Top Hip Mobility Exercises: Improve Movement Patterns and Reduce Injury Risk

Maintaining hip mobility throughout adulthood is crucial as it's required for healthy walking patterns and helps prevent falls and injuries as we age. Mobility, in general, is often misunderstood and misrepresented as simply a series of stretches or trendy exercises thrown randomly into your workout.

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about hip mobility, including its relationship to your pelvic floor, the best exercises to build strength and flexibility, and why you should start mobility training today.

Understanding Hip Mobility

Your hip is a ball and socket joint that is supported by your glutes, adductors, abductors, iliopsoas, quadriceps, and hamstrings.

These muscles work together to create the six different movements of the hip, which include:

• Flexion
• Extension
• Abduction
• Adduction
• Internal Rotation
• External Rotation

In order to build healthy hips, we must maintain range of motion in all those movements and build strength and stability.

Mobility vs. Flexibility: What's The Difference?

Quick: what's the difference between mobility and flexibility?

Just kidding, there won't be a quiz at the end of this article. And if you didn't know the answer, that puts you in the majority (including a startling amount of fitness coaches).

We spoke to Ingrid Anderson, PT, DPT, a physical therapist and owner of Intown Physical Therapy in Atlanta, Georgia, to clear up the confusion. She has extensive experience treating neuromusculoskeletal conditions and is an expert on pain management and pelvic floor dysfunction.

"Part of the confusion is that flexibility has a clinical definition while mobility does not. Mobility refers to the range of motion of the joint and how well you can take your body through different movements. Mobility requires strength," Anderson shares.

Flexibility: the ability of a tissue to be temporarily and passively lengthened.

Mobility: a joint's ability to actively move through its full range of motion.

Mobility training has seen a considerable rise in popularity, mainly due to the emphasis on it by sports like CrossFit. Tools like foam rollers, crooks, and lacrosse balls have also risen in use.

While muscular flexibility is important and can be a rate limiter if you cannot get into certain positions, mobility work is crucial and often neglected. While we must be able to bend and move, we need equal strength and stability to move safely.

"I want people to understand that the strength aspect of mobility is the most important. So often if something feels tight, it's actually weak," Physical therapist Ingrid Anderson shares. “Strength, not stretching, is what you need most for mobile hips."

Mobility training must focus primarily on strengthening exercises.

Common Hip Conditions

According to physical therapist Ingrid Anderson, many different kinds of hip conditions bring patients into her office, and each one is unique in its causes and treatment. Here are a few of the most common culprits of hip pain and dysfunction globally.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (O.A.) is a prevalent condition that primarily affects older adults and is caused by the wearing away of cartilage within the hip joint. The condition can cause significant pain and dysfunction and is often treated with a partial or complete joint replacement.

It's common for people suffering from O.A. to reduce their structured exercise and daily movement, which can make the condition worse. Exercise is one of the very best choices for O.A. patients.

Fractures

Fractures of the hip are extremely common, especially in older adults, and can have terrible consequences. Hip fractures are caused by breaks in your pelvis or your femur.

Hip fractures in adults over 65 exponentially increase their risk of death, disability, and loss of independence. Regular weight-bearing exercise can help prevent hip fractures by increasing muscle mass, strength, and bone density.

Bursitis

Many of your joints have a jelly-like sac that cushions the areas where bone would rub on bone. Bursitis is an inflammation of this sac and can be very painful.

Hip bursitis can be caused by repetitive overuse, such as running, trauma, rheumatoid arthritis, bone spurs, or calcium deposits. Maintaining strong and flexible hips can help prevent bursitis.

Addressing Hip Conditions With Movement

According to physical therapist Ingrid Anderson, hip injuries of many kinds can cause pain and a reduction in hip mobility, which becomes a nasty cycle to get out of. The best thing you can do is incorporate mobility exercises regularly into your life to help prevent these issues and minimize these symptoms if they do occur.

The Benefits of Hip Mobility

Mobility is essential for activities of daily living and athletic performance, yet it's rarely a focus in most programs.

Hip mobility, in particular, is crucial for balance and coordination required for daily life, as well as running, jumping, hopping, and building strength and power.

Whether you're happy with your fitness level or are rehabbing from an injury or surgery, adding a few hip mobility exercises to your routine can yield many benefits.

Some of those include:

• Better movement patterns
• Improved coordination
• Better balance
• Better athletic performance
• Reduced injury risk
• Greater independence as we age
• Reduced risk of falls
• Better pelvic floor function

The Role of the Pelvic Floor in Hip Mobility

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and ligaments that support your internal organs at the base of your pelvis. Think about it as your internal hip muscles.

Pelvic floor dysfunction is widespread, especially in women. One study published by the National Institutes of Health found nearly 25% of women reported experiencing a pelvic floor disorder in their lifetime. Pelvic floor dysfunction can show up as incontinence, urinary frequency or urgency, pain, prolapse, or constipation.

These symptoms can disrupt your life and lead to embarrassment and isolation if they're not properly treated. This issue is made much worse by a lack of universal access to postpartum pelvic floor therapy that is standard in many other developed countries.

According to Ashley Anderson, a physical therapist and pelvic floor expert, women with pelvic floor dysfunction often also have weak hip muscles that can make the problem worse.

While the mechanisms that cause pelvic floor dysfunction are not entirely understood, we do know that by increasing hip muscular strength, you can increase your pelvic floor strength–and often improve symptoms–too.

In fact, one study published in the Women's Health journal showed that pelvic floor exercises plus hip strengthening exercises yielded better improvements in urinary leaking than pelvic floor exercises alone.

Why An Individual Approach to Mobility Is Crucial

While there is evidence that strengthening the exterior muscles of the hip can indirectly treat pelvic floor dysfunction, it's not a simple cause-and-effect relationship. Everyone needs to be treated individually.

"Pelvic floor dysfunction can often manifest as referred pain in the outer hip. However, it's crucial that if you're experiencing pain, you get evaluated by a qualified physical therapist," Ashley Anderson warns. "Because some of the best exercises for hip strengthening can make pelvic floor dysfunction worse, and vice versa."

For example, some fantastic hip strengthening exercises such as deep squats, sumo squats, lunges, and glute-targeted lifts can aggravate or overload a dysfunctional pelvic floor.

For this reason, Anderson stresses you must seek qualified care from a medical doctor or physical therapist if you're experiencing hip pain or symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction before starting an exercise program.

How To Assess Your Own Hip Mobility

Mobility training is one of the most accessible aspects of fitness when you have the right tools. One place to start is by assessing your own hip mobility. From there, you can choose exercises that will help you address your individual mobility needs.

There are four main movements you want to test when evaluating hip mobility: internal and external rotation, flexion, and extension. Check out this easy hip mobility self-assessment to see where you stand.

Take note of differences between legs and which areas have the greatest need for improvement and select exercises accordingly.

Top Hip Mobility Exercises

Remember that what feels like tightness is often muscle weakness, and your mobility training should be primarily focused on building strength rather than endless stretching. Over time, you should load your mobility hip exercises like any other strength training movement.

I’ve categorized the exercises below into beginner, intermediate, and advanced. But understand that you could be an advanced athlete in your sport and have beginner mobility.

Assess your mobility using the self-assessment video listed above and choose challenging but doable exercises. Mobility never requires yanking or forcing yourself into a position, so choose a different one if you cannot perform any of these exercises.

Beginner Mobility Exercises

Lying Hip Rotation

Supported Squat with I.R. & E.R.

Seated Internal rotation/External rotation

Banded Hip Knee-to-Chest

TRX deep squat

Intermediate Mobility Exercises

Deep Squat Hold

Knee Flexion on Step

Half Kneeling Hip Rotation At Wall

Advanced Mobility Exercises

Weighted Deep Squat Holds

90/90 Hip Switch

Shinbox Get-Up

Supported Kossack Squat

Top Hip Stretches

While most of your hip mobility programming should focus on strength and stability, you should still work to develop your flexibility. Here are a few of the best hip, glute, and lower back dynamic and static stretches that will help you improve your joint range of motion.

Remember that dynamic stretches are an excellent addition to your warm-up. In contrast, static stretches are best saved for after exercise or throughout your day as mini-movement breaks.

We spoke to Kesley Kerr, a certified personal trainer and the manager of training and experiences at StretchLab–a gym franchise that offers 1:1 assisted stretching fitness, about top stretches for the hip.

Kerr shared her favorite stretches below and offered tips for starting and maintaining a mobility program.

Hold each stretch for 30 seconds - 2 minutes, progressing slowly each week.

Dynamic Stretches

Supine Knee Hug

Half Kneeling Hip Flexor Rock

Half Kneeling Hip Rotation at Wall

World's Greatest Stretch with Rotation

Static Stretches

Happy Baby

Half Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Hip Chair Stretch

Lying Piriformis Stretch

Pigeon Pose

90/90 Hip Stretch

Stride Stretch on Chair

Tips For Adding Hip Mobility To Your Routine

Personal trainer Kelsey Kerr and stretching expert shared her best tips for starting a mobility routine.

Understand Your Mobility 'Why'

According to personal trainer Kelsey Kerr, flexibility often sounds great in theory, but like every other lifestyle change, you need to dig deeper to understand what it means to you personally. If you don't have a more profound reason, then, "I don't know, it seemed important," you aren't likely to stick with the habit long term.

"Whether it's getting back into your favorite sport, being able to keep up with your kids, or you're sick of feeling achy–understanding your motivation for starting a mobility program is a crucial first step," Kerr says.

Start Simple and Slow

"Starting with just two minutes a day and sticking with it week after week is how you increase flexibility and joint mobility over time," trainer Kerr shares. "Whether it's before bed or while your child is taking a nap, start slowly and simply and just keep with it."

Don't Expect Immediate Results

Personal trainer Kelsey Kerr admits that mobility work isn't always as enjoyable or flashy as other aspects of fitness. You don't work up a sweat or get a muscular pump, so it often falls by the wayside.

Increasing flexibility and joint mobility requires a methodical, slow, and steady approach. By focusing on a few minutes daily, you will see improvements in four to six weeks.

Find An Accountability Partner

Because mobility work can be tedious, trainer Kerr strongly recommends finding an accountability partner.

"When you're working with someone who can motivate you and help you set your goals, especially on something that isn't super fun, it provides an additional layer of accountability that most of us need," Kerr shares. "That's the whole philosophy behind StretchLab."

So whether you go to a stretching center like StretchLab, work with a personal trainer, or pair up with a friend–an accountability partner makes all the difference in reaching your goals.

Bottom Line

Developing hip mobility is crucial for staying active and pain-free. Your hip mobility program should focus on strengthening the muscles around the hip joint and increasing your flexibility.

Focus on exercises that improve your hip flexion, extension, adduction, and abduction abilities.

Hip Mobility FAQs

What are the benefits of improving hip mobility?

The benefits of developing hip mobility include the following:

• Better movement patterns
• Improved coordination
• Better athletic performance
• Reduced injury risk
• Greater independence as we age
• Reduced risk of falls
• Better pelvic floor function

What is the difference between mobility and flexibility?

Mobility refers to a joint's ability to actively move through its full range of motion. Flexibility refers to a tissue's ability to be temporarily and passively lengthened.

How often should I perform hip mobility exercises?

You can perform hip mobility exercises daily if desired. Make sure you start by incorporating exercises slowly and ramping up slowly. You can incorporate hip strengthening exercises and dynamic stretches before your workout and include static stretches throughout your day and after exercise as needed.

Can hip mobility stretches improve athletic performance?

Yes, strengthening and improving the flexibility of your hips can help athletic performance for many different sports. Not only does improved mobility directly improve performance, but it can also improve lower leg mechanics and help prevent injury.

More Mobility Advice from GymBird Experts

• The Importance of Mobility for a Better, More Flexible You
• Top Upper Body Mobility Exercises
• Yoga for Mobility

Resources

BMC Geriatrics. Mortality trends for accidental falls in older people in Spain, 2000-2015.

Healthcare (Basel). Effects of Muscle Strengthening around the Hip on Pain, Physical Function, and Gait in Elderly Patients with Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Hip Osteoarthritis.

Medicina. Epidemiology of Hip Fractures Due to Falls.

American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Femur Shaft Fractures (Broken Thighbone).

American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Acetabular Fractures.

Cleveland Clinic. Pelvic Floor Dysfunction.

National Institutes of Health. Roughly One Quarter of U.S. Women Affected by Pelvic Floor Disorders.

Women's Health. Effect of Pelvic Floor and Hip Muscle Strengthening in the Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Randomized Clinical Trial.