
So instead of this less than ideal approach, I recommend a complete hip abductor workout that tackles both flexibility and strength in just 3 moves. Plus, if you are tighter in your quadratus lumborum or your lateral torso muscles, there’s a chance that this stretch will won’t even hit your hip abductors. In the face of hip abduction dysfunction and tightness, you might drop into one static stretch that is the old-stand by for these muscles – the side bend against the wall.īut these traditional hip abductor stretches don’t really do much to consider the whole complicated picture of hip abductor function, and they definitely don’t address the issue of strength. Unfortunately, this is especially true if you are an athlete who is repeatedly running or jumping in a compromised position.

Poor lower limb alignment stemming from the hip abductors can place a large amount of pressure, force, and pain upon the knee. One extremely common issue is patellar pain, causing symptoms felt at the knee. Image by These pelvic shifts, hip drops, or other postural issues due to weakness or dysfunction of these hip abductors can cause problems further down the chain. If your pelvis either drops down, or your hips shift out to the side, you’ve probably got issues with your hip abductor muscles. Come to standing on one leg, and watch your hips. To test this quickly, stand in front of a mirror. This lateral shift can be a more subtle sign, but these issues can also cause something called the Trendelenburg sign – a significant marker for issues with pelvic stabilization and hip abductor dysfunction. Let’s say your abductors aren’t functioning as they should as balance on one leg – your pelvis won’t stabilize properly and you’re going to experiencing a shifting of your hips to the side. If these muscles are either tight and overactive or weak and lazy to activate, problems can occur.ĭysfunction of the hip abductor can lead to lateral pelvic shift. What Are Some Common Hip Abductor Problems? So whether you’re getting dressed and hopping around on one foot to pull on your pants or throwing a kick, your hip abductors are working to keep you balanced on one leg.Īnd when you walk or run there’s one foot off the ground so your hip abductors are working to stabilize the pelvis so that your hips don’t swing or sag wildly as you move around. If you’re throwing martial arts sidekicks or striding out to the side while ice skating or rollerblading, you’re depending heavily on the hip abductors.Īnd these muscles also serve to aid you in single-leg stance balance and general pelvic stabilization while walking or running. Image by But these muscle’s functions also translate to a wide variety of uses in sports and in everyday life. Other common hip abductor exercises are the clamshell and side-lying hip abduction – think Jane Fonda in Buns of Steel! Sure, you can hit the abductors on the abductor machine at the gym. There’s more to this hip abduction role than you might think. These 3 muscles share the common function of hip abduction, which means they work to take your leg out laterally, away from the midline of your body. This muscle originates on the lateral edge of your ilium and runs with a band of tissue called the iliotibial (IT) band all the way to the tibia, below the knee. Your tensor fasciae latae is longer located more laterally – it runs down the side of your hip and thigh. But this muscle also helps in hip extension, which will be important to remember when it comes time to stretch it out.

Your gluteus medius is your MAIN hip abductor. It also runs from your ilium to your femur, but it is a broader muscle and covers more surface area.


Your gluteus medius lies on top of this muscle and is a bit bigger. It runs from your ilium (your big “hip bone” on your pelvis) to the top of your femur. Your gluteus minimus is the deepest and smallest of your glute muscles.
