Hip Impingement Exercises: Relieve Pain & Avoid Surgery

Struggling with a sharp pinch in your groin when you sit or a dull ache after a long walk? You might be dealing with hip impingement, also known as femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). This condition can turn simple movements like tying your shoes or getting out of a car into painful ordeals.

While the word “impingement” sounds intimidating, the path to relief doesn’t always require surgery. In fact, conservative treatment, including specific hip impingement exercises, is often the first line of defense recommended by orthopedic experts. By strengthening the right muscles and improving your hip mobility, you can often reduce pain and get back to the activities you love.

In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what hip impingement is, which movements to avoid, and the best exercises to help you move freely again.

What is Hip Impingement (FAI)?

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a condition where the bones of your hip joint don’t fit together perfectly. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint. In a healthy hip, the femoral head (the ball) glides smoothly inside the acetabulum (the socket).

In FAI, extra bone growth—called bone spurs—develops on either the ball, the socket, or both. These spurs create friction during movement. Instead of gliding, the bones rub against each other, which can damage the cartilage or the labrum (the ring of cartilage that seals the socket).

Types of FAI

There are three main types of hip impingement:

• Pincer: Extra bone extends out over the normal rim of the socket, crushing the labrum.
• Cam: The ball of the hip is not perfectly round, so it grinds against the cartilage inside the socket.
• Combined: Both pincer and cam types are present.

Regardless of the type, the symptoms are usually similar: stiffness, limping, and pain in the groin or outer hip that gets worse with twisting, turning, or squatting.

The Role of Physical Therapy in Treating FAI

If you are diagnosed with FAI, you don’t necessarily need to rush to the operating room. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, physical therapy is a critical component of nonsurgical treatment.

Specific exercises can improve the range of motion in your hip and strengthen the muscles that support the joint. This helps relieve stress on the injured labrum or cartilage. A 2023 systematic review found that physical therapy programs focusing on active strengthening and core stability resulted in significantly better functional outcomes compared to passive treatments alone.

At Core Physical Therapy, our goal isn’t just to treat the pain—we want to fix the root cause. By improving your hip stability and neuromuscular control, we help you unload the painful structures in your hip so they can heal.

Movements to Avoid with Hip Impingement

Before we dive into what you should do, it is equally important to know what to stop doing. Certain movements can pinch the hip joint further, aggravating your symptoms.

If you are currently experiencing a flare-up, try to avoid or modify the following:

• Deep Squats: Dropping your hips below your knees can cause the bones to impinge. Keep squats shallow.
• Sitting Cross-Legged: This position forces the hip into flexion and rotation, which is a prime trigger for FAI pain.
• High-Impact Pivoting: Sports involving sudden twists (like soccer or basketball) can grind the joint.
• Deep Lunges: Similar to squats, deep lunges put significant compression on the front of the hip.

Top Exercises for Hip Impingement

The following exercises focus on strengthening the glutes, core, and hip stabilizers without forcing the joint into painful positions.

Note: Always consult with a physical therapist before starting a new exercise program. If any of these cause sharp pain, stop immediately.

1. Glute Bridges

Weak glutes often force the hip joint to take on more load than it can handle. Bridges are excellent for activating the gluteus maximus without compressing the hip joint.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips toward the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
3. Hold for 2-3 seconds, then slowly lower back down.
4. Perform 2 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

2. Clamshells

This exercise targets the gluteus medius, a crucial muscle for hip stability. Strengthening this muscle helps prevent your knee from collapsing inward, which is a common issue in FAI.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your side with legs stacked and knees bent at a 45-degree angle.
2. Keep your feet touching and open your top knee like a clamshell.
3. Ensure your hips stay stacked—don’t roll backward.
4. Lower the knee slowly.
5. Perform 2 sets of 10-12 reps per side.

3. Quadruped Rocking (Cat-Cow variation)

This is a gentle mobility exercise that helps you find a safe range of motion in your hips without weight-bearing pressure.

How to do it:

1. Start on your hands and knees (tabletop position).
2. Keep your back flat and gently rock your hips backward toward your heels.
3. Stop before you feel any pinching or pain.
4. Rock forward to the starting position.
5. Perform 15-20 gentle rocks.

4. Side Planks

Core strength is vital for FAI management because a stable pelvis takes pressure off the hip socket. Side planks build core endurance while also engaging the outer hip muscles.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your side with your elbow directly under your shoulder.
2. Lift your hips off the ground, creating a straight line from head to heels.
3. Engage your core and glutes.
4. Hold for 20-30 seconds.
5. Repeat on the other side.

5. Standing Hip Abduction

This exercise strengthens the outer hip muscles in a functional, standing position, which translates well to walking and daily activities.

How to do it:

1. Stand tall, holding onto a chair or counter for balance.
2. Keep your leg straight and lift it out to the side.
3. Keep your toes pointed forward (not up toward the ceiling).
4. Lower slowly.
5. Perform 2 sets of 10-15 reps per leg.

When to See a Physical Therapist

While home exercises are helpful, FAI is a complex condition that varies from person to person. If your symptoms persist for more than a few weeks despite changing your activities, or if you feel a catching or locking sensation in your hip, it is time to see a professional.

A Doctor of Physical Therapy can perform specific orthopedic tests to confirm if the pain is coming from your hip or your lower back. At Core Physical Therapy, we use advanced diagnostic ultrasound to visualize the joint and soft tissues, ensuring we are treating the right problem.

We will create a personalized recovery plan that includes:

• Manual therapy to improve joint mobility.
• Soft tissue work to release tight muscles.
• Progressive strengthening to get you back to your favorite activities safely.

Take the Next Step Toward Pain-Free Movement

Hip impingement doesn’t have to sideline you forever. With the right approach, you can manage your symptoms and improve your function without surgery. By focusing on hip impingement exercises that strengthen your core and glutes while respecting your joint’s limits, you are building a foundation for long-term health.

If you are in the Evansville area and are tired of letting hip pain dictate your day, let us help you find relief.

Request an Appointment today to start your journey toward a stronger, pain-free body.