Best Hip Flexor Stretches for Pain on the Front of Hip
If you’re struggling with tight hip flexors, you’re not alone. Many people experience tension, discomfort, or even pain in the front of their hips due to too much sitting, overtraining, or poor movement patterns. To release tight hip flexors effectively, you need a comprehensive approach that goes beyond just stretching.
Using the Functional Mobility Formula, you can address the root causes of hip flexor tightness and pain while restoring lasting mobility and strength. This step-by-step method integrates hip flexor stretches, mobility work, and strengthening exercises to transform how your hips feel and move.
If you prefer videos, watch the video version below!
Recognize: Identifying the Problem
The first step in the Functional Mobility Formula is to recognize the source of tightness or discomfort. Hip flexor tension often shows up as a feeling of stiffness or pain in the front of the hip, but it’s important to confirm this through movement tests:
Deep Squat Test:
- Squat as deeply as you can. If you feel tightness or restriction in the front of your hips, your hip flexors may be limiting your range of motion.
Seated Knee-to-Chest Test:
- Sit at the edge of a bench or bed, hug one knee to your chest, and lean back. Check whether your opposite thigh is parallel to the ground or if it stays elevated. If it’s elevated, it’s a sign of tight hip flexors.
These tests help pinpoint the severity of your tightness and provide a baseline to measure your progress after performing stretches for the hip flexor.
Reduce: Release the Hip Flexor
After recognizing the problem, the next step is to reduce tension in the hip flexors. While static stretches can provide temporary relief, dynamic hip flexor stretching exercises are far more effective. The Tri-Planar Hip Flexor Stretch is a game-changer:
Set Up:
- Start in a half-kneeling position, with one knee on the ground.
Posterior Pelvic Tilt:
- Tuck your tailbone under (posterior pelvic tilt) to pre-stretch the hip flexor.
Move Through Three Planes of Motion:
- Sagittal Plane: Drive your hips forward and reach your arm overhead.
- Coronal Plane: Reach across your body to one side.
- Transverse Plane: Rotate your torso across your front leg.
Repeat:
- Perform 5 repetitions in each direction, ensuring you hit all fibers of the hip flexor.
This dynamic stretch goes beyond traditional static stretching, providing a deeper release and preparing your hip flexors for improved mobility.
Restore: Improve Joint Mobility
Once you’ve reduced tension, it’s time to restore the hip’s range of motion. Tight hip flexors often limit hip extension, which is critical for walking, running, and athletic performance. To address this, a Hip Extension Stretch works well as a progression after the stretch above:
Wide Stance Hip Flexor Stretch:
- Widen your kneeling stance and tilt your pelvis forward (anterior pelvic tilt).
- Push your pelvis forward into a deeper stretch, targeting the hip joint itself.
Controlled Repetitions:
- Perform slow, controlled reps, going deeper into the stretch with each repetition.
This restores proper hip extension, allowing your hip joint to move through its full range of motion.
Reinforce: Build Strength and Stability
The final step is to reinforce your gains by strengthening and stabilizing the hip flexors and surrounding muscles. One of the most effective exercises for this are Supine Heel Taps:
Set Up:
- Lie on your back with your legs in a 90/90 position (knees bent at 90 degrees).
Engage Your Core:
- Flatten your lower back into the ground to stabilize your pelvis.
Tap Your Heels:
- Slowly lower one heel to the ground while maintaining core engagement and a stable pelvis.
This exercise strengthens the core and elongates the hip flexors eccentrically, reinforcing the changes made during your hip flexor stretching exercises.
Reassess: Measure Your Progress
The final phase of the Functional Mobility Formula is to reassess. Return to the tests you performed in the Recognize phase:
- Can you squat deeper without tightness?
- Is your thigh closer to parallel in the seated knee-to-chest test?
If you notice improvement, you’re on the right track. Regularly performing these stretches for the hip flexor, along with mobility and strength exercises, will help you achieve lasting relief from tight hip flexors.
Final Thoughts
Releasing a tight hip flexor requires a strategic approach that goes beyond static stretches. By following the Functional Mobility Formula—recognize, reduce, restore, reinforce, and reassess—you’ll not only release tension but also build strength and improve your hip’s functionality.
Whether you’re looking to add hip flexor stretches to your routine or dive deeper with a structured plan, the key is consistency and intention. Try these steps today and say goodbye to tight hip flexors for good!
