Simple Stretches for Tight Hip Flexors

Tight hip flexors are common, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting. During pregnancy, this can be exacerbated. Since everything is growing forward, it tends to put you more into this anterior pelvic tilt. As the pelvis tilts forward, the hip flexors pull your pelvis into that more anterior tilted position and they get tight. Sometimes they start to hurt or feel very cramped.

Avoid Over-Stretching your Hip Flexors

Stretching the hip flexors can help bring relief. However, it’s important to stretch your hip flexors safely.

A common misconception is that the best way to stretch hip flexors is to get into a very deep lunge. However, this can overstretch your hip flexors and actually do more tightening and/or cause injury. When the iliopsoas gets stretched to the furthest point, it wants to clamp back down, which tightens it more and can cause pain in the front of the hip, groin or even the front of the abdomen.

Hip Flexor Stretches

1. Lunge Stretch

• *Get in a lunge position, but take a shorter stance to avoid over-stretching
• *Add a quad stretch to it so you stretch both the hip flexor and the quad.

2. Hip Flexor Release Stretch

• *Lay on a bed or table
• *Hang your leg over the bed and let it hang all the way down to the side.
• *Tighten your lower abdominals, make sure your back doesn’t arch and then let your leg hang off.
• *This will give you a nice long gentle stretch in your hip flexor.

Hip flexor pain? Physical therapy might be able to help. To schedule a complimentary phone consultation, click here.