Side lying hip adduction
Side lying hip adduction works the muscles on the inside of your thigh (adductors). You lie on your side with the top foot on the floor in front of you and lift the straight bottom leg toward the ceiling. Programs for groin, hip and knee problems often pair it with exercises for the outer hip.
How to do the side lying hip adduction
- Lie on your side on a mat. Stretch your bottom arm out above your head and rest your head on it. Put your top hand on the floor in front of your chest for balance.
- Bend your top knee and place that foot flat on the floor in front of your bottom leg, about level with the knee. The bottom leg stays straight, in line with your body.
- Gently tighten your stomach muscles and keep your back straight. Your hips stay stacked, one directly above the other.
- Keep the bottom knee straight and the toes pointing forward, then lift the bottom leg off the floor. Stop before your hips start to roll.
- Pause briefly at the top, then lower the leg slowly back down and repeat. Roll over to work the other leg.
What you should feel
Work along the inside of the thigh of the bottom leg, up toward the groin. The leg only rises a short way, and that is normal.
Common mistakes
- Rolling your hips backward so the leg lifts forward instead of straight up.
- Bending the bottom knee or turning the toes up toward the ceiling.
- Letting the leg drop back down instead of lowering it slowly.
How often
Many programs start with 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 on each side, once a day, with a short pause at the top. Your physio will adjust this for you.
Stop and check with your physio if
- You feel sharp pain in the groin or at the pubic bone at the front of the pelvis.
- Pain in the lower back, or pain that spreads down the leg.
From the clinic
Do not chase height. From this position the inner thigh muscles can only lift the leg part of the way, so a small lift done well is what you want. If the arm above your head gets uncomfortable, rest your head on a pillow and keep the arm bent in front of you. A pillow under the top knee is also fine if placing the foot on the floor strains your hip.
Pregnant, with pain over the pubic bone at the front of your pelvis? Inner thigh exercises can bother that area, so check with your physio first.
If you have had a hip replacement, get the go-ahead from your surgeon or physio before you try side-lying hip adduction. Here the top leg crosses over in front of you and the bottom leg lifts past the middle of your body, and many surgeons ask you to avoid that for the first months after some operations. Lying on the operated side may not be comfortable yet.
This exercise works the opposite side of the hip to side lying hip abduction, and the two are often done together.
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.
