Tight Hip Flexors? 3 Strength Exercises to Try
Key insights: 60-second read
- Stretching isn't always enough - If your hip flexors repeatedly feel tight despite stretching, it's worth turning to strength, control and the way the hip and lower back are moving.
- Strengthen through the range - One of the keys is strengthening the hip flexors through positions where they are lengthened, rather than only stretching them.
- Three exercises - Standing knee lifts, supine leg lowering and standing cable or band flexion provide a progression from basic control to strengthening through a larger range.
- Look beyond the hip flexors - In my clinical experience, lower-back stiffness, prolonged sitting and poor control can all be relevant when someone repeatedly experiences hip flexor tightness.
If you've been stretching your hip flexors for months but they keep feeling tight, you may be missing an important part of the picture.
As a physiotherapist, I regularly see people who can stretch their hip flexors quite well, yet the feeling of tightness keeps coming back. In these situations, I don't always think the answer is simply to stretch harder or more often.
The core idea: Sometimes a muscle that feels tight is not simply a muscle that needs more stretching. In my clinical experience, improving strength and control, particularly when the hip flexors are working in a lengthened position, can be an important part of changing that persistent feeling of tightness.
For the full context on mobilising the spine and psoas, watch the companion video: How to Permanently Loosen Tight Hip Flexors .
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My Clinical Approach to Tight Hip Flexors
One of the things I regularly look for clinically is whether a person is relying on stretching to solve a problem that may also involve strength or improve back function.
We'll continue to focus on the strength aspect in this article, but check out this video for context around lower back function.
A hip flexor can feel tight for several reasons; however, when someone has persistent tightness despite regularly stretching, I often want to know whether they can actually control and produce strength through the range they are trying to gain.
This is particularly relevant when the hip flexors are being asked to work from a position of hip extension into hip flexion. Rather than only trying to make the muscle feel longer, I want the person to become comfortable and strong using that range.
The 3 Hip Flexor Strength Exercises
These three exercises progress from basic hip flexor strength and control towards strengthening the hip flexors through a larger range, including positions where they are more lengthened.
A useful starting point is 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions per side, performed slowly and under control. The exact amount should be adjusted according to your current strength and ability.
1. Standing Knee Lift
Goal: Build foundational hip flexor strength and control.
How: Stand tall against a wall with your spine still and controlled. Gently engage your abdominal muscles and slowly lift one knee as high as comfortable without leaning backwards.
Slowly lower the leg again. As you return the foot towards the floor, allow the hip to move into extension without losing control of your pelvis or arching your lower back.
Pro tip: Add a resistance band around your ankles, with your feet slightly apart to maintain tension, when the basic version becomes easy.
2. Supine Leg Lowering
Goal: Strengthen the hip flexors while they are working in a lengthened position.
How: Lie on your back near the edge of a bed or bench, with one buttock positioned slightly off the edge. Allow that leg to hang down freely into hip extension, with the foot pointing upwards.
Engage your core and slowly lift the leg until it reaches approximately horizontal. Then slowly lower it back down into the extended position.
The key part is the controlled movement out of the deeper stretch.
Pro tip: Keep your foot pointing straight upwards rather than allowing it to turn out. This helps keep the movement focused on the intended hip movement.
3. Standing Cable or Band Flexion
Goal: Integrate hip flexor strength through a larger range, from hip extension into hip flexion.
How: Attach a resistance band or cable to your ankle and stand tall with your trunk controlled. Step forward enough to create tension.
Allow the hip to move backwards into extension as far as you comfortably can without arching your lower back. From this position, drive the knee forwards in a controlled marching movement.
Then slowly return to the starting position.
Pro tip: If the full movement is difficult, break it into two parts. You can work controlled pulses in the deeper extended range and then controlled pulses in the top flexed range.
Why I Use This Approach Clinically
There are three things I particularly consider when someone repeatedly reports tight hip flexors.
- The spinal link: The psoas has attachments to the lumbar spine. When I assess someone with persistent hip flexor tightness, I therefore don't always look at the hip in isolation. Lower-back joint stiffness can be relevant to the way the hip flexors are functioning.
- The sitting link: Prolonged sitting keeps the hips in a relatively flexed position. Clinically, I often see people who spend large amounts of time sitting and then experience stiffness or tightness when they stand, walk or exercise.
- The strength link: If someone has difficulty controlling the hip through its available range, I may use strengthening exercises to help them become more comfortable and capable in that range rather than relying on stretching alone.
How I Would Approach Persistent Hip Flexor Tightness
- Look at the lower back and hip first. If there is obvious stiffness or poor movement control, I would address that rather than simply adding more stretching.
- Keep some mobility work. Stretching and mobility can still have a place. The aim isn't to replace mobility work with strengthening, but to consider whether strengthening is the missing piece.
- Build hip flexor strength. Start with the standing knee lift and progress towards exercises that challenge the hip flexors in more lengthened positions.
- Progress through the range. Once you can control the basic movements, gradually increase resistance and challenge the hip flexors through a larger range.
- Be consistent. These exercises are unlikely to be useful if they are performed once and forgotten. I would generally look for consistent practice over several weeks and then reassess how the person is moving and how the tightness feels.
Important: This approach is intended for persistent, non-traumatic tightness. If you have significant pain, acute symptoms, symptoms following a fall or accident, or symptoms that are getting worse, an individual assessment with a physiotherapist or doctor may be more appropriate.
My clinical takeaway
If your hip flexors keep feeling tight despite stretching, don't automatically assume that you need to stretch them harder. Based on what I find clinically, there are times when improving strength and control through the available range, particularly in a lengthened position, can be a much more useful part of the overall approach.
I genuinely hope this gives you another way to think about persistent hip flexor tightness. If stretching hasn't given you the change you're looking for, perhaps it's time to think about what the hip flexors can do, not just how far they can be stretched.
If you'd like to see these exercises performed, watch the full video on the Your Wellness Nerd YouTube channel .
– Grant
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my hip flexors stay tight despite stretching?
There can be several reasons. Based on what I find clinically, persistent tightness can sometimes be associated with strength, movement control, lower-back stiffness or prolonged sitting. In these situations, strengthening the hip flexors through their available range may be worth considering alongside mobility work.
What are the best exercises for tight hip flexors?
The three exercises demonstrated here are the Standing Knee Lift, Supine Leg Lowering and Standing Cable or Band Flexion. They progress from basic hip flexor strength and control towards strengthening through a larger range, including more lengthened positions.
How does the lower back relate to hip flexor tightness?
The psoas has attachments to the lumbar spine, which is why I consider lower-back movement and stiffness when assessing persistent hip flexor tightness. In some people, addressing spinal mobility and movement control may be an important part of the overall approach.
Should I stop stretching my hip flexors?
Not necessarily. Stretching may still be useful. My clinical point is that if stretching repeatedly provides only temporary relief, it may be worth adding strengthening and movement control rather than simply stretching more.
Living With Persistent Hip or Groin Symptoms?
If your hip or groin symptoms have persisted despite trying stretches and exercises, an individual assessment may help determine what is contributing to the problem. Learn more about our hip pain physiotherapy services in Port Macquarie.
Want personalised guidance?
If you'd like help making sense of your aches, pains, or ongoing symptoms, you can book with Grant either in Port Macquarie or via an online telehealth consultation.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information and is not a substitute for an individual assessment by a qualified health professional. The exercises described may not be appropriate for everyone.
