If your hips feel stiff or your inner thighs ache after sitting, running, walking, or training, you’re totally not alone. Tightness in this area is one of the most common mobility issues out there, and – often – very overlooked. Some good news? The best groin stretches can unlock your hips, release tension in your inner thighs, improve your lower back comfort, and much more.
In this guide, I'll break down:
→ Step-by-step hip openers and inner thigh groin stretches that are simple and effective
→ The benefits of groin stretches and the key muscles they target
5 Best Groin Stretches for Pain Relief & Injury Prevention
To start, let's explore the 5 best groin stretches. After this, I'll specifically show you the 5 best inner thigh groin stretches.
1) Seated Butterfly Stretch
→ Muscles Worked: Adductors + Inner Thighs
How to Do It:
Step 1) Sit up tall with the soles of your feet together and your knees bent out to the sides.
Step 2) Hold your ankles and gently press your knees down toward the floor.
Step 3) Hold for 20 seconds, repeating 2 to 3 times.
→ Pro Tip: Lean forward slightly for extra hip pain relief.
2) Lunge With Side Bend
→ Muscles Worked: Hip Flexors + Inner Thighs
How to Do It:
Step 1) While standing, step one foot forward into a lunge, keeping your back leg extended out.
Step 2) Reach your arms overhead and bend slowly toward the side of your front leg.
Step 3) Hold this position for 30 seconds per side.
→ Why It Helps: Combines hip and groin opening, making it one of the best groin stretches.
3) Frog Stretch
→ Muscles Worked: Deep Adductors + Hip Flexors
How To Do It:
Step 1) With a yoga mat, start on your hands and knees, AKA tabletop position.
Step 2) Slide your knees out wide with both feet turned outward, then shift your hips back.
Step 3) Focus on steady breathing, holding for 35 to 40 seconds.
→ Warning: Begin cautiously if you’re new to doing mobility training; this is an intense stretch!
4) Wide-Legged Forward Fold
→ Muscles worked: Adductors + Hamstrings + Lower Back
How to Do It:
Step 1) Stand up tall with your feet wide apart.
Step 2) Hinge at your hips and fold yourself forward, letting your torso relax toward the floor.
Step 3) Hold for 20 to 40 seconds, allowing your spine to fully relax.
→ Why It Helps: Loosens hamstrings and offers a deep groin stretch – great for desk workers.
5) Cossack Squat Stretch
→ Muscles Worked: Inner Thighs + Glutes + Quads
How to Do It:
Step 1) Stand with your legs wide apart.
Step 2) Shift your weight to one side, bending that knee while keeping the opposite leg straight.
Step 3) Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.
→ Why It Works: A dynamic move that doubles as both strength and mobility training.
5 Best Inner Thigh Groin Stretches
Next up, these stretches are particularly helpful for your inner thighs.
1) Sumo Squat Stretch
→ Muscles Worked: Inner Thighs + Glutes + Hips
How to Do It:
Step 1) Stand with your feet a bit wider than shoulder-width, toes slightly turned out.
Step 2) Squat down, pressing your elbows into your knees to fully open up both thighs.
Step 3) Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds.
→ Why It Helps: Combines mobility and strength while directly stretching your inner thighs.
2) Standing Side Stretch With Wide Stance
→ Muscles Worked: Adductors + Obliques
How to do it:
Step 1) Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width, toes turned out.
Step 2) Keep one leg straight while bending the opposite knee slightly.
Step 3) Reach your arm on the straight-leg side up and overhead.
Step 4) Lean your torso toward the bent-knee side.
Step 5) Hold this for 20 to 30 seconds per side.
→ Pro Tip: Adds a gentle groin stretch while also releasing tension along your side body.
3) Pigeon Pose Variation (with Forward Fold)
→ Muscles Worked: Inner Thighs + Hip Flexors + Glutes
How to do it:
Step 1) Start in a plank position.
Step 2) Bring one knee forward and place it behind your hands, shin angled across your body.
Step 3) Slide your other leg backward and fold forward.
Step 4) Hold for 30 to 45 seconds per side.
→ Why It Helps: While this is a hip opener, adding a fold increases the inner thigh groin stretch.
4) Supine Straddle Stretch
→ Muscles Worked: Adductors + Hip Flexors
How to do it:
Step 1) Lie flat on your back with both of your legs raised straight up.
Step 2) Let your legs fall out into a “V” shape, holding behind your thighs for support if needed.
Step 3) Hold this position for 30 to 45 seconds, focusing on your breathing.
→ Pro Tip: Perfect for anyone who struggles with balance during standing stretches.
5) Wall-Assisted Inner Thigh Stretch
→ Muscles Worked: Adductors + Hips + Lower Back
How to do it:
Step 1) Lie on your back with your legs extended up a flat, sturdy wall.
Step 2) Let your legs slowly open into a straddle, using gravity to deepen the position.
Step 3) Since this is a passive groin stretch, you can hold it for 1 to 2 minutes.
→ Why It Works: A passive stretch that’s great for recovery days and improving flexibility.
The Benefits of Groin Stretches
Adding groin stretches to your morning stretch routine can free you up from groin pain and prevent future injuries.
Here are the main benefits:
→ Improved Mobility
→ Injury Prevention
→ Pain Relief
→ Better Posture
→ Athletic Performance
→ Recovery Boost
→ Everyday Comfort
→ Long-Term Joint Health
4 Tips to Maximize Your Groin Stretching Routine
Tip #1) Warm up first: A short walk, dynamic leg swings, light yoga, or a few bodyweight
squats will help get blood flowing and prepare your muscles for deeper stretches. [1]
Tip #2) Hold your stretches 20 to 30 seconds: Try to aim for at least 2 to 3 rounds per groin stretch to give your muscles enough time to relax, open up, release tension, and adapt.
Tip #3) Breathe with intention: Inhale to prepare, then exhale slowly as you sink deeper into the stretch; did you know controlled breathing helps your body let go of lingering tightness? [2]
Tip #4) Avoid bouncing or forcing: Gentle, steady movement is backed by research and known to protect your hips and inner thighs from strain while still delivering max results. [3]
When to Be Cautious With Groin Stretches
→ Watch for warning signs: Sharp pain, tingling, tightness, pinching, or lingering discomfort after doing your groin stretch routine may signal overstretching or even a pesky muscle strain.
→ Know your limits: If you’ve recently dealt with things like a groin pull, hip injury, or ongoing overall pain, make sure to ease off doing any stretching until a professional can clear you.
→ Seek professional care when needed: Groin strains, persistent hip tightness, or mobility issues that don’t improve with stretching may require guidance from a PT or healthcare provider.
→ Support your recovery: Tools like The QL Claw can complement groin stretches by releasing surrounding tight muscles in your hips, lower back, and pelvis.
The Muscles Worked in Groin Stretches
Primary Muscles (Directly Linked to Groin Pain and Tightness)
→ Adductors: Inside of your thigh, pull directly at your groin.
→ Hip flexors: Front of your hip, pain radiates into your groin crease.
→ Iliacus: Deep inside your pelvis, restricts mobility and stride.
→ Psoas: Deep lumbar-to-hip muscle, tightness mimics groin pain.
→ TFL: Outer hip into IT band, can radiate pain toward your groin.
Secondary Muscles (Indirect Contributors to Groin Discomfort)
→ Quadratus Lumborum (QL): Lower back, causes referred groin tension.
→ Glutes: Back of your hips, secondary groin discomfort when tight.
→ Hamstrings: Back of your thighs, pelvic strain shows up as groin pain.
Want Even Deeper Relief for These Muscles?
Before you try groin stretches, it’s worth tackling the real source of tightness: trigger points. Trigger point massage works by applying steady, targeted pressure to knots deep inside your muscle, encouraging them to release – ideally with The QL Claw. Think of it like thawing a frozen bungee cord; once the knots soften, your muscles can lengthen more easily and safely.
When trigger points form in your hip flexor and outer-hip region, they can radiate discomfort into your groin. Releasing these hidden knots can provide faster pain relief and make every groin stretch more effective. The Claw is shaped to dig precisely into hard-to-reach hip flexor muscles that commonly tighten and pull on your groin.
So, when it comes to groin pain, The Claw is designed to hit these muscle culprits:
→ Iliacus: Place The QL Claw at the front of your hip crease. Sink into the tool gradually and let the pressure melt away any deep tension that may shorten this ultra-powerful hip flexor muscle.
→ Psoas: Lie on your stomach and position the ramp of The Claw along your waistline (between your hip bone and belly button). Breathe deeply to reach your psoas, a core stabilizer that often causes referred pain into the groin.
→ TFL (Tensor Fasciae Latae): Lie on your side and angle The QL Claw into your outer hip. Gentle rocking back and forth helps release TFL knots that tug on your groin and upper thigh.
Learn more about targeting each of these muscles with The QL Claw tutorials.
See what others are saying about The QL Claw below:
Groin Stretches FAQs
How Do You Loosen Tight Groin Muscles?
To loosen tight groin muscles, try stretches that target your inner thighs and hip flexors
.
Some of the best groin stretches out there are:
→ Seated Butterfly Stretch
→ Lunge With Side Bend
→ Wide-Leg Forward Fold
→ Cossack Squat Stretch
Should I Stretch Out Groin Pain?
Whether you should stretch out groin pain depends on the cause; mild tightness can ease with stretches, but sharp pain may signal a more severe strain that needs rest and medical attention.
How to Treat Groin Pain in a Child?
To treat groin pain in a child, start with rest, ice, and reassurance. If the pain is persistent, intense, or associated with an injury, seek medical care to rule out more severe issues.
What Causes Tight Groin Pain?
Tight groin pain is caused by overworked adductors, hip flexors, or related muscles resulting from prolonged sitting or poor posture. It can also originate from imbalances in nearby muscles.
Resources:
1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3315298/
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10224217/
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3273886/
4. Donnelly, Joseph M. Travell, Simons & Simons Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: the Trigger Point Manual. 3rd ed., Wolters Kluwer Health, 2019.
5. Davies, Clair, and Amber Davies. The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief. 3rd ed., New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 2013.