Stretches for Tight Hips: 6 to Try
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6 Stretches for Tight Hips

6 Stretches for Tight Hips
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Published on April 15, 2026
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There's a good reason we all need good hip stretches. “Tight hips are incredibly common,” says Winnie Yu, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist in New York City.

The muscles that surround the hip joint — the glutes (buttocks), hip adductors (the muscles in the inner thighs), hip flexors (the muscles at the front of the hip), quadriceps (the muscles in the front of the thighs), and hamstrings (the muscles in the back of the thighs) — perform many important functions. They support your body weight, help to maintain your balance, and control the movement of your legs.

There are many reasons these muscles become tight and stiff, but the most common culprit is prolonged sitting. “The muscles around the hips can shorten and get chronically tight if we sit for hours each day,” Dr. Yu explains. This can cause discomfort and pain in not only the hips themselves but also in the areas above and below them — particularly the back and knees.

To address hip tightness, it’s important to follow a well-rounded stretching routine that involves all the muscles of the hips, Yu says. Regularly stretching tight, shortened muscles helps restore length, improving flexibility and range of motion.

 Over time, greater flexibility and range of motion helps your hips and surrounding muscles function the way they should, which may ease tightness and pain. One study found that an eight-week stretching program led to significant improvements in lower back pain and hip range of motion in women with limited hip extension.

6 Stretches to Loosen Hips

This routine from Leada Malek, DPT, CSCS, a San Francisco–based physical therapist, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, and the author of Science of Stretch, addresses several sources of hip tightness: the hip flexors, glutes, hip adductors, quadriceps, hamstrings, and low back.

FAQ

Is this workout safe and appropriate for everyone?
These hip stretches are safe for most people. But if you have a new injury or have had a recent surgery, wait until you’ve been cleared by a healthcare provider before trying this routine, Malek says. Similarly, get assessed if you have chronic hip pain.
All you need for most of these stretches is a comfortable spot to sit or lie down. Consider placing a yoga mat or blanket on the floor, or finding a carpeted area. Two stretches require a chair.
Malek recommends walking or riding a stationary bike for four or five minutes to increase blood flow, which can make stretching easier. “Your muscles will be warmer and more prone to elongating,” she says.
Perform this routine three to five times per week to loosen tight hips, says Malek. It may take weeks or months of consistency before you notice results, she says. So, be patient and tenacious.

Do the stretches in order, moving from one to the next. Hold each stretch for 30 to 60 seconds (per side).

1. Standing Chair Hip Flexor Stretch

Standing Chair Hip Flexor Stretch: Stand facing chair. Place right foot on seat. Shift torso forward; press back heel into floor. Hold; switch sides.
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Stand facing the front of a chair. Place your right foot on top of the seat. (Your hands can be on your hips or holding onto the chair arms for stability.) Keep your chest up and shift forward by bending deeper into your right knee and pressing your back heel into the ground. You should feel a gentle stretch in the front of the left hip. Keep your torso lifted through the movement. Hold. Switch sides.

2. Seated Hamstring Stretch

Seated Hamstring Stretch: Sit at edge of chair with feet flat. Straighten right leg. Without rounding back, hinge forward. Reach hands toward toes. Hold; switch sides.
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Sit at the edge of a chair with both feet flat on the ground. Straighten your right leg (but maintain a slight bend in your knee). Without rounding your back, hinge forward at the hips, reaching one or both hands toward your toes until you feel a gentle stretch in the back of your right leg. Hold. Switch sides.

3. Standing Quad Stretch

Standing Quad Stretch: Begin standing. Reach back to grip the right ankle. Gently pull right ankle to glute. Keep thighs together. Hold; switch sides.
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While standing, take your right hand and reach behind you to grip the outside of your right ankle. Gently pull your right ankle toward your right glute until you feel a gentle stretch along the front of your right thigh. Keep your thighs together; don’t let your bent knee drift away. Hold. Switch sides. Hold onto a wall or chair for added stability, if needed.

4. Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose: Kneel on hands and knees. Sit back; bring butt toward toward heels. Simultaneously, reach hands forward on floor. Hold.
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Kneel on your hands and knees. Sit back to bring your butt toward your heels, while simultaneously folding your chest over your knees, reaching your hands forward on the floor to stretch your lower back. Hold.

5. Pigeon Pose

Pigeon Pose: Kneel on hands and knees. Place right knee on floor behind right hand. Rest right shin on floor. Extend left leg behind you. Support upper body on hands or elbows. Hold; switch sides. Modify by placing a pillow under hips.
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Kneel on hands and knees. Lift your right knee and set it on the floor behind your right hand. Let your right shin rest on the floor, and slide your left leg behind you so there’s a gentle bend at the knee. You can keep your upper body propped up on your hands or lower onto your elbows, as far as is comfortable for you. Hold. Switch sides. If your glutes and hip flexors are especially tight, or you have limited range of motion, modify the stretch by placing a cushion or pillow under your hips.

6. Frogger Stretch

Frogger Stretch: Kneel on elbows and knees. Spread knees apart until you feel stretch. Hold. Modify by supporting yourself with straight arms.
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Kneel on elbows and knees; slide your knees out as far as they can comfortably go (while feeling a gentle stretch along the inner thigh muscles). Hold. If this stretch is too intense, support yourself with straight arms instead of placing your elbows on the ground. 

The Takeaway

  • Hip tightness is a common complaint, and it’s often caused by sitting for prolonged periods.
  • Regularly performing stretches that target areas above and below the hips — such as the hamstrings, quadriceps, and low back — as well as hip muscles themselves, is the most effective way to relieve tight hips.
  • Loosen hips with the standing chair hip flexor stretch, Pigeon pose, frogger stretch, seated hamstring stretch, standing quad stretch, and Child’s pose.
  • Check with your healthcare provider before trying hip stretches if you have chronic pain, a new injury, or have recently had surgery.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Hip Joint. Cleveland Clinic. June 24, 2025.
  2. How to Test If You Have Tight Hips and What to Do About It. Hackensack Meridian Health. March 5, 2026.
  3. The Importance of Stretching. Harvard Health Publishing. April 17, 2024.
  4. Hatefi M et al. The Effect of Static Stretching Exercises on Hip Range of Motion, Pain, and Disability in Patients With Non-Specific Low Back Pain. Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics. July 27, 2021.
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