The 14 Best Stretches For Opening Tight, Stiff Hips STAT

We usually don't realize just how much stress we are under until years later, when our hips let us know. More than just a source of physical strain, tight hips can store unexpressed emotions and tension.

Your hip flexors, aka those muscles right below your hip bones, play an important role in how you move. This muscle group includes the iliopsoas (composed of the psoas major and iliacus muscles), the rectus femoris (part of the quadriceps), and the sartorius. By lifting the knees and bending the waist, our hips make it possible for us to walk, run, and stand from a seated position.

Because the hip flexors play such a (quite literal) central role in movement, when they become tight or weakened, other parts of the body can get restricted.

“Tight or weak hip flexors can lead to a host of problems,” says personal trainer Jason Williams, NASM-CPT. “I always say, if you have tight hips, you have a tight back, which is a problem that affects most people.” In addition to lower back pain and posture issues, tight hips can limit lower body movement.

"Opening the hips" is a way to enhance hip muscle flexibility and strength—both of which are essential to movement, says Williams. To do it, you'll need targeted exercises that address the hip flexors and surrounding muscles. (We've got 14 below!)

Why It Works: This gentle stretch opens the inner thighs, groin, and hips, promoting flexibility and easing tightness in the lower body.

How-To: Sit with the soles of your feet together, knees bent out to sides. Hold your feet with your hands and gently press your knees down towards the floor. Lean forward slightly for a deeper stretch.

Why It Works: William recommends the figure 4 stretch for someone who feels more comfortable laying while stretching, and who might have limited flexibility but still want to work on stretching their glutes.

How-To: Lay on your back or sit with your arms behind your back. Bring your right ankle over your left thigh/knee. Pull the left leg in towards you. Hold or rock from side to side for 30 seconds. Switch legs.

Duration: Hold each side for 30 seconds.

Why It Works: Pigeon pose targets the hip flexors, glutes, and lower back, aiding in the release of tension and improving hip mobility.

How-To: Start in a tabletop position, then slide one knee forward towards your hand. Extend the opposite leg behind you, keeping your hips square to the ground. Stay upright for this modified version.

Duration: Hold for 1-2 minutes on each side.

Why It Works: This stretch specifically targets the outer hip muscles, relieving tightness and improving range of motion.

How-To: Sit on a chair and cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Keep your spine straight as you lean forward, increasing the stretch in your hip.

Duration: Hold for 30-60 seconds on each side.

Why It Works: This stretch is convenient to do in bed, helping you relax and sleep better, explains Liza Egbogah BSc, DC, DOMP manual osteopath and myofascial release therapist.

How-To: Lie on your back with knees bent. Place the soles of your feet together, then let your knees fall open, forming a diamond shape with your legs. Use your hands to gently push your knees down towards the ground. If you feel any strain, elevate your legs by placing a pillow underneath each knee.

Why It Works: Lizard pose deepens the stretch in the hip flexors and quadriceps, enhancing flexibility and strength in the pelvic region.

How-To: From a plank position, step one foot outside your hand, keeping your back leg straight.

Duration: Hold for 1-2 minutes on each side.

Why It Works: This balancing pose helps open the hips while also strengthening the thighs, calves, ankles, and spine. It encourages better posture and balance through the gentle opening of the hips.

How-To: Stand tall and shift your weight onto one foot. Place the sole of the other foot on your inner thigh or calf (avoid the knee), toes pointing downward. Bring your palms together in front of your heart or raise your arms overhead, keeping your gaze fixed on a point for balance.

Duration: Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side.

Why It Works: Cow face pose stretches the hips, thighs, and ankles while releasing tension in the lower back.

How-To: Sit with your knees stacked, one on top of the other, feet by your sides. Lean forward to intensify the stretch in your hips.

Duration: Hold for 1-2 minutes.

Why It Works: Half-frog pose targets the inner thighs, groin, and hips, promoting flexibility and relief from tightness.

How-To: Lie on your stomach, propping yourself up on your elbows. Bend one knee and bring it towards the same-side shoulder, keeping the other leg straight.

Why It Works: Happy baby pose stretches the hips, inner thighs, and lower back, promoting relaxation and stress relief.

How-To: Lie on your back. Bring your knees towards your chest. Grab the outside edges of your feet with your hands, opening your knees wider than your torso. Gently pull your knees towards the ground, keeping your back pressed to the floor.

Duration: Hold for 1-2 minutes.

Why It Works: Full pigeon intensely stretches the hip flexors, glutes, and lower back, enhancing flexibility and relieving tension.

How-To: From a downward-facing dog, bring one knee forward to your wrist, extend the other leg back. Lower your hips to the ground and lean forward for a deep stretch.

Duration: Hold for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Why It Works: Frog pose opens up the inner thighs and groin area significantly, promoting flexibility and easing tension.

How-To: Start on all fours, gradually widen your knees until you feel a deep stretch. Keep your ankles in line with your knees, lower down to your forearms.

Duration: Hold for 2-3 minutes.

Why It Works: This version of lizard pose deepens the stretch in the hip flexors and quadriceps, offering an intense flexibility workout.

How-To: From a lizard pose, bend the back knee and reach back with the opposite hand to deepen the stretch.

Why It Works: The yoga squat the hips, groin, and lower back, improving flexibility and aiding in digestive health.

How-To: Stand with feet wider than hip-width apart, toes pointing out. Lower into a deep squat, bringing your palms together in front of your chest. Use your elbows to gently press your knees out.

Duration: Hold for 1-2 minutes.

The concept that hips can store emotions is fascinating. While scientific research on the direct correlation between specific emotions and physical locations5 in the body is still evolving, there's growing recognition that mind-body connections definitely exist.

According to Egbogah, the fascia around the hip flexor muscles6 tends to store a significant amount of our emotional stress and trauma because of its high nerve innervation. “The hip flexor fascia is also connected to our abdominal fascia, so if you consider how our mental health affects our digestion (for example, stomach pain when you’re anxious), then it makes sense that this area would store our emotions,” she explains.

Many yogis also hold the belief that the hips are an area where we store deep-seated emotions, such as fear, anxiety, and trauma. Some say it's due to the hip's centralized location. Because your psoas major (which makes up your hip flexor) sits next to your adrenal glands, which produce the stress response7 in your body, your psoas muscle may respond by tightening.

Hip strengthening and hip opening exercises can overlap, but there are a few differences. “Hip opening focuses on mobility while hip strengthening focuses on making the muscles around the joint stronger and more stable,” says Williams. 

Think of hip opening exercises like stretching. They help your hips move better and stop them from feeling too tight, allowing you to move around more easily and stand straighter.

Making your hips stronger, on the other hand, is like building up the muscles around your hips so they can do a good job holding everything in place.

You may need to focus on hip strengthening if you experience chronic hip or lower back pain, noticeable imbalances or weaknesses while walking, running, or standing on one foot, or difficulty climbing stairs.

In an increasingly sedentary and stressed society, hip-opening stretches can be extremely helpful. Doing a few of the aforementioned moves after sitting for long periods, before strength training, or whenever you feel tension or strain in the hip region is a great way to support your entire lower body. Emerging research on the mind-body connection suggests that the hips can store difficult emotions, making hip-opening stretches a mental release, too.

Most people can perform hip openers to some degree, but you should be aware of your limits if you have certain health conditions.

“If you have a severe form of hip arthritis, your hips will have limited mobility, and pushing your hips to open more than they are physically capable of can lead to injury,” says Egbogah. Any form of recent injury to the hips should be monitored by a professional.