If you wake up with sore hips and have to hobble down the stairs each morning, you might think this is just part of getting older. But there may well be other factors—such as sitting for long periods—that take their toll over time and are contributing to stiffness in your hips. Factors that you can counteract by incorporating daily hip stretches.
I spoke to Dr Casey Levesque, a physical therapist at the Spine & Health Center of Montvale, who explained that hip immobility often develops when the muscles and soft tissues around your hip joints become tight or weak. The joint itself can also start to stiffen from arthritis, old injuries or prolonged sitting.
“Over time, limited movement can create a cycle of stiffness and discomfort that makes daily activities like walking, bending or climbing stairs harder,” says Levesque.
“Staying active with regular low-impact exercise, taking breaks from long periods of sitting, stretching your hips and legs, and maintaining a healthy weight are simple lifestyle habits that help keep the hips flexible and strong, reducing the risk of long-term stiffness.”
Levesque shared her favorite three hip flexor stretches to help with age-related stiffness. The stretches work together to free up different areas of the hip so the joint can move fully and efficiently.
“Improved hip mobility means easier squatting, walking, running and bending, while also reducing stress on surrounding joints and lowering the risk of injury,” she says.
1. 90/90 hip stretch
Sets: 2-3 Time: 30-45sec each side
How to do it:
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Drop your knees to the right so they rest on the floor, and rotate your torso to the right so your hips are parallel to your right shin.
- Keep your torso upright to feel a stretch in your left hip flexor, and carefully lean forward over the front shin to stretch your right glute.
- Hold for time, then repeat on the other side.
Form tip: Keep your spine straight and avoid rounding to target the hip joint rather than the lower back.
Targets: External rotation and deep hip capsule mobility.
“This stretch works deep into the hip joint capsule and the small stabilizing muscles around the hip,” says Levesque. “By opening the hip in both internal and external rotation at the same time, it helps loosen tight tissues that often limit how the hip moves in everyday activities like squatting, crossing your legs or pivoting during sports. Improving this rotation is key for pain-free movement, and protecting the low back and knees.”
2. Hip flexor lunge stretch
Sets: 2-3 Time: 30-45sec each side
How to do it:
- From kneeling, place your left foot on the floor in front of you, with your left knee bent to 90° and directly above your left ankle.
- Tuck your pelvis under your tailbone and carefully move your hips forward until you feel a stretch in your right hip.
- Hold for time, then repeat on the other side.
Form tip: Engage the glute of your back leg to deepen the stretch and protect your lower back.
Area targeted: Hip flexors, iliopsoas, and anterior hip capsule.
“Sitting, driving or even standing with a slight forward tilt can keep the front of the hips tight,” says Levesque. “This stretch targets the hip flexor muscles, especially the iliopsoas, which can pull the pelvis forward and restrict hip extension. Freeing up these muscles makes it easier to walk with a longer stride, stand upright and reduce strain on the lower back. It’s one of the most important stretches for anyone who spends a lot of time sitting.”
3. Figure four
Sets: 2-3 Time: 30-45sec each side
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- Place your right ankle on your left thigh, just above the left knee.
- Take hold of the back of your left thigh in both hands and gently pull it towards you until you feel a stretch in your right glute.
Form tip: Keep your lower back flat on the floor to avoid lumbar strain.
Area targeted: External rotators, gluteals and posterior hip capsule.
“This stretch focuses on the gluteal muscles and piriformis, which can become overworked and tight from running, climbing stairs or prolonged sitting,” says Levesque. “Releasing these muscles not only reduces tension in the buttocks and outer hips, but also improves hip rotation and helps relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve area. Better flexibility here allows smoother hip movement and less compensatory stress on the spine and knees.”
Dr Casey Levesque is a doctor of physical therapy at the Spine & Health Center of Montvale and has pursued clinical training and practice in orthopedic, post-operative, vestibular and neurologic rehabilitation. She has practiced for more than six years with advanced training and hands-on experience treating a wide range of conditions.
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