Hip Pain Relief: Exercises and Support That Actually Help

by Dannie Lyn Rodriguez March 12, 2026

Hip pain has a way of making everything harder. Standing up from a chair, climbing stairs, sleeping on your side, walking to the car. It is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints in the US, affecting an estimated 26% of adults over 45, and it rarely has a single cause.

The good news: most hip pain responds well to the right combination of movement and support. You do not need surgery or a prescription to start feeling better. What you do need is a clear picture of what is driving the pain, a set of exercises that target the right muscles, and the right support to protect the joint while it heals.

This guide covers all three.

Key takeaways:

Hip pain most often stems from muscle weakness, joint degeneration, or inflammation
Targeted strengthening and mobility exercises reduce pain and improve function
External support (compression, stabilization) speeds recovery and prevents re-injury

What Is Actually Causing Your Hip Pain?

Before jumping into exercises, it helps to understand the source. Hip pain is not one condition; it is a symptom that can come from several different places. Treating bursitis the same way you treat a hip flexor strain will not get you far.

The most common causes fall into three categories:

Structural and Degenerative Causes

Osteoarthritis: Cartilage breakdown inside the hip joint, causing bone-on-bone friction, stiffness, and chronic aching. Especially common in adults over 50. According to the CDC, osteoarthritis affects over 32 million Americans.
Labral tears: Damage to the cartilage ring around the hip socket, often from repetitive motion or a traumatic impact. Common in runners, cyclists, and dancers.
Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI): Abnormal bone growth that causes the hip bones to rub against each other during movement.

Soft Tissue Causes

Hip flexor strain: Overuse or sudden contraction of the iliopsoas muscle, common in athletes and people who sit for long hours.
Bursitis: Inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs that cushion the hip joint, producing sharp pain on the outer hip.
Tendonitis: Irritation of the tendons connecting muscle to bone, often from overtraining or sudden increases in activity.

Referred Pain

Sometimes hip pain does not originate in the hip at all. Sciatica (nerve compression in the lower back), sacroiliac joint dysfunction, and even tight piriformis muscles can all send pain into the hip and outer thigh.

Why this matters: The right exercises depend on the right diagnosis. If pain is severe, worsening, or accompanied by swelling, see a physician before starting any exercise program.

The Best Exercises for Hip Pain Relief

Exercise is one of the most consistently supported interventions for hip pain. A review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that structured hip strengthening programs significantly reduce pain and improve function in adults with hip osteoarthritis. The key is targeting the right muscle groups: the glutes, hip flexors, hip abductors, and core.

The exercises below are low-impact and appropriate for most people. Move slowly, avoid any motion that spikes pain, and aim for 3 to 4 sessions per week.

Strengthening Exercises

1. Glute Bridges Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Press through your heels and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Hold for 2 seconds, then lower. Repeat 15 times.

Why it works: Strengthens the gluteus maximus, which directly reduces load on the hip joint during walking and standing.

2. Clamshells Lie on your side with hips and knees bent at 45 degrees. Keeping your feet together, rotate your top knee upward like a clamshell opening. Lower slowly. Repeat 15 times per side.

Why it works: Targets the gluteus medius, a key stabilizer that, when weak, causes the hip to drop and the joint to absorb excess stress.

3. Standing Hip Abduction Stand upright holding a chair for balance. Slowly lift one leg out to the side, keeping your torso upright. Lower with control. Repeat 12 times per side.

Why it works: Builds lateral hip stability, reducing impingement and bursitis-related pain.

Mobility and Flexibility Exercises

4. Hip Flexor Stretch (Kneeling Lunge) Kneel on one knee with the other foot forward. Shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch in the front of the kneeling hip. Hold for 30 seconds per side.

Why it works: Relieves tightness in the iliopsoas, which is chronically shortened from prolonged sitting and pulls the pelvis forward, increasing joint compression.

5. Figure-Four Stretch (Piriformis Stretch) Lie on your back. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Gently pull the uncrossed leg toward your chest until you feel a stretch in the outer hip. Hold 30 seconds per side.

Why it works: Releases the piriformis muscle, which when tight can compress the sciatic nerve and contribute to hip and buttock pain.

6. Cat-Cow Hip Circles On hands and knees, slowly circle your hips in a wide, controlled motion. Five circles in each direction.

Why it works: Promotes synovial fluid distribution in the hip joint, reducing stiffness and improving range of motion. Particularly beneficial for osteoarthritis sufferers first thing in the morning.

Exercise	Target Area	Best For
Glute Bridge	Gluteus maximus	OA, general weakness
Clamshell	Gluteus medius	Bursitis, instability
Standing Abduction	Hip stabilizers	Impingement, instability
Hip Flexor Stretch	Iliopsoas	Sitting-related pain, athletes
Figure-Four Stretch	Piriformis	Sciatica, outer hip pain
Cat-Cow Circles

Why External Support Matters (and When to Use It)

Exercises build strength over time. But during the weeks and months it takes to rebuild hip stability, the joint is still absorbing stress with every step. This is where external support plays a critical role.

Hip braces and stabilizers work through three primary mechanisms:

Joint offloading: Redistributing weight and pressure away from damaged or degenerated areas of the hip
Biomechanical correction: Improving joint alignment to reduce abnormal stress during movement
Targeted compression: Increasing blood flow, reducing inflammation, and providing pain relief at the joint level

Research on hip bracing supports these benefits. Studies have shown significant pain reduction, improved physical function, increased hip muscle strength, and better gait parameters in people who use hip stabilizers during rehabilitation. These are the same reasons orthopedic specialists and physical therapists regularly recommend bracing before considering invasive procedures.

Who Benefits Most from Hip Support?

External support is particularly useful for:

People with osteoarthritis or chronic hip pain who need relief during daily activities
Active adults returning to exercise after a hip injury or strain
Older adults with hip instability or post-surgical recovery needs
Anyone whose pain worsens with walking, standing, or prolonged movement

The FlexiHip Orthopedic Hip Stabilizer

The FlexiHip by mLab is designed around the three core principles of effective hip support: joint offloading, alignment correction, and targeted compression. It wraps around the waist and thigh to stabilize the hip during movement, reduce inflammation, and maintain proper posture throughout the day.

What it addresses:

Chronic hip pain and osteoarthritis
Sciatica and labral tears
Bursitis and tendonitis
Hip instability and post-injury recovery

Rated 4.8/5 by over 15,000 customers, with a 63-day money-back guarantee, it is built for people who want a drug-free, non-invasive path to lasting hip relief.

"A GREAT improvement with my hip pain after using this for just a few days. Finally I can stand and walk for long periods of time without much pain. And I stopped with the painkillers!!" - Thomas Miller, Arizona

Putting It All Together: A Simple Daily Routine

The most effective approach to hip pain combines strengthening, mobility work, and joint support. None of these works as well in isolation. Exercises rebuild the muscles that protect the hip; support tools protect the joint while those muscles are still catching up.

Here is a straightforward daily framework:

Morning (5-10 minutes)

Cat-cow hip circles (2 sets of 5 each direction) to loosen the joint before activity
Figure-four stretch (30 seconds per side) to release overnight tightness

During the Day

Wear a hip stabilizer like the FlexiHip during prolonged standing, walking, or any activity that aggravates pain
Take short movement breaks every 45 to 60 minutes if sitting for long periods

Evening (15-20 minutes)

Glute bridges: 3 sets of 15
Clamshells: 3 sets of 15 per side
Standing hip abduction: 3 sets of 12 per side
Hip flexor stretch: 30 seconds per side

The realistic timeline: Most people notice meaningful improvement in pain levels within 4 to 6 weeks of consistent exercise. Joint support can provide relief much faster, often within days, while the underlying strength work takes hold.

Hip pain is not something you simply have to live with. The combination of targeted exercise and the right external support gives the joint what it needs to recover, stabilize, and stay that way. Start with the exercises above, protect the joint while you build strength, and give the process time to work.

If you are ready to add external support to your routine, the FlexiHip Orthopedic Hip Stabilizer is a good