh bone toward the front of the hip socket, such as band-assisted hip flexor stretches or face-down stretches, such as:

  • Figure four
  • Frog
  • Goalie butterfly

Also, avoid drills that compress the hip socket, such as sitting in a chair and sitting in the Z seat, which are compression drills.

Next Steps After Your Assessment

After identifying the drills and stretches likely to work for you, fill in the details to complete your daily hip mobility plan.

Frequency

Stretch or move through the desired motion daily to increase and maintain new ranges of motion.

Intensity

Perform these stretches and exercises at an intensity of three to seven out of 10. More intensity is not better and will only signal your nervous system to limit the motion further.

Duration

For the greatest benefit, perform the moves for 30 seconds each and four sets of each stretch. Remember to breathe and relax into each motion. Try to feel your joints relax as you allow your muscles to lengthen.

Type Of Exercise

Static stretching can help, but some people respond better to dynamic movement. The above exercises include a mix of stretches that can be done with or without movement, so try both and see which works for you.

Timing

Dynamic stretches and mobility drills can be done pre- and/or post-workout. When doing any static stretches for more than one set of 30 seconds, perform them after your workout. Prolonged static stretching before a workout may decrease your power, speed, and your nervous system’s reaction time during sports.

After you perform your stretching or mobility drills, gently retest the previously limited movement. If you see immediate improvement, you’ve found a new mobility drill or stretch for your daily toolbox. Embrace your new drills on most days of the week for a month. 

Use It or Lose It

Once you start using your newfound ranges of motion during exercise and everyday life your body will retain the motion. The key is to use the new motions, even if it’s just a few degrees of motion in other exercises. When it comes to mobility, you either use it or lose it.

If you continue to feel restrictions when you retest, embrace your findings. The continued limitation may be an individual structural limit, especially if you thought groin area pinching during the FABER and FADIR assessments.

Consult Sports Medicine

If that structural limit is a continued source of fitness frustration, consult a sports medicine provider to find the underlying cause. Sometimes, it may be altered with:

  • Skilled physical therapy
  • Chiropractic care
  • Massage
  • Acupuncture
  • Other treatments

Other times, the underlying cause may be a bony structure. This is where sports medicine providers can offer specific insight to help you further individualize your hip mobility efforts.

Improve Your Flexibility with Our Mobility App Today | Get 7 Days for Free on Any Platform

Pliability's unique body scanning feature sets it apart from traditional mobility programs. Instead of offering various hip mobility exercises, Pliability allows users to identify their specific mobility limitations before creating a customized program to improve their movement. This targeted approach facilitates faster recovery and enhances athletic performance. 

Custom Programs for Targeted Recovery

Athletes can benefit from improved hip mobility before and after training or competition to help:

  • Reduce pain
  • Enhance performance
  • Prevent injury

Pliability’s custom programs are beneficial for targeting recovery from existing injuries. If you’re recovering from a groin strain, you can use the app’s body scanning feature to find mobility exercises for your hips and adductors to improve your range of motion and help you return to play faster.

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