Hip Impingement Home Exercise Program

Hip Impingement Home Exercise Program

A symptom-based, practical rehab guide for patients with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). Built to be easy to follow, realistic, and usable without overcomplicating the process.

Start Here

This program should be adjusted based on symptoms. The goal is not to push through pinching pain. The goal is to reduce irritation, improve hip control, and gradually build strength.

Pain Guide

0–3/10: acceptable

4–5/10: modify

More than 5/10: stop
  • Next-day pain matters as much as same-day pain.
  • Sharp front-of-hip pinching is a sign to back off.
  • Do not force deep hip flexion.

Pick Your Starting Level

  • Higher pain / irritable hip: pain with sitting, walking, stairs, or basic daily activity.
  • Moderate symptoms: manageable day to day, but flares with activity.
  • Lower pain / returning to activity: minimal daily pain, trying to get back to exercise or sport.

Most patients should start in Phase 1 and progress based on response.

Interactive Symptom Check

Select the option that best matches how your hip is doing right now.

Weekly Plan

Be realistic. Not everyone has time or discipline for a perfect rehab schedule. That is fine. The key is consistency.

Baseline goal: complete this program 3–4 days per week for 20–30 minutes per session.
You can increase volume if pain allows, time allows, and you are seeing a clear positive response.

Good enough plan

  • 3 days per week of strengthening
  • Short stretching routine most days
  • Stationary bike 2–4 days per week

More aggressive plan

  • 4 days per week of strengthening
  • Daily mobility and stretching
  • Stationary bike most days

Phase 1: Calm the Hip Down

Use this when the hip is irritable, pinches easily, or hurts with basic daily activity.

Do 3–4 days per week:
  • Posterior pelvic tilts — 2 sets of 10
  • Glute bridges — 2–3 sets of 10
  • Side-lying clamshells — 2 sets of 12 each side
  • Dead bugs — 2 sets of 8 each side
  • Quadruped rock backs — 2 sets of 10, stop before pinching
What to avoid in Phase 1
  • Deep squats
  • Low sitting positions
  • Aggressive hip flexor stretching
  • Pushing through sharp groin pain
When to move to Phase 2
  • Pain is improving overall
  • Less pinching with daily activity
  • You can complete this phase without a next-day flare

Phase 2: Strength + Stability

This is the phase most patients actually need. The focus is glute strength, pelvic control, and improving how the hip handles load.

Do 3–4 days per week:
  • Banded lateral walks — 2–3 sets of 10 steps each way
  • Single-leg bridges — 2 sets of 8 each side
  • Split squats, short range — 2 sets of 8 each side
  • Hip hinge drill or Romanian deadlift pattern — 2 sets of 10
  • Low step-ups — 2 sets of 10 each side
How to modify if it pinches
  • Reduce depth
  • Shorten stride length
  • Decrease reps or resistance
  • Back off if you have next-day pain escalation
When to move to Phase 3
  • You tolerate single-leg work without pinching
  • Strength is improving
  • You are recovering well between sessions

Phase 3: Return to Activity

Use this when daily symptoms are low and you are trying to return to exercise, lifting, or sports.

Do 3–4 days per week:
  • Goblet squats — 3 sets of 8, shallow to moderate depth only if tolerated
  • Romanian deadlifts — 3 sets of 8
  • Single-leg squats — 2 sets of 6–8
  • Lateral lunges, short range — 2 sets of 6 each side
  • Optional low-level hopping or agility drills if athletic and pain allows
Return-to-sport principles
  • Depth is earned, not forced
  • Add load before adding depth when possible
  • Do not increase reps, depth, and resistance all at once

Pain Relief Tools Outside of Exercise

Stretching

  • Hip flexor stretch with posterior pelvic tilt — 2–3 x 20–30 seconds
  • Figure-4 / piriformis stretch — 2–3 x 20–30 seconds
  • Hamstring stretch — gentle only

Stretch to reduce muscle tightness, not to force motion through impingement.

Anti-inflammatories

  • Can help during flares if allergies and medical history allow
  • Use only as directed by your physician
  • Topical diclofenac may also help in some patients

These are tools to help you tolerate rehab, not a substitute for rehab.

Ice after activity may help if the hip is sore or inflamed. Heat before activity may help if the hip feels stiff.

Stationary Bike

Stationary biking is one of the simplest ways to keep the hip moving without impact, but setup matters.

  • Raise the seat height to avoid deep hip flexion
  • Use low resistance at first
  • Stay more upright rather than folded over
  • Start with 10–15 minutes and progress toward 20–30 minutes
If biking causes front-of-hip pinching, raise the seat more, lower the resistance, and shorten the session.

Injections

Injection options should be discussed with the treating physician. The main role is to reduce inflammation and create a better window for rehabilitation.

  • Possible options may include corticosteroid or PRP depending on the clinical situation
  • Injections work best when paired with a structured rehab plan
  • Important diagnostic point: if an intra-articular hip injection clearly relieves pain, that strongly supports the hip joint as the source of symptoms

When to Call Your Doctor

  • Pain continues despite doing the program consistently
  • You cannot progress out of Phase 1 or Phase 2
  • You have catching, locking, giving way, or worsening groin pain
  • The pain is preventing normal work, exercise, or sleep
Some patients simply do not have enough time or consistency to fully commit to rehab. That is real. If progress stalls despite a reasonable effort, the next step is discussion with the treating physician rather than pretending the same plan will suddenly start working.
This page is educational and should be adapted to the individual patient’s diagnosis, imaging, medical history, and response to treatment.