Introduction
Hip pain can be a real limitation. Walking feels off, sitting too long gets uncomfortable, and bending or twisting? Forget about it. Even simple movements or exercises can feel impossible.
Is surgery the only solution for hip pain? Not always.
If you’re dealing with Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI), know that not all hope is lost. The right hip mobility exercises can improve movement, reduce discomfort, and, in many cases, help you avoid hip arthroscopy altogether.
Whether you're an athlete, recovering from hip rehabilitation, or just looking for exercises for hip pain relief, you’re in the right place. We’re breaking down the most effective hip impingement exercises to help you move better and get back to what you love—pain-free.
Understanding Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI)
What is FAI? Easy to remember but let’s explain what it means.
Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI), or hip impingement, happens when extra bone growth causes friction in the hip joint. This bone growth can develop on the femur (cam impingement), the hip socket (pincer impingement), or both.
Think of your hip joint like a golf ball sitting in a cup. The ball (femoral head) is the top end of your thigh bone, and the cup (acetabulum) is your hip socket. If either has an irregular shape, movement becomes restricted, leading to irritation and discomfort.
What does hip impingement feel like? A nagging pinch deep in the front of your hip is the most common symptom. Many people also feel stiffness or a catching sensation in the joint.
FAI may start as mild discomfort during activity but can become a real impairment over time. That’s when femoroacetabular impingement makes simple tasks like sitting, walking, or bending a challenge.
What causes hip impingement?
FAI can develop due a sedentary lifestyle, past injuries, or hip trauma, but also from repetitive stress and movement. It’s especially common in sports and activities that demand high hip flexion, rotation, and explosive power, such as football, soccer, hockey, powerlifting, martial Arts, and even dancing.
Some cases of hip impingement develop during adolescence, when the hip bones are still growing. If you don’t pair that with proper training technique, that may become a problem. So, if your son or daughter is on the path to becoming an athlete, check out our youth programs to get them started on the right foot.
What happens if you don’t take good care of hip joint health? Over time, the extra stress on the hip joint wears down cartilage, leading to pain and inflammation. And ultimately, impairment and surgery.
Unfortunately, over the past 15 years, hip arthroscopy surgeries have increased a lot. At P1 Athlete, we don’t like seeing injury rates climb, we focus on reversing the trend with smarter training and injury prevention.
Now let’s get to the point. The best hip impingement exercises are here—to relieve pain, improve mobility, and keep you moving.
Best Exercises for Femoroacetabular Impingement
Hip impingement rehabilitation is a mix of stretching, strengthening, and mobility drills. Stretching helps loosen up stiffness, strength exercises build support for the hip joint, and mobility drills improve range of motion without aggravating pain.
None of these should hurt—just a stretch. Move slowly and with control, no rushing. If it feels painful, stop and adjust. Ready? Let’s get to it.
Kneeling Hip flexor stretch
Let’s start with the basics. The kneeling hip flexor stretch is a must for improving hip mobility and reducing front-hip discomfort. It targets the iliopsoas and rectus femoris—two muscles that often tighten up from too much sitting or repetitive movement.
How to Do It:
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Start in a lunge position with one knee on the ground and the other foot forward, forming two 90-degree angles.
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Engage your core and glutes to keep your lower back neutral and stable.
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Tuck your pelvis slightly to deepen the stretch without arching your back.
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Shift your weight forward until you feel a gentle stretch in the front of your hip.
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Hold for 20-30 seconds, then switch sides.
Proper Form Tips:
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Keep your lower back neutral—no overarching.
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Maintain an upright torso throughout.
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Ensure your front knee stays aligned—don’t let it cave inward.
Seated figure-four stretch
The seated figure-four stretch helps loosen tight hip muscles caused by prolonged sitting, improving flexibility and reducing discomfort. It primarily targets the piriformis and glutes, which can become stiff from inactivity.
How to Do It:
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Sit tall in a chair with both feet flat on the floor.
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Place one ankle on the opposite knee, forming a figure-four shape.
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Keep your back straight and chest lifted—no hunching.
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Lean forward gently until you feel a stretch in your hip and glutes.
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Hold for 15-30 seconds, then switch sides.
Proper Form Tips:
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Apply gentle pressure on your knee to deepen the stretch.
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Adjust your ankle position slightly to target different areas of the hip.
Hip Adductor stretch
The hip adductor stretch targets the inner thigh muscles, helping improve hip mobility and flexibility. These muscles can tighten up from sitting, running, or lower-body workouts.
How to Do It:
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Sit on the floor with your back straight and legs spread apart.
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Bend your knees slightly if needed to avoid discomfort.
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Lean forward gently by hinging at your hips—keep your spine straight.
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Hold for 20-30 seconds, feeling the stretch in your inner thighs.
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Return to the starting position and repeat if necessary.
Proper Form Tips:
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Breathe deeply to relax the muscles.
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Adjust foot placement to change the stretch intensity.
Glute bridges
This is an excellent exercise to strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, and core while improving hip mobility and reducing hip pain. It helps stabilize the pelvis and relieve tension in the lower back and hips.
How To Do It:
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Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
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Engage your core and slightly tuck your pelvis to keep a neutral spine.
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Inhale, then exhale as you push through your feet to lift your hips off the floor.
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Raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
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Hold for one second, then slowly lower back to the starting position.
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Repeat 10 reps, rest, and complete another set of 10.
Proper Form Tips:
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Squeeze your glutes at the top for maximum activation.
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Don’t let your knees cave in—keep them aligned with your hips.
Clamshells
The clamshell is a simple but highly effective exercise for strengthening the hip abductors and deep rotator muscles. These muscles stabilize the knee, hip, and foot in weight-bearing movements.
How To Do It:
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Lie on your side in a fetal position, with knees bent and feet stacked together.
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Engage the muscles just behind your hip bone to activate your glutes.
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Slowly lift your top knee, keeping your feet together and spine straight.
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Hold the position for 5 seconds.
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Lower your knee slowly over 5 seconds, maintaining control.
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Repeat for 10 slow reps, focusing on muscle activation.
Proper Form Tips:
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Stick to the 5-second lift, 5-second hold, and 5-second lower for better muscle engagement.
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Don’t twist your back as you lift your knee.
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You should feel a slight burn in your hip and glutes—not in your lower back.
Standing hip circles
Standing hip circles are a dynamic mobility exercise that helps improve hip flexibility, stability, and range of motion. This movement activates the hip flexors, glutes, and core, making it an essential part of a hip mobility routine.
How To Do It:
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Stand tall and engage your core. Hold onto a chair or place your hands on your hips for balance.
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Lift one leg straight in front of you, keeping it extended.
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Draw a slow, controlled circle with your foot, as if tracing a circle on the floor.
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Maintain balance and focus on moving from the hip joint, not just the foot.
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Complete 5-10 circles in one direction, then switch directions.
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Repeat on the other leg for balanced mobility.
Proper Form Tips:
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Use a chair or wall for support if needed, but try to challenge your balance.
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Start with small circles, gradually increasing size as flexibility improves.
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Keep your torso still—don’t lean or twist.
Standing hip CARs drill
CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations) are one of the best drills for joint health, injury prevention, and athletic performance. This drill enhances hip joint control, stability, and strength through its full range of motion. CARs are indeed a very complete exercise, as they target hip flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, and internal/external rotation.
How To Do It:
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Stand tall, using a wall, door frame, or sturdy object for balance if you need.
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Lift your knee as high as possible, keeping your torso stable.
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Move your knee outward into abduction, maintaining control.
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Internally rotate your hip by turning your knee downward and foot outward.
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Extend your leg behind you, squeezing your glutes for control.
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Bring your knee back down to the starting position beside your other knee.
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Reverse the motion—extend back first, then externally rotate the hip and bring the knee forward.
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Repeat for 3-5 slow, controlled reps per leg.
Proper Form Tips:
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Keep your core engaged to prevent movement from the lower back.
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Use a wall or object for stability if needed.
Foam rolling for Hip Pain
Foam rolling helps release tight muscles, reduce hip pain, and improve mobility by targeting muscle knots and tension around the hip area. This technique works on the glutes, hip rotators, and surrounding muscles, promoting blood flow and recovery.
How To Do It:
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Sit on a foam roller, then cross your ankle on the side it hurts.
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Shift your weight slightly onto the hurting hip and rotate towards that side.
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Use your arms and opposite leg to gently roll in small motions across the hip.
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Roll for 8-10 slow movements, exploring areas of tightness or tenderness.
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If you find a sore spot, pause and focus on it for 30-60 seconds, applying gentle pressure.
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Repeat on the opposite hip side to compare and for balance.
Proper Form Tips:
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Breathe deeply to help relax the muscles.
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Avoid direct pressure on joints or bony areas.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Take it from our expert physical therapy team: the right approach to hip pain rehabilitation can make all the difference. But mistakes or poor recovery habits can worsen pain and limit mobility. Here’s what to keep in mind for hip exercises:
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Don’t Overstretch nor Force Painful Movements: Stretching helps, but pushing too far can increase hip pain. Move slowly and with control. If you feel a pinching sensation, adjust your range of motion instead of forcing through.
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Don’t ignore Muscle Imbalances: Weak glutes and core muscles put extra strain on the hips. If one side is tighter or weaker, focus on balancing strength and mobility to prevent further misalignment.
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Don’t skip Strength Training: Mobility alone won’t fix FAI—you need strength to support the joint. Exercises like glute bridges, clamshells, and core work are key to reducing pain and improving stability.
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Avoid a Sedentary Lifestyle: Lack of movement weakens hip stabilizers and increases stiffness. Regular mobility drills and strength work help keep the hips functional and pain-free.
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Be careful with Hip Injuries & Overuse: Some sports and movements put the hip into deep flexion with rotation, which can aggravate FAI. If you have hip pain, avoid deep lunges, squats, high jumps, high knees, rowing, leg press, and squat-jacks.
How Physiotherapy & Physical Training at P1 Athlete Can Help
Fixing hip pain takes a smart mix of mobility, strength, and movement control. At P1 Athlete, we help you move better, train smarter, and stay pain-free with a targeted approach. Our training and rehabilitation programs focus on restoring mobility, strengthening key muscles, and correcting movement patterns to keep FAI from coming back.
If hip impingement is slowing you down, the right training can make all the difference. Book a session at P1 Athlete and start moving pain-free again.