Still Stretching Your Hip Flexors? Try This 3-Step Process Instead

Last week, we broke down a common myth: that tight, pinchy hips (especially during squats) mean you just need to stretch more.

Today, we’re digging into what to do instead—the exact 3-step process we use at Made 2 Move to help patients in Charleston and Mount Pleasant get rid of hip pain and squat pain-free again.

Hip Pain Isn’t Always a Big, Scary Injury

If you’ve ever felt that tight, pinchy, or even painful sensation in the front of your hip at the bottom of a squat, your mind might jump to the worst:

• “Do I have a labral tear?”

• “Is this hip impingement?”

• “Should I stop squatting forever?”

But here’s the truth we see every day at our Charleston physical therapy clinics:

Most of the time, that sensation is due to irritated or overloaded tissues—not a structural injury or something torn. That’s good news, because it means you can fix it with the right approach.

Our 3-Step Process for Solving Pinchy Hips

Step 1: A Full Assessment (This is Non-Negotiable)

There’s no cookie-cutter answer to hip pain.

We start with a full, individualized assessment to understand:

• Your movement patterns

• Joint mobility (hip, knee, ankle, spine)

• Strength, stability, and tolerance in key positions

• Training load and goals

This helps us identify the true root cause of your pain and create a plan that’s customized to you—not a random TikTok stretch.

Step 2: Calm Down Irritated Tissues

The goal here is not to stop squatting altogether. We just want to modify the movement temporarily so your hips can calm down while you stay active.

Small changes can make a big difference:

• Decrease squat depth using a box

• Switch to single-leg options like split squats

• Elevate the heels for better positioning

• Adjust your stance width or toe angle

We’ll also consider whether squats need to be paused temporarily in favor of other loading patterns that feel better. It’s not about doing less, it’s about doing smarter.

Step 3: Build Compression Tolerance & Strength

This is where we solve the actual problem.

We strengthen what’s weak, build load tolerance, and increase control at the end ranges of hip flexion (aka the bottom of your squat).

Even when hips feel “tight,” the issue is often strength or control—not flexibility. That’s why endless couch stretching hasn’t fixed your pain.

We look at the whole chain—ankles, knees, hips, pelvis, and even core—to make sure nothing is getting overloaded.

This approach helps us rebuild strength and resilience so your hips are ready for deep squats, lunges, and everything else life throws at you.

A Few of Our Favorite Hip Flexor Exercises

Remember: these are general examples. At Made 2 Move, we personalize every rehab plan based on your specific symptoms, goals, and training history.

Here are a few we often use:

✅ Banded Hip Flexion

✅ Hip Hurdles

✅ Eccentric Hip Flexor Sit-Ups

These build capacity where it matters and help patients feel strong and stable at the bottom of movements that used to cause pain.

You Don’t Have to Live With Pinchy Hips

Pain in the front of your hip doesn’t mean you’re broken. It doesn’t mean you should stop squatting. And it definitely doesn’t mean stretching is the only option.

Try our 3-step process—and if you need help, that’s exactly what we do.

🗣️ See what our patients have to say📍Meet the team that helps Charleston and Charlotte stay active

📅 Book a free consult and let’s get started

Or just forward this to a friend whose hips always feel tight. They’ll thank you when their squats feel like butter again.

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