Hip Pain Exercises to Avoid

Hip pain can sneak into almost any workout. One day squats feel fine, the next day your hip feels pinchy, tight, or sore for hours. The wrong moves can turn a small ache into a bigger problem. That is why knowing hip pain exercises to avoid is just as important as knowing which ones to do.

This guide will help you spot risky moves, understand why they hurt, and swap them for safer choices. You will learn what to watch for, how to listen to your body, and how to stay active without beating up your hips.

This is general information, not personal medical advice. If you have ongoing pain, recent surgery, or a new injury, talk with your doctor or a physical therapist for a custom plan before you change your routine.

Why Some Exercises Make Hip Pain Worse

Your hip is a ball and socket joint. It lets your leg move in many directions, so you can walk, squat, and climb stairs. When that joint gets irritated, the same freedom that helps you move can also make pain flare.

Certain motions add extra stress. High impact landing sends shock up through the hip. Deep bending in a squat or lunge can pinch the front of the joint. Twisting or forcing your leg to rotate can strain the soft tissues that help guide the hip. Poor form makes all of this worse.

If your muscles around the hip are weak or tight, your joint has less support. Then heavy loads, fast moves, or long workouts can overload the area. That is why some exercises feel fine for one person but set off pain in someone else. Understanding this pattern helps you choose movements that build strength without adding damage.

Common causes of hip pain during workouts

• Weak glutes: Your butt muscles cannot support the joint, so the front of the hip takes more stress.
• Tight hip flexors: The front of the hip feels pinchy when you lift or bend your leg.
• Old injuries: Scar tissue or past damage can limit motion and make some angles painful.
• Arthritis: Worn cartilage makes impact and deep bending feel stiff or sharp.
• Overtraining: Not enough rest between workouts leads to soreness that never seems to fade.

Warning signs an exercise is bad for your hips

Pay attention to how your hips feel during and after a workout. Some signals mean it is time to stop that move and rethink your plan.

Common red flags include:

• Sharp or pinching pain in the front or side of the hip
• Pain that sticks around for hours or into the next day
• Limping after exercise or needing to “walk it off” for a long time
• Clicking, catching, or locking paired with pain

If you notice these, stop the exercise. If pain keeps coming back, lasts more than a few days, or affects daily tasks, get checked by a professional. A guide like this can help, but it is not a replacement for one-on-one care.

Hip Pain Exercises to Avoid (And What to Do Instead)

When people talk about hip pain exercises to avoid, they often think “no squats ever again.” That is not always true. The goal is to skip or adjust moves that stress your hips more than they can handle right now, then use safer options to stay strong.

High impact cardio moves that pound your hips

Running on hard pavement, jump squats, box jumps, burpees with big jumps, and long sets of jumping jacks all send repeated shock into your hips. Over time, this can irritate the joint, especially if you have arthritis, bursitis, or a past hip injury.

These exercises are roughest when:

• You land with straight knees
• You run only on concrete
• You jump while your hips already feel stiff or sore

Gentler swaps that still raise your heart rate:

• Brisk walking on flat ground or a treadmill
• Elliptical or step machine with low resistance
• Cycling, indoors or outside
• Swimming or water aerobics
• Small step ups on a low box, focusing on soft landings

If you have hip arthritis, guides like this also warn about high impact work for the same reason.

Deep squats and heavy lunges that push past your hip range

Very deep barbell back squats, weighted walking lunges, and curtsy lunges ask a lot from your hips. They bend the joint far, load it with weight, and demand good control. If you have hip impingement, labrum issues, or wobbly form, that combo can strain the front of the hip and irritate the hip flexors.

Signs these moves are not right for you right now:

• Pinching at the front of the hip at the bottom of the squat
• Feeling like your hip “blocks” you before the end of the motion
• Losing balance or caving knees during lunges

Safer strength options:

• Shallower bodyweight squats, stopping before pain
• Split squats with a small range and support from a chair or wall
• Wall sits, where you hold a partial squat without deep bending
• Leg press set to a comfortable range, not all the way down

You can still train your legs hard, you just shift to angles your hips tolerate.

Leg machines and stretches that twist or crank the hip joint

Seated hip abductor and adductor machines with heavy weight often look harmless. In reality, they can crank the hip joint in and out while you sit, with little support from the rest of your body. Forced partner stretches and aggressive pigeon pose or deep figure 4 stretches do something similar. They push rotation instead of letting your muscles guide the motion.

When you push into pain or bounce at the end of a stretch, you can irritate the hip capsule and nearby tissues. This is even more of a problem if you have hip bursitis, which is why guides like Seven Exercises to Avoid warn about strong rotation stretches.

Gentler options that still work the side hips:

• Light resistance band side steps
• Clamshells lying on your side
• Standing hip abduction with a light band and a hand on the wall
• Easy figure 4 or pigeon style stretches held at a mild stretch, never pain

Core and yoga moves that pull on tight hip flexors

Some core moves hit the front of your hips as much as your abs. Sit ups with your feet held down, full straight leg lifts, long held boat pose, and repeated straight leg raises can all tug on tight hip flexors. If that area is already overworked, these drills can ramp up front hip pain.

Better choices focus on your core and glutes, not the hip flexors:

• Bent knee marches while lying on your back
• Dead bugs with bent legs
• Glute bridges, lifting your hips with feet on the floor
• Front and side planks, starting with short holds
• Core work that keeps your knees bent instead of straight

You still work your trunk, you just avoid moves that make the front of your hip do more than its share.

How to Exercise Safely With Hip Pain

You do not have to quit movement to protect your hips. The key is to warm up, move with control, and let pain guide your choices. Resources on exercises to try and avoid also stress this balanced approach.

Warm up your hips before you start

A cold hip gets stiff and cranky faster. A short warm up helps your muscles support the joint. Aim for 5 to 10 minutes before harder work.

Simple ideas:

• Brisk walking, indoors or outside
• Gentle hip circles while holding a counter or chair
• Easy glute bridges on the floor
• Bodyweight squats in a small, pain free range

Move slowly at first and only add speed or depth if your hips feel loose and comfortable.

Use pain as a guide and adjust your workout

Muscle effort feels like warmth, burning, or tired legs. Joint pain feels sharp, pinchy, deep, or unstable. That difference matters.

If a move causes joint pain, you can:

• Shorten the range of motion
• Use less weight or resistance
• Slow the pace
• Switch to a similar move that feels better

Stopping an exercise that hurts is smart, not weak. Long term, this protects your hips so you can keep training.

When to see a doctor or physical therapist about hip pain

Self care has limits. Get checked by a doctor or physical therapist if you notice:

• Pain that lasts more than a week, even with rest
• Pain that wakes you at night
• Sudden swelling or warmth in the hip
• Trouble walking or a feeling your hip might give out
• A fall, pop, or clear injury followed by pain

A professional can pinpoint what is wrong, explain which exercises to avoid, and give you safe moves to build strength and trust in your body again.

Conclusion

Staying active is important, but choosing the right moves is just as important as moving at all. Some hip pain exercises to avoid can be swapped for joint friendly choices that still build strength, balance, and fitness.

Pay attention to how your hips feel during and after workouts. Make small changes, ease away from painful moves, and build up the ones that feel good. If you are not sure what is safe, reach out to a health professional for guidance. With the right plan, you can move with more confidence and less pain, instead of feeling held back by your hips.

You might also like:

• Easy Stretching Exercises For Back Pain Relief At Home
• How To Prevent Common Running Injuries

FAQs: Hip Pain Exercises to Avoid

What exercises should I usually avoid if my hip hurts?

Some moves put a lot of stress on the hip joint and often make pain worse. Common ones to skip, at least for a while, include:

• Deep squats below parallel, especially with weight
• Jumping exercises like box jumps, jump squats, and burpees
• Long-distance running on hard surfaces
• Heavy leg press with deep knee bend
• High step-ups onto tall boxes or benches

If any exercise causes sharp, catching, or stabbing hip pain, stop and switch to a gentler option, even if it is not on this list.

Are squats and lunges bad for hip pain?

Squats and lunges are not always bad, but they often cause problems when:

• You go very deep into the movement
• You use heavy weight
• Your knee caves in or your form breaks down
• You move through pain to finish the set

If squats or lunges increase your hip pain, try:

• Reducing depth (half squats or shallow lunges)
• Using body weight only
• Shortening your stride in lunges

If pain still shows up, avoid them and focus on less loaded patterns like bridges, wall sits, or supported squats to a chair while you sort out the hip issue.

Which hip exercises are riskiest if I have arthritis or “bone on bone” hips?

When you have hip osteoarthritis, exercises that pound or twist the joint usually feel worse. You may want to avoid or limit:

• Running, especially on pavement
• Jumping drills or high-impact aerobics
• Deep weighted squats and lunges
• Leg press with heavy loads and deep flexion
• High-intensity interval workouts that involve repeated jumps

Gentler work like cycling, swimming, walking on flat ground, and light strength training in a comfortable range usually feels better, but follow your doctor or physical therapist’s guidance.

What should I avoid if I have a hip labral tear or hip impingement (FAI)?

With a labral tear or femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), the front of the hip often gets pinched. Exercises that usually cause trouble include:

• Deep squats or deep leg presses
• High knees, mountain climbers, and deep hip flexion drills
• Sit-ups or V-ups that pull the knees toward the chest
• Wide stance sumo squats with heavy weight

Stay in a pain-free range, keep squats and bends shallower, and skip any motion that creates a sharp pinch at the front of the hip.

Which stretches can actually make hip pain worse?

Not all stretching helps. Some can irritate the hip, especially if you force the range. Use caution or avoid:

• Deep “pigeon” pose if it causes front hip pinching
• Aggressive hip flexor stretches with big backward lean
• Forcing your legs into wide splits
• Long hold stretches that trigger aching or burning around the joint

A good rule: a stretch should feel mild to moderate, never sharp. If you have pain that lingers more than an hour after stretching, you likely pushed too far.

Are resistance bands safe, or should I avoid some band exercises?

Resistance bands can be helpful, but a few moves often bother painful hips, such as:

• Very heavy banded side steps or monster walks that burn the outer hip
• Fast band kicks, front or side, with jerky motion
• Banded deep squats or jumps

If a band exercise hurts in the joint, reduce band tension, slow the movement, and keep the range small. If that still hurts, skip that move for now.

Is cycling or using the elliptical machine okay with hip pain?

For many people with hip pain, cycling and the elliptical are more comfortable than running. You may need to adjust:

• Seat height on a bike so your hip does not bend too much at the top of the pedal stroke
• Resistance so you are not grinding hard through pain
• Workout time, keep it shorter at first and see how your hip feels later

If cycling or the elliptical causes sharp pain or a deep ache that lasts, reduce time or intensity, or take a break from that machine.

What gym machines should I avoid if my hips are sore?

A few common machines tend to bother painful hips, especially when used with high load:

• Hip abductor/adductor machines (“thigh” machines) with heavy weight
• Leg press with deep bend and heavy plates
• Stair climbers and Jacob’s Ladder machines if they cause a pinch

If you like machines, keep the motion small, use lighter weight, and stop if your hip feels unstable, clicks, or hurts more as you go.

Can walking ever be an exercise I should avoid for hip pain?

Walking is usually safe and helpful, but it can overload a painful hip if:

• You walk long distances without building up slowly
• You walk on steep hills or uneven trails
• Your stride is very long and causes a front hip pull

If your hip pain spikes during or after walks, try shorter, more frequent walks, choose flat surfaces, and use a slightly shorter stride. If pain still builds, talk with a physical therapist before pushing your mileage.

How do I know if I should stop an exercise or just modify it?

Use a simple check:

• During the exercise: mild discomfort that fades as you warm up is often okay. Sharp, stabbing, or catching pain means stop.
• Right after: the hip should feel the same or a bit looser, not worse.
• Later that day or next morning: pain should not be higher than before the workout.

If a move fails this test more than once, avoid it for now and replace it with a less intense option that strengthens the same muscles without flaring your hip.