A pelvic health physical therapist says these are the three exercises you should be doing to improve your hip mobility

An employee at Femina Physical Therapy performs a hip mobility move on an exercise mat. They are sat with their hands behind their body, legs in front, feet on the floor and knees bent. They are dropping their knees to the right side and smiling. Behind them there is a plant and exercise ball.

(Image credit: Femina Physical Therapy)

published 13 October 2025

Our hips play a role in lots of everyday movements, like walking, climbing stairs and getting up and down from a chair.

As such, it’s hard to ignore them when they feel stiff and sore.

Dr Erin Policelli, an orthopedic and pelvic health physical therapist, says that hip issues can stem from a range of factors.

Being too sedentary can weaken muscles that support the hips, having tightness in another part of the body can impact our hip movement patterns, and age-related conditions like osteoarthritis can also play a part.

Even something as simple as consistently crossing one leg over the other when you sit could impact your hip mobility.

The good news is that you can reverse a lot of the damage with lifestyle changes, strength work and stretching.

“Focus on strengthening the glutes and core stabilizers, and then work on varying how you move. [Try] reaching, squatting and twisting in different directions, which will keep the hip joints moving freer and with less tension,” says Policelli.

Policelli suggests regularly doing the three stretches below to comprehensively target all aspects of hip mobility.

“I recommend stretching at least three times per week,” she says.

If you can make time to stretch every morning or evening, that's even better.

“Participating in a stretch routine every day is one of the best things you can do to make sure you can stay active and age gracefully.”

About our expert

Dr Erin Policelli

Dr. Erin Policelli is an orthopedic and pelvic health physical therapist and owner of Femina Physical Therapy in Atlanta. She is a certified fascial stretch therapist and mobility expert.

1. Windshield wiper with 90/90 hold

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An employe at Femina physical therapy performs windshield wipers, sitting on the floor, hands behind her, dropping her knees to one side. — (Image credit: Femina physical therapy)

Reps: 6-9 each side

Sit on an exercise mat with your knees bent and feet on the floor, slightly wider than hip-width apart.
Put your hands on the floor behind you.
Drop your knees to one side. Hold for two to three seconds
Bring your knees back to center, then lower to the opposite side. Hold for two to three seconds.
After completing three repetitions on both sides, drop your knees to one side and hold a 90/90 stretch. To do this, position one leg in front and one leg out to the side, with both knees bent at 90°.
Keep your back straight and lean forward over the front leg for three breaths.
Bring your torso upright and try to drop both hips to the floor. Hold for three breaths.
Repeat the 90/90 stretch on the other side, then transition back into the wiper movements.

The windshield wiper exercise works both the internal and external rotation of the hip joint.

Policelli says doing this will warm up the area and increase the circulation of synovial fluid, allowing for greater movement at the joint.

Practicing this lubricating move before the 90/90 hold will allow you to get a deeper stretch in that position, specifically in your hip muscles and connective tissues.

2. Tall kneeling lunge

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An employee at Femina physical therapy performs a kneeling lunge. Her right knee and left foot are on the floor and she is leaning over her left thigh to deepen the stretch. — (Image credit: Femina physical therapy)

Reps: 3 each side Time: 20-30sec

Come to a half-kneeling stance with your right knee on the floor and your left foot in front.
Tilt your pelvis slightly by rolling your pubic bone up towards your navel.
Shift your weight into your left leg and move your torso forward, stretching out your right hip flexor and keeping your chest upright. Hold for 20-30 seconds.
Return to your half-kneeling stance.
Push your hips back and straighten the left leg in front. Hold for 20-30 seconds.
Return to your half-kneeling stance.
Position your left foot further out to the left, so it’s at a 45° angle to your body.
Repeat the above sequence, then switch legs.

3. Squat

An employee at Femina physical therapy performs a deep squat. Her knees and hips are bent and her hands rest on the floor.

Time: 30-60sec

Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Keep your chest up and engage your core
Bend your hips and knees to lower into a deep squat, keeping your toes pointing in the same direction as your knees.
Hold for 30-60 seconds, breathing deeply. You can rest your hands on the floor for support.

“Squatting is fundamental for maintaining joint health, mobility and functional longevity, making it an essential component of any hip-focused stretching or mobility program,” says Policelli.

The squat exercise combines hip flexion with external rotation. It’s also a move that we do in our daily lives, whenever we want to get in and out of a chair, so practicing it can help you stay mobile.

Lou Mudge is a Health Writer at Future Plc, working across Fit&Well and Coach. She previously worked for Live Science, and regularly writes for Space.com and Pet's Radar. Based in Bath, UK, she has a passion for food, nutrition and health and is eager to demystify diet culture in order to make health and fitness accessible to everybody.

Multiple diagnoses in her early twenties sparked an interest in the gut-brain axis and the impact that diet and exercise can have on both physical and mental health. She was put on the FODMAP elimination diet during this time and learned to adapt recipes to fit these parameters, while retaining core flavors and textures, and now enjoys cooking for gut health.

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