02/17/2026
Hip flexors: to stretch or to strengthen?
For a long time, I leaned heavily toward stretching or "releasing" this muscle group with reinforcement of glute and lumbar (low back) stabilization. Meaning, if someone came in with low back, pelvic, or hip pain, we were almost always addressing the hip flexors with myofascial work and mobility. This area commonly holds tension, especially in people dealing with pain. When we work there, patients often stand a little taller, move a little easier, and report decreased pain. That matters. Pain modulation is real, and it can create a valuable window for better movement.
However, I strongly believe both stretching and strengthening should be utilized.
I will still start here if a chronic or acute low back, pelvic, and/or hip complaint comes into my office. It is in looking at how the individual responds to care which will guide when and how each aspect can be applied for best outcomes. It is not an exact science or formula, it is patient-based.
I aim to calm the system, reduce the threat, and improve tolerance to movement. But that’s not the end point. As symptoms settle, we add load. Sometimes we add load before they settle. We build control. We expand usable range.
Have you heard the phrase “tight muscles are weak muscles." ?
Muscles that feel tight are often working hard to create stability. They may be fatigued, deconditioned, or compensating for something else. In those cases, simply relaxing them without improving their capacity doesn’t solve the underlying issue.
Strength, especially controlled strength through full ranges, improves a muscle’s tolerance to load. That’s particularly relevant in the hip flexors, which are constantly involved in gait, posture, and transitional movements.
The real question isn’t stretch or strengthen. It’s what does this person, at this moment, need more of — and how do we progressively build capacity over time.