How to Stretch Your Inner Thighs

Co-authored by Monica Morris

Last Updated: February 2, 2022 Approved

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The muscles in your thighs are important for all sorts of exercise and daily activities. Whether you're going on a run, climbing stairs, playing tennis, or just walking around, the muscles of your inner thigh are going to be heavily involved. It’s important to stretch them as much as possible to avoid injury or to release the tension if you feel your thighs getting tight. Tight groin muscles can lead to problems with your hip flexors and hamstrings along with a host of other issues. That said, to avoid a painful groin pull, you should stretch with caution. Aim for a mild pulling sensation, and stop if you feel pain.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Basic Stretches

This very basic stretch helps lengthen muscles in the back of your thighs as well as the inner section. Remember to do this with pointed toes at first and then with your toes flexed. Hold the position still for at least 20 seconds. Don’t hold your breath while you’re stretching. Focus on long slow deep breathing, relaxing on the exhale.
Sit on your ground as if you were going to sit cross-legged. Put both your feet together at the heels and slowly push on knees with your elbows. Don't bob up and down by pushing harder with your elbows. Keep a constant pressure so that you feel a stretch and be sure not to hurt yourself. This is a great stretch for loosening the inner thigh, and it will do both sides at once, which is a huge benefit. ^{[1]
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Take a wide step out with your right foot, bending your right knee to lower yourself down slightly. Hinge forward slightly from the hips, keeping your back straight, and push your bottom back. This will stretch the left inner thigh. Hold this position for a few seconds, before resuming to the starting position. Do it again, this time extending your left leg.^{[2]
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Monica Morris
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Expert Interview. 18 November 2019.}
Lie down facing a wall with your legs resting straight up against the wall. Spread your legs apart to a comfortable position. Gravity will stretch your inner thighs for you. Take ten to fifteen breaths before slowly coming out of the stretch.^{[3]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Stretching with Yoga

Kneel down, place your elbows on the floor in front of you and try to spread your knees and legs as far apart as possible without injuring yourself. Make sure it doesn't cause too much pain. It should be a stretch, not a tearing feeling. If the pain starts to feel sharp at any time, stop. Sometimes called the ‘Frogger Pose’ this stretch isn’t too difficult to hold so you can stay in it for a longer period of time.^{[4]
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Monica Morris
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Expert Interview. 18 November 2019.}
2
Strike a wide-legged forward bend ‘E’. Stand with your feet spread wide apart. Hinge forward at the hips and place your palms on the floor in front of you. Keeping your back straight, drop your head to try to touch the top of the head to the floor between your feet. Move your feet further apart, keeping your weight on your hands. ^{[5]
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- Try to keep your weight on your toes rather than your heels.
- Also called Prasarita Padottanasana, this stretch is great for your hips and hamstrings as well as your inner thighs.
Lay flat on your back again and press the soles of your feet together. This stretch will basically be like the normal butterfly pose except you will be lying on your back instead of sitting up. Press your knees to open your legs up, moving your knees away from each other and as close to the floor as possible on either side. This relaxing pose will help loosen your inner thigh. ^{[6]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Stretch Preparation

Be able to freely move your body, stretching is next to impossible if you’re wearing jeans or some other restrictive material. If you’re alone you can go ahead and do it in your underwear, just wear something that doesn’t restrict the mobility of your hips and legs.
Being only in socks can make you slip and pull a muscle. Especially when you’re pressing both feet against each other or trying to hold a certain stance while standing up, it’s better to have sturdy footing. Lose the socks.
Don’t expect to fix everything in two minutes. Commit at least 15-20 minutes to doing a variety of stretches, and try to keep that up every day.^{[7]
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Monica Morris
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Expert Interview. 18 November 2019.}
Especially if you have a lower back injury, this can exacerbate the problem if you don’t give your body time to warm up a little bit. Wait at least an hour after waking up before you start. ^{[8]
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Question

How do you strengthen your inner thigh and groin?

Monica Morris
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Monica Morris is an ACE (American Council on Exercise) Certified Personal Trainer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 15 years of fitness training experience, Monica started her own physical training practice and gained her ACE Certification in 2017. Her workouts emphasize proper warm-ups, cool-downs, and stretching techniques.

Monica Morris

ACE Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

Put some ankle weights on and stand up straight. Starting with one foot, twist your ankle towards your other foot. Continue doing this until you feel it in your inner thigh and then switch your feet. You can also do squats, but squats are more of a full-body workout.

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Question

How can I stretch just above the inside of my knees?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

Try to do a deep side lunge. The straight leg will be the one getting the stretch. Try it with an upright torso. You can also place a chair in front of you to hold on to, or place your hands on the ground in front of you, and stick your rear end out. This will help pull the muscles in the inner and back of the thigh right down to the knee. You can also roll a tennis ball or softball up and down along the inside of the thigh.

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Question

Why is there pain in my inner thigh when I stretch?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

You may be stretching too far since pain is usually a warning sign for injury. It's a good idea to check with your doctor if the pain persists.

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Tips

Stretching once isn’t going to fix everything. Remember, it took more than one day for your muscle to get tight and it will take more than one day for it to be loose again. Stick with it.^{[9]
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Monica Morris
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Expert Interview. 18 November 2019.}

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If you stretch too much you can put your muscle into spasm. Try to know your limits and don’t push your body too far.

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Do not hold a stretch for longer than a minute. There is no additional benefit to stretching for longer than this.

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Warnings

Never do an inner thigh stretch if you think you might slip. Pulling the legs apart too much or too fast could result in a painful groin pull.

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Tightness in the groin may be an early indicator of hip problems. If you have persistent pain or discomfort in the groin area, visit your doctor.

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