Should I Improve My Hip Flexibility?

Hip flexibility refers to the ability of the muscles surrounding your hips to lengthen and move through their full range of motion. The main muscles include hip flexors, hamstrings, glutes, and inner thigh muscles. Tightness in these areas can show up as stiffness, discomfort, or reduced mobility during activities like walking, squatting, getting up from a chair, or climbing stairs.

Do You Need More Flexibility?

Improving hip flexibility can be beneficial if:

• You feel stiff in the hips when sitting for long periods
• You have trouble with movements like lunges or deep squats
• You experience low back pain that seems linked to your posture or hip movement
• You notice one side feels tighter or more restricted than the other
• Your workouts or daily activities feel limited by hip tightness

However, not everyone needs to be super flexible. If your hips move well, you’re pain-free, and your strength and mobility are balanced, you may not need to focus much on stretching. Sometimes what feels like tightness is actually muscle weakness or poor control. For example, if your hips feel “tight” after running, it might be because your glutes or core aren’t doing their fair share of the work. Targeted strengthening, especially of the glutes, core, and lateral hip muscles, is just as important as stretching alone.

The Balanced Approach

If your hips do feel stiff or achy, try this:

1. Stretch mindfully – Focus on dynamic stretches before workouts and static stretches after.
2. Strengthen smartly – Add exercises like bridges, clamshells, and step-ups to your routine.
3. Move regularly – Avoid long periods of sitting; change positions often and take movement breaks throughout your day.
4. Listen to your body – Don’t push through if something feels off or painful. That’s your body asking for attention.

Improving hip flexibility can be a great goal, especially if you feel stiff, limited, or achy. But flexibility isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Sometimes, what your hips need isn’t more stretching, but better strength, movement, and balance.

Not sure where you stand? A physical therapist can help you assess your mobility, identify imbalances, and build a plan that works for your body. Get started at an Athletico location near you!

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*Per federal guidelines, beneficiaries of plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, VHA and other federally funded plans are not eligible for free assessments.

The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.