How do I feel the stretch deeper in my hip?

Sit taller, then hug the leg a little higher and draw the knee slightly toward the opposite shoulder. A study of 21 healthy young men found the piriformis stretched most with the hip bent to 110 degrees, drawn 40 degrees across the body and turned out as far as it would go, so hugging higher and drawing the knee across moves the cradle toward that position.

Can this stretch help sciatica or piriformis pain?

It can ease buttock tightness, and gentle glute and piriformis stretching is a common part of care for piriformis syndrome. Pain that travels down the leg can also come from the lower back or other causes, so stop if the stretch brings on numbness or tingling, and see a healthcare provider if symptoms persist.

How long should I hold the seated leg cradle stretch?

Hold each side for about 30 seconds, and repeat two to four times for roughly a minute of total stretching per side. You can also rock the leg slowly side to side for a few breaths before settling into the hold.

Is the leg cradle the same as a figure-four stretch?

Both bend the hip and turn it out to stretch the glutes, but in the cradle you hold the leg with your arms while sitting upright, whereas the Lying Figure Four Stretch crosses the ankle over the opposite knee with your back on the floor. The lying version needs less hip and hamstring flexibility, so it is the easier place to start.

Why does my knee hurt instead of my hip?

Knee pain usually means the hip has run out of rotation and the knee is twisting to make up the difference. Lower the leg, flex the foot and support it so it stays level with the knee, and if the knee still hurts use the lying figure-four version instead.

Seated Leg Cradle Stretch

What Is the Seated Leg Cradle Stretch?

Seated Leg Cradle Stretch is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the glutes and also stretches the deep hip rotators, including the piriformis. It is a beginner-level movement performed sitting on the floor with one leg straight while the other shin is lifted and hugged toward the chest, the hip bent deeply and turned out.

The stretch is felt in the buttock and outer hip of the lifted leg. Hugging the shin closer to the chest bends the hip further and deepens the stretch, while keeping the shin roughly level, rather than letting the foot drop lower than the knee, keeps the rotation at the hip. The straight leg on the floor adds a light hamstring stretch, mostly in people whose hamstrings are already tight.

In yoga the same shape is a common early hip opener, often taught with a gentle rocking of the leg, and it prepares the hips for deeper positions such as Pigeon Pose and Double Pigeon Pose. In a training program it fits into a cool-down or a mobility session, or works as a short break for anyone who sits for long periods, runs or cycles.

Because the arms hold the leg, you control the depth throughout, which makes it easy to ease in gradually. It does ask for enough hip and hamstring flexibility to sit upright on the floor with one leg straight. If that is a struggle, the back-supported Lying Figure Four Stretch or Lying Knee to Chest Stretch stretch the same area with less demand on posture.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Gluteus Maximus: Primary
Gluteus Medius: High
Gluteus Minimus: Medium
Adductor Magnus: Low
Biceps Femoris: Low
Erector Spinae: Low
Semimembranosus: Low
Semitendinosus: Low
Biceps Brachii: Minimal

Instructions

Sit on the floor with both legs straight in front of you and your back tall. Sit on a folded blanket if your lower back rounds.
Bend your left knee and lift the left foot off the floor, letting the knee fall slightly outward.
Hold the outside of your left foot or ankle with your right hand, cradling it from underneath, and keep the foot flexed.
Wrap your left arm around the outside of your left knee so the shin rests across the front of your body.
Sit up tall and gently draw the whole shin toward your chest, keeping it roughly level, until you feel a stretch in the left buttock and outer hip.
Hold for about 30 seconds while breathing slowly, keeping the right leg relaxed on the floor. You can rock the shin slowly side to side for a few breaths.
Lower the leg to the floor with control and repeat on the right side.

Common Mistakes

Rounding the lower back
Slumping to bring the chest down to the leg moves the stretch from the hip into the spine, so sit tall and bring the leg up to you instead.
Letting the foot drop
When the foot hangs well below the knee the lifted leg twists at the knee, so support the foot and keep the shin roughly level.
Pointing the foot
A pointed foot leaves the knee less stable in the rotated position, so keep the foot of the lifted leg flexed.
Forcing the leg higher
Pulling the shin past the point where the hip stops rotating sends the twist into the knee, so stop where you feel a strong stretch in the buttock.
Bouncing into the stretch
Pulsing the leg toward the chest makes the muscles guard against the stretch, so hold steady or rock the leg slowly side to side.
Holding the breath
Holding the breath keeps the hip tense, so breathe slowly and let the leg settle a little closer on each exhale.

Injuries

Seated Leg Cradle Stretch is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The weak points are the knee of the lifted leg and the lower back. When the hip runs out of rotation and the leg is pulled higher anyway, the twist moves into the knee, which is built to bend and straighten rather than rotate. Rounding the lower back to bring the chest down to the leg shifts the strain onto the spine instead of the hip.

Keep the foot of the lifted leg flexed, support the knee and the foot so neither hangs, and hug the leg only as high as the hip allows while you sit tall. If your lower back rounds, sit on a folded blanket or cushion. Hold for about 30 seconds per side, breathing slowly, and ease off rather than bouncing deeper.

To make it easier, bend the bottom leg, hold the knee and ankle instead of hugging the shin, or switch to the Lying Figure Four Stretch with the back supported on the floor. Once the cradle feels easy, Pigeon Pose and the 90/90 Stretch take the hip further into rotation.

Stop if you feel pain on the inside or outside of the knee, a sharp pinch at the front of the hip, or numbness or tingling down the leg. A pinch at the front of the hip in deep flexion is common with hip impingement, and the stretch should then be kept shallower or swapped for one that bends the hip less. Buttock pain that runs down the leg and does not ease after a few weeks of gentle stretching is worth having checked by a healthcare provider.

Overview

Primary Focus: Glutes
Equipment: Body weight
Modality: Stretching
Difficulty: Beginner

Alternative Exercises

Other Names for the Seated Leg Cradle Stretch

The Seated Leg Cradle Stretch is also known as:

Baby Cradle Pose
Rock the Baby Pose
Hindolasana

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I feel the stretch deeper in my hip?: Sit taller, then hug the leg a little higher and draw the knee slightly toward the opposite shoulder. A study of 21 healthy young men found the piriformis stretched most with the hip bent to 110 degrees, drawn 40 degrees across the body and turned out as far as it would go, so hugging higher and drawing the knee across moves the cradle toward that position.
Q: Can this stretch help sciatica or piriformis pain?: It can ease buttock tightness, and gentle glute and piriformis stretching is a common part of care for piriformis syndrome. Pain that travels down the leg can also come from the lower back or other causes, so stop if the stretch brings on numbness or tingling, and see a healthcare provider if symptoms persist.
Q: How long should I hold the seated leg cradle stretch?: Hold each side for about 30 seconds, and repeat two to four times for roughly a minute of total stretching per side. You can also rock the leg slowly side to side for a few breaths before settling into the hold.
Q: Is the leg cradle the same as a figure-four stretch?: Both bend the hip and turn it out to stretch the glutes, but in the cradle you hold the leg with your arms while sitting upright, whereas the Lying Figure Four Stretch crosses the ankle over the opposite knee with your back on the floor. The lying version needs less hip and hamstring flexibility, so it is the easier place to start.
Q: Why does my knee hurt instead of my hip?: Knee pain usually means the hip has run out of rotation and the knee is twisting to make up the difference. Lower the leg, flex the foot and support it so it stays level with the knee, and if the knee still hurts use the lying figure-four version instead.