The pigeon stretch is a floor stretch for the buttock and the deep muscles that turn the hip outward, including the piriformis. You fold one leg in front of you, stretch the other leg back, and lean your chest forward over the front leg. It is a stronger stretch than most lying buttock stretches.

How to do the pigeon stretch

Start on your hands and knees on a mat, hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
Bring the knee on the side you want to stretch forward, toward the hand on the same side. Rest that shin on the floor across in front of you, so the foot sits near the opposite hip.
Slide the other leg straight back behind you and lower your hips toward the mat. In the video the toes of the back foot stay tucked under; resting the top of the foot flat is fine if that is more comfortable.
Walk your hands forward and lean your chest over the front leg, down onto your forearms if that is comfortable, until you feel a stretch deep in the buttock.
Hold and breathe slowly. To come out, push up through your hands, bring the back knee forward to hands and knees, then switch sides.

What you should feel

A deep stretch in the buttock of the front leg, sometimes toward the outside of the hip. You may also feel a mild stretch at the front of the hip on the back leg.

Common mistakes

Dropping all your weight onto the front hip so the pelvis tips to one side. Keep both hips facing forward, and put a folded towel under the front hip if it does not reach the floor.
Forcing the front knee or foot into position. Bring the foot closer to your body if the knee complains.
Leaning further than you can breathe comfortably in.

How often

A common approach is to hold for 20 to 30 seconds, 2 to 3 times on each side, once a day. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

A sharp pain or pinch at the front of the hip or in the groin.
Pain in the front knee, or pain, numbness or tingling spreading down a leg.

From the clinic

If you have had a hip replacement or other hip surgery, get the go-ahead from your surgeon or physio before you try the pigeon stretch. Leaning forward bends the front hip deeply while the back leg is stretched out behind you, and many surgeons ask you to avoid that for the first months after some operations.

The folded front knee takes some twisting load in this position. If you have knee pain, a knee replacement or a past knee injury, a gentler option such as the piriformis stretch lying on your back or the seated figure 4 stretch works the same buttock muscles with less strain on the knee.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-26.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Pigeon stretch