Ultimate Hip Impingement Exercises and Stretches For Immediate Relief

If you have groin pain or pain in the front of your hip, you may have hip impingement. Also known as FAI (femoral acetabular impingement). Don’t feel like reading? Check out the youtube video on the topic.

How Do I Know If I Have Hip impingement?

Clients with hip impingement experience anterior hip discomfort during full squats. As you squat or bend your leg to your chest, you will feel fine at first. But, as you go deeper, you will feel increased pain, a pinch, or clicking in the hip.

If this happens to you, then you very likely have some type of anterior hip impingement. You may also feel pain when lifting your leg, kicking, or bending to pick something up or tie your shoe.

If this is you, then I have five physical therapy exercises for you. Of all the sports injuries, hip impingement is relatively common and straight forward for a physical therapist to fix.

Your exercise program should include both hip strengthening and hip range of motion exercises​​​​​​. The fai hip exercises will reduce pain and get you back to lifting. 

What is hip impingement syndrome?

Hip Impingement Syndrome, also known as Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI), is a condition where there is abnormal contact between the bones of the hip joint, leading to pain and reduced range of motion.

The hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint, where the head of the femur (thigh bone) fits into the acetabulum (socket) of the pelvis.

In FAI, changes in the shape of either the femur or the acetabulum cause them to rub against each other in a way that they shouldn’t, which can damage the cartilage or the labrum (a ring of cartilage that surrounds the socket).

Hip Flexor Stretch for Hip Impingement

Tight hip flexors or a tight front of the hip is a common culprit of pain at the front of the hip and hip impingement. A tight hip joint or muscles can cause abnormal motion of the hip socket.

This leads to the leg bone or femur pinching on the pelvis in the hip. This is one of the simplest and most effective physical therapy exercises for hip impingement. Here is how to perform a hip flexor stretch.

How to perform the Hip Flexor Stretch for Hip Impingement

Begin in a kneeling position on the floor. Place a cushion or yoga mat under your knees for comfort.

Step your right foot forward into a lunge. Your right knee should be above your ankle at a 90-degree angle.

Your left knee should remain on the ground, with your left foot pointing back.

Engage your core. Tuck your butt in to shift your pelvis into a forward position. This helps to isolate the stretch in the hip flexors.

Slowly shift your weight forward into the lunge, lowering your hips toward the ground. You should feel a stretch along the front of your left hip and thigh.

Keep your chest upright and your spine neutral. Avoid arching your lower back.

Maintain the stretch for 20-30 seconds, inhaling fully.

Quadruped Sit Backs For Hip Impingement

This is one of my favorite exercises for hip impingement. For any patient who has hip impingement or lacks hip mobility at all, this is a nonnegotiable for me. This is my go-to exercise for hip impingement during squats.

Most of the time, when performing this exercise, you can bend your hip more before it hurts or pinches.

Before you try this exercise, lie on your back and bring your knee towards your chest. Remember how much your hip bends before you feel worse, like more pain, pinching, or clicking.

How to Perform Quadruped Sit Backs for Hip Impingement

Begin on all fours in a quadruped position. Your hands should be under your shoulders. Your knees should be under your hips. Keep your back flat and engage your core.

As you sit back, aim to bring your glutes toward your heels while maintaining a neutral spine. Keep your arms extended in front of you. Your head should follow your spine, looking down at the floor.

Only go as far as your mobility allows without discomfort. You should feel a stretch in your hips and lower back.

If you are still experiencing a pinch or increased symptoms in the hip, try tucking your butt. Your lower back should round slightly. This activates your glutes and core.

This helps prevent the pinching of your hip. You should be able to go deeper before experiencing hip pain or a pinch.

Banded Hip Flexion Mobilization With Movement

This is also one of my favorite exercises for pinching of the hip, but this one requires some equipment. Of all the impingement syndrome treatment exercises, this one is great if your hip pain is pretty bad.

For this one, there are two positions to try. One with the band anchored next to the hip. So, if your right hip is the correct one, you would anchor the band to your right side.

Pull the band downward, aiming the force toward your feet’s direction. You can also try any angle between these two positions to find the one that works best for you.

To know if this exercise is effective for you, you should experience one of these three things:

1. Less pain when bending your hips.
2. Ability to bend your hip more before pain starts.
3. A stretching sensation in the hips.

If you are not experiencing this, try putting more tension on the band or changing the direction the band is pulling. If none of these work, then I would recommend trying one of the other exercises on this list.

How to Perform Banded Hip Flexion Mobilization With Movement

Anchor a heavy resistance band to a stable structure, such as a squat rack. Lie on your back so the band is pulling directly toward your feet.

Next, grab the resistance band and loop your thigh through it. Place the resistance band as far down your leg into your groin as possible.

Scoot away from the anchor point so there is a considerable amount of resistance in the band.

Grab behind your upper thigh and pull your knee to your chest.

You should be experiencing at least one of the following things:

1. You should feel less pain when bending your hip.
2. You should be able to bend your hip further before feeling the pinch or increased pain/symptoms.
3. You should feel a stretch in your hip while bending it.
4. When you finish, you notice you can bend your hip further before you feel pain, pinching, or clicking.

If you are experiencing none of these. Try turning your body so the band is pulling more sideways instead of toward your feet. If it is your right hip, it should be pulling more toward your right side.

Furniture Slider Squats For Hip Impingement

This is my favorite exercise for clients with anterior hip or groin pain. It focuses on the strength and stability of one leg. Of all the hip pain physiotherapy exercises this one pretty much strengthens all the hip muscles. With this exercise, you get the most bang for your buck out of all the physical therapy hip exercises. 

Typically, a single-leg squat is too difficult and, frankly, too unstable for most. However, the slider lets you keep both feet on the ground. This lets you focus on the single-leg strength, not the balance.

You can use a towel on a hardwood or tile floor if you do not have a furniture slider.

If you are on carpet, you can try using a Tupperware container; you have to find one large enough for your foot.

Furniture slider squats are great for the legs, glutes, and core. They also improve balance and stability.

How To Perform Furniture Slider Squats for Hip Impingement

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place a furniture slider, towel, or plastic container under one foot. You should point your toes forward and place your hands on your hips or extend them in front of you for balance.

You can also perform this next to a counter for balance. If the slider is on your left side, I would position yourself so the counter is on your right side and vice versa.

Engage your core. Lower into a squat by bending your knees and pushing your hips back, as if sitting in a chair.

As you squat down, slide one foot out to the side. Keep it straight while bending the other leg. The leg that slides out should remain extended, with your weight focused on the leg that is bending.

Stand back up to the starting position, keeping your movements controlled and smooth. I recommend performing this exercise forward, to the side, and backward.

When performing the exercise to the side, you end up working a little bit more of the adductors. When going backwards, you hit more of the hamstrings and glutes.

Bonus Exercises For Hip Impingement, Heel Taps

If furniture slider squats are too hard, try heel taps. They are my second favorite exercise for clients with anterior hip pain.

To perform this one you need either a yoga block, a thick textbook, or a stair. This exercise works many of the same muscles as the furniture slider. It is usually easier to coordinate. Here is how to perform it.

How To Perform Heel Taps For Hip Impingement

Stand with one foot on a step, a yoga block, or a thick textbook. Let the other foot hang off the side, above the ground.

Keep your feet about hip-width apart and your hands on your hips or extended in front of you for balance. Engage your core and maintain an upright posture with your chest lifted.

Lower your knee into a bent position, placing your foot on the step or block. Lower your body while keeping the other foot off the ground.

Your goal is to lightly tap your heel on the floor without fully resting your weight on it. I like to imagine there is an egg on the ground. Try to tap the egg, but don’t crack it.

Push through the heel of the foot on the step or block to straighten your leg and return to the starting position.

Pro tip for when you’re using a step.

A step is around three times as tall as a yoga block. As a result, if you are using a step, I recommend not trying to tap your foot on the ground, as this is too hard for most people.

Instead, aim to complete half or less of the distance. Put something on the ground next to the step. It will give you a target for consistency in how far down you go.

These hip strengthening exercises will help strengthen your hip muscles and relieve pain. These exercises will help fix your femoroacetabular impingement.

What Hip Impingement Exercises to Avoid When Rehabing?

In general, exercises for impingement to avoid are ones that increase hip symptoms. Try activating your glutes and core and hips by tucking your but. Reduce the ROM of the exercise. If neither of these helps the pinching then try a different exercise as a general rule of thumb. Hip impingement physical therapy exercises can be effective but only if done correctly and dosed appropriately. 

What To Do Next For You Hip Impingement

If you found these exercises helpful for your hip pain but want to fix your pain for good you need additional help. You can speak with a Doctor of Physical Therapy to figure out the next steps. Contact us through our contact form. A Doctor of Physical Therapy reads all messages.

Happy lifting,

Dr. Blaine Butterworth, DPT