Muscles Of The Hip

Written By: Chloe Wilson, BSc(Hons) Physiotherapy
Reviewed by: KPE Medical Review Board

The muscles of the hip are a group of muscles that control movement of the hip, pelvis and thigh.

The hip is one of the body’s most important and powerful joints, acting as the connection between the upper and lower body. It allows us to perform everyday movements like walking, bending, and sitting, as well as high-level athletic actions such as sprinting, jumping, and kicking.

When strong and flexible, the muscles around the hip allow smooth, efficient motion. But if they become weak, imbalanced, or injured, they can contribute to pain not just in the hip, but also in the lower back, pelvis, and knees.

Here we will explore hip muscle anatomy, their key functions, common problems that can affect them, and how to look after them.

Hip Joint Muscle Function

The muscles of the hip serve various important functions:

1.  Movement

The different hip muscles work together to produce fluid, controlled movement of the hip and thigh in multiple directions:

  • Flexion: lifting the leg forward (walking, climbing stairs)
  • Extension: pulling the leg back (running, standing up)
  • Abduction: moving the leg out to the side (side-stepping)
  • Adduction: bringing the leg inward (crossing legs)
  • Internal & External Rotation: turning the leg in or out (pivoting, sitting cross-legged)

Find out more in the hip range of motion article.

Actions Of The Muscles Around The Hip

2. Posture

The muscles around the hip play a vital role in maintain the balance of the pelvis and spine. For example, weak hip extensors can cause an excessive forward tilt of the pelvis (anterior pelvic tilt), while tight hip flexors can pull the spine out of alignment.

3. Stability

Weakness in the muscles around the hip can lead to hip drop known as Trendelenberg's Sign.

Perhaps the most important role of the hip muscles is stability.

The abductors, particularly the gluteus medius, prevent the pelvis from dropping when standing on one leg, known as "Trendelenberg Sign".

The deep rotator muscles act like “dynamic ligaments,” holding the hip joint securely in place during movement.

Weak hip abductors can lead to hip swaying and instability, changing how the forces transmit through the leg and knee, often resulting in knee pain and foot problems.

Hip Muscle Anatomy

The hip joint is a ball and socket joint, formed between the head of the femur (thigh bone) and the acetabulum (socket in the pelvis).

The hip muscles can be divided into groups depending on the movement they produce. Each group plays a specific role in hip mobility and stability.

1. Hip Flexor Muscles

Hip Flexor Muscles: anatomy, function, injuries and rehab

The hip flexor muscles bend the hip, lifting the thigh towards the chest and are heavily used in walking, running, climbing stairs, and kicking.

When tight or overactive, they can pull the pelvis forward into anterior pelvic tilt, contributing to lower back pain.

The main hip flexor muscles are:

  • Iliopsoas (Psoas Major & Iliacus): The most powerful hip flexor made up of two muscles. The psoas major originates from the lumbar spine, and the iliacus comes from the inner pelvis. Together they insert on the femur, pulling the thigh forward strongly. They also influence spinal posture due to their attachment to the lower back.
  • Rectus Femoris: Part of the quadriceps, it crosses both the hip and knee. It helps flex the hip while also extending the knee, making it especially important in kicking movements.
  • Sartorius: The longest muscle in the body, it runs diagonally from the outer hip to the inner knee, assisting in hip flexion, abduction, and external rotation.
  • Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL): A small but important muscle on the outer hip that assists flexion and also stabilizes the pelvis.

Tight hip flexors are extremely common due to prolonged sitting, while weakness is linked to hip impingement, gait dysfunction, and reduced athletic performance.

2. Hip Extension Muscles

The hip extensors drive the thigh backwards, a movement critical for rising from a chair, climbing stairs, sprinting, and jumping. The main hip extension muscles are:

Hip Extension Muscles: Anatomy and Function
  • Gluteus Maximus: The largest and most superficial buttock muscle, it is the powerhouse of hip extension. It also plays a role in external rotation and abduction of the thigh, as well as stabilizing the pelvis and lower spine.

  • Hamstrings: The biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus cross both the hip and knee. They assist with hip extension, particularly when the knee is straight, such as during running or standing up.

Weak glutes are very common due to inactivity, often leading to hamstring overuse, lower back strain, or knee pain. Targeted glute strengthening is essential for both athletes and sedentary individuals.

3. Hip Abductor Muscles

The hip abductors muscles move the leg out to the side, away from the body and prevent the pelvis from dropping when standing on one leg e.g. during walking.

The main hip abductor muscles are:

Hip Abductor Muscles: Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus & Tensor Fascia Latae
  • Gluteus Medius: The primary abductor and stabilizer of the pelvis. The middle fibres move the leg out to the side, while the anterior fibres assist with internal rotation. 
  • Gluteus Minimus: Lies beneath gluteus medius and assists both abduction and internal rotation. It also helps keep the femoral head centred in the hip socket.
  • Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL): Works with the iliotibial band (ITB) to stabilize the hip and knee, especially during single-leg stance.

Weak hip abductors are a leading cause of knee valgus collapse in squats and running (where the knee drops inwards), iliotibial band syndrome, and lateral hip pain. Strengthening gluteus medius is often the top priority in hip rehab.

4. Hip Adductor Muscles

The hip adductor muscles are found on the inner thigh and bring the leg back toward the midline and across the body e.g. when crossing legs. They are key in stabilizing the pelvis during side-to-side movements and are heavily recruited in sports that require cutting, pivoting, or kicking.

The main hip adductor muscles are:

Hip Adductor Muscles: Adductor Longus, Adductor Brevis, Adductor Magnus, Gracillis and Pectineus. They work together to bring the leg inwards
  • Adductor Longus, Brevis, and Magnus: The main adductors, running from the pelvis to the femur. The adductor magnus is the largest and also assists in hip extension.
  • Gracilis: A long, thin muscle running down the inner thigh that also helps flex the knee
  • Pectineus: Positioned at the upper inner thigh, it assists with adduction and hip flexion, and in some cases internal rotation.

Adductor strains (pulled groin) are common in football, hockey, and other sports with sudden side-to-side movements. Chronic tightness in the adductors can also contribute to pelvic or lower back issues.

5. Hip Internal Rotation Muscles

The internal rotation muscles of the hip are also found in the inner hip/thigh region and they work to twist the thigh inward, important for activities like pivoting and controlling hip movement.

The main inner hip muscles for internal rotation are:

  • Gluteus Medius: Although the gluteus medius is best known as a hip abductor, the front portion of the muscle plays a major role in turning the thigh inward.
  • Gluteus Minimus: Lies beneath the gluteus medius and is the most consistent internal rotator of the hip. It not only rotates the hip inward but also helps maintain pelvic stability during walking.
  • Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL): Positioned at the outer hip, the TFL assists with flexion and internal rotation. It also connects into the iliotibial band (ITB), helping control lateral stability of the hip and knee.

Weakness in hip internal rotation muscles is often linked with hip impingement (FAI), knee tracking problems (patellofemoral pain), and pelvic drop during walking.

6. Hip External Rotation Muscles

The hip external rotation muscles are a strong and diverse group of muscles on the outside of the hip that turn the thigh outward. They also provide deep stability to the hip, acting almost like “guy ropes” holding the femoral head securely in the socket. This makes them vital for balance, posture, and preventing hip injuries.

The key hip external rotator muscles are:

Hip External Rotator Muscles: Piriformis, Obturator Internus & Externus, Gemellus Superior & Inferior and Quadratus Femoris
  • Gluteus Maximus: The largest hip joint muscle, it is a powerful extensor and external rotator, especially during explosive movements like sprinting, jumping, or rising from a squat.
  • Piriformis: A small muscle that runs from the sacrum to the femur. It is an important stabilizer, but when tight, it can compress the sciatic nerve and cause piriformis syndrome.
  • Obturator Internus & Externus: These deep muscles wrap around the pelvis to attach to the femur, working as strong outward rotators and stabilizers.
  • Gemellus Superior & Inferior: Small muscles that work with the obturator internus to fine-tune hip rotation.
  • Quadratus Femoris: A short, square-shaped muscle at the back of the hip that assists with external rotation and adduction.

Weak or tight external rotators can cause problems such as poor pelvic stability, IT band syndrome, piriformis syndrome, and increased risk of hip impingement. Strengthening these lateral hip muscles is especially important for athletes, runners, and anyone with hip instability.

Common Hip Muscle Problems

The muscles around the hip are large, powerful, and constantly in use, which means they are prone to a range of problems. Some of the most common problems in the muscles of the hip include:

  • Muscle Strains: Sudden overstretching or overloading of a hip muscle can cause small tears, leading to sharp pain, swelling, and bruising. The most common are hip flexor strains, hamstring strains, and adductor strains (groin strain), especially in athletes who sprint, kick, or change direction quickly.

  • Tendonitis and Tendinopathy: Repetitive stress can irritate or damage the tendons which connect the hip muscles to bone. Early on, this often shows up as hip tendonitis (inflammation), but over time it can progress to tendinopathy (degeneration), causing stiffness, weakness, and pain during activity. Hip tendonitis can develop in any of the muscles around the hip.

  • Tightness and Imbalances: Prolonged sitting, poor posture, or repetitive training can cause certain muscles of the hip to tighten while others weaken. For example, tight hip flexors and weak glutes are a common imbalance that leads to poor hip extension, back pain, and reduced stability.

  • Bursitis: Repetitive irritation or friction of the small, fluid-filled sacs that sit between tendons and bone can lead to inflammation, known as hip bursitis.

  • Nerve Compression: Deep hip muscles, particularly the piriformis, can press on nearby nerves such as the sciatic nerve. This can cause pain, tingling, or numbness that radiates down the leg and is often aggravated by sitting for long periods, driving, or crossing the legs.

  • Movement Dysfunction: Weak or poorly coordinated hip muscles can alter walking and running mechanics. For example, weak abductors may cause the pelvis to drop on one side (Trendelenburg gait), leading to a limp and extra strain on the lower back or knees. Similarly, poor control of the external rotators can let the knees cave inward during squatting, climbing stairs, or running, increasing the risk of injury.

The problems in the muscles around the hip often overlap. A tight or overactive muscle group can force another to work harder, creating a cycle of weakness, imbalance, and pain that gradually limits both everyday movement and sports performance.

Rehab For Muscles Around The Hip

Having good strength, stamina and flexibility in the muscles of the hip is really important to reduce the risk of hip, back and knee injuries, and ensure full range, control and function of the legs.

Exercises are the best way to ensure the hip muscles are working properly to help prevent injuries and as part of rehab following an injury.

Hip Strengthening Exercises

Hip strengthening exercises are really important for ensuring good strength, endurance and control in the hip muscles. Choose from:

Hip Stretches

Hip stretches are really important to ensure good hip range of movement and flexibility. Choose from:

Muscles Of The Hip Summary

The muscles of the hip form a powerful and complex system that allows us to move, stand, and stay balanced. From the large gluteus maximus driving hip extension, to the small deep rotators stabilizing the joint, every muscle plays a role in hip health.

When functioning properly, the hip joint muscles keep the pelvis stable, the spine aligned, and the hip joint secure. But weakness, tightness, or injury can quickly lead to pain and mobility issues.

By combining strengthening, stretching, and stability exercises, you can maintain strong, flexible hips that support you in daily activities, sports, and beyond. Understanding the anatomy and function of the muscles of the hip is the first step towards preventing problems and keeping your hips healthy for life.

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Last Updated: September 18th, 2025
Next Review Due: September 18th 2027