One of the most repeated questions I’ve received the last couple of years deals with wanting to change human structure. This has been primarily related to hip retroversion, due to a post of mine on the topic.
Despite my efforts, the point of hip retroversion being a structural “issue” hasn’t hit home for many. In that it’s like height, you can’t really change it.
Now, I’ve been very careful to not say, “You can’t change bone.” Or “You can’t change your structure.” I’ve seen others say this, and that statement is wrong. Bone, as well as practically everything in the human body, has an incredible ability to adapt. It can take FOREVER, but it can do it.
One example I’ve used before is if the fibula is removed from one leg, the tibia will adapt to be the size of the tibia and fibula on the other leg. Not only can bone change, it can change dramatically, and specifically.
-> I discuss the above photos in more detail in this post. The above changes took 3.5 years to happen! Part of this may be because the changes were in kids undergoing cancer treatment. But kids also lay down new bone much faster than adults. Say the kids didn’t have cancer, how much faster would this really happen? Even if it only took a year, that’s a long time.
Not all things can be changed though. I’m repeatedly asked what stretches or exercises someone can do to improve their hip retroversion. This usually means improve internal hip rotation range of motion, and or hip flexion range of motion.
Let’s recap hip retroversion. One way a hip becomes retroverted is from the acetabulum. I already showed some photos of this above.

Acetabulum can rotate forward (anteversion), image B. Or it can rotate backward (retroversion), image A.
The other way a hip can be retroverted is due to the femur. It’ll move back, -retro:
Retroverted on left; normal on right:
The consequence of either, whether acetabular or femoral, is a loss of internal rotation of the femur. Red line is less on left (retroverted) than right (normal):
There is also a subsequent gain in lateral rotation. We’ll come back to that.
So, people want to improve their internal rotation. Here is why, for the life of me, I don’t think this can be done. Each time you attempt to push the limits of that internal rotation, what’s going to happen?
In the below GIF, I got rid of the body of the femur so you can more easily see the femoral neck. (The body of the femur is below the neck in this top view):
After a certain point of internal rotation, the femur bangs into the acetabulum. This isn’t only true for retroversion. It’s true for the hip in general, with other structures. Such as a large femoral neck, a CAM deformity.

Image credit: http://www.hipandgroinclinic.ie/fig8.jpg
Particular structure dictates particular movement. Whatever the change in structure may be, a change in movement is likely to occur. Sometimes, this means a loss of motion in one direction, and a gain in motion in another direction. Sometimes, it only means a loss of motion. A larger femoral neck doesn’t gain motion. It only loses it.
What happens when you try to force the hips into a motion they don’t have? What happens when you take a large femoral neck, or a hip with structurally limited internal rotation range of motion, and you attempt to force that range of motion anyways? What happens when you bang on bone?
The bone doesn’t get smaller; it gets bigger. This is why I don’t think you can change these things. And actually, trying to change them likely makes the matter worse. That femur and acetabulum, which are already hitting one another, are going to hit one another sooner if you keep banging on them. They’re each going to adapt to the stimulus of being beat up on by growing more bone, subsequently giving even less room between them. Plus, there’s typically a labrum between the two you’re pinching. All in all, you progressively piss the hip off.
The best way to lessen how much bone is there is to actually leave the area alone. The best way to get rid of bone is to not use it. But there is only so much you can not use your femoral neck, or whatever hip bone. Meaning there is only so much you can change here. You may be able to lessen the size of the femoral neck some by not loading it as much for a while, but if you’re someone with a retroverted hip and later in life you want to engage in an activity needing a hell of a lot of internal rotation, like a hockey goalie (think bringing knees together for a save), you’re unfortunately shit out of luck.
You may try to reorient your hip structure by practicing internal rotation, but other than perhaps some muscular and capsular flexibility, your hips are going to only get worse at internally rotating. The bones are going to get bigger. You can try to work through this, but you’re asking for a hell of a lot of hip pain, that will only get worse, and probably a torn labrum.
Same goes for other hip structures. If you have an usually large femoral neck, activities requiring a lot of hip flexion aren’t going to happen, at least not without a fight. A fight you will probably lose. (A retroverted hip typically has issues with regular hip flexion as well. You often need to accommodate the flexion by externally rotating the hip.)
We all have something of this nature. Only the lucky few end up going through life in activities which cause them to never notice these sorts of things. For the rest of us, you have to accept nature, adapt, and get on with life.
Lebron James is one of the world’s greatest athletes, but only in the context which he’s been judged so far. I promise you he would be a terrible hockey goalie, gymnast, olympic weightlifter, swimmer, and probably require hip surgery soon after trying to be good at some of those.
There is often a bright side though. That hip that’s not so good at internally rotating may be very good at externally rotating. Hockey goalie maybe not; pitcher maybe:
Particularly at the humerus. As a pitcher, a good deal of external rotation can help one throw harder. It provides that whip action:
Ask a pitcher to do much beyond throwing and they suck, but boy can they throw an object.
Unfortunately, many of us learn this the hard way. “You never quit” or something like that pops up in our minds. Some form of stubbornness persists for a while. We can’t all squat ass to grass, throw a ball with no problems, have full range of motion in our hips and shoulders, run 26.2 miles, do a split, go through yoga class without feeling like something will snap.
Don’t let your persistence last too long. The longer you do, the more that femur and acetabulum grow, the worse that hip gets. We can all be active and fit, but in our own way.
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Postscript- Some questions you may be asking
If you’re wondering if these structures are adaptations or genetic, the answer is both. How much each gets for each structure is tough to say. We’ve had a hard time figuring out height (a good deal genetic, ~80% I believe; a good deal other factors), and these things are more nuanced.
That said, I’ve always leaned towards this stuff being more adaptation than genetic. There is some research discussing this, which I’ll go over in another post. This matters because when you get good at one thing, when you adapt towards one thing, you often can’t avoid getting bad at another thing. If you get good at laterally rotating your hips, you often get bad at internally rotating your hips. I used Lebron James not only due to his athletic ability, but because basketball players are known to lose internal rotation more than non-athletic groups.
If you’re wondering whether this stuff can be changed surgically, like shaving down a femoral neck, people are trying to do this. I wrote about that here. Short version: I doubt it’s a good idea to be attempting this. e.g. Whose to say the bone doesn’t grow right back to where it was? (This isn’t a nose job. A nose isn’t loaded like a femoral neck is.) Do you want to get rid of something that may have been a positive adaptation at one point? What happens if you then find an activity where you want that adaptation back? And we haven’t even gotten to how serious hip surgery is.
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kierfinnegan
July 29, 2015
Great article! One question I have is – how does anyone know?? How do you know if the lack of internal rotation (or otherwise) is structural? You know the problems I had with my hips and now I have no pain and lots more mobility. BUT, how do people know when to stop stretching because ‘it just won’t happen’? Or when they’re moving into positions that are aggravating bone? How can they be sure it’s not a muscular restriction?
I feel this is why you’re ‘stop stretching your hip flexors’ article hit me so hard the first time I read it; I felt like that sharp sensation may not have been a ‘stretch’ feeling, but an aggravation.
Not sure how much sense that made…
reddyb
July 30, 2015
Hey Kier,
Did you happen to read the original retroversion article? It was a while ago, so if you missed it, I thoroughly discuss structural versus functional limitations in internal rotation range of motion. http://b-reddy.org/2013/05/09/talking-about-hip-retroversion/
I haven’t discussed hip flexion as much. I’ll probably do another article on that at some point, but since you’re familiar with the hip rocking exercise, for the most part, when someone’s lower back rounds despite them trying to keep it flat, that’s probably where their hip flexion range of motion is at its max.
Beyond that, a light rule I use is after a month of gently working into particular ranges of motion, if no improvement has been made, then no improvement is likely to occur. Or whatever improvement has been made, that’s probably as much as we’re going to get. Ala we’ve hit a structural limit.
Even with the tests I go over in the retroversion article for internal rotation, if someone scream “structural limitation,” I will often still work them into internal rotation, but *never* into pain, pinching, clunking. As I go over in this article, that will only make things worse.
Chris Harvey
August 17, 2015
Hi Brian,
Intersting article. I find I can keep my lower back not rounded in the hip rocking exercise, but in the prone hip rotation one of my legs hardly moves before the hip wants to come off the floor.
reddyb
August 18, 2015
Sounds like you have solid hip flexion range of motion, but limited internal rotation range of motion. In the prone position though, you have to account for muscular actions potentially causing the discrepancy. I hit on that in the retroversion article-
http://b-reddy.org/2013/05/09/talking-about-hip-retroversion/
Chris harvey
August 19, 2015
Brian,
This is great stuff. Since this appeared in a dramatic way since taking up cycling again, I am going to work on stretching the TFL for a while. If that does nothing I will come back to you with photos and a full contact sheet. What is your suggestion for loosening an ultra-tight TFL?
thanks a lot for your input
Chris
reddyb
August 20, 2015
Sure thing.
This may be helpful TFL wise: http://b-reddy.org/2013/08/20/6-exercises-to-loosen-the-it-band/
Robert Mitchener
May 9, 2016
This was so very well written and conveyed – thank you. Have you discussed elsewhere in your writings the link between 1. Hip retroversion and 2. The tendency of some folks to force a gait where the feet are lined up “normally”. 3. Problems at the knee and foot. It is very hard to change a lifelong pattern, wrong as it may be – but the feet suffer for lack of surface area(and subsequent overuse of intrinsic foot muscles to gain stability) and the knees suffer for having to accomodate an unnatrural rotary force (with every step). I have a hard time helping these folks beyond trying to explain what is going on – and maybe getting some better support under their soles.
reddyb
May 10, 2016
Thanks for the nice words Robert.
Some more about retroversion here: https://b-reddy.org/2013/05/09/talking-about-hip-retroversion/
And more about hip structure here: http://b-reddy.org/2015/08/03/hip-mobility-issues-in-basketball-players-why-the-lack-of-internal-rotation/
I find -you can see this in the comments of the retroversion post- some will read, or I will tell them in person, about structural i.e. can’t change differences, only for them to follow up my spiel with, “So what can I do to improve it? What stretches can I do?” This is very foreign information for many, so I’m not sure it really hits home initially. I find for many it takes multiple angles of explanation, sometimes over a period of time. Whereas others simply don’t want to believe it. “I can work my way out of anything” seems to be part of the mindset. (That’s the genesis for this post.)
One thing I’ll reference often is much like we don’t expect to be able to write or throw a ball symmetrically, we shouldn’t expect the hips or joints to be symmetric. (Often it’s only one hip so this analogy holds better.) That it’s ok for one side to move differently than the other. This is a lightbulb moment for some.
Overall I’ve noticed a decent shift to not worrying about things like posture at all, to then feeling like there is only one way to stand, bend the knees, sit, etc. (Gave examples of why this isn’t so a while back: https://b-reddy.org/2011/10/12/you-cant-always-be-balanced/ ) While some are immediately relieved upon hearing this isn’t how things need to be, “Oh thank god. That was getting to be a pain in the ass.” Others have a hard time shaking this belief.
I haven’t written yet on something like how a retroverted hip can influence the knee or foot. On the to do list. Really though, unless we’re talking a good deal of hip flexion, it tends to not come into play. I find (in this context) getting people to simply not worry about e.g. is everything straight, and to just do what feels comfortable, goes a long way. Sometimes a person is afraid when I tell them “Open your feet or knees to wherever you like when squatting. Don’t worry about it.” The incredulity can be significant! Yet once the person does it, they often feel just fine. May be weird to them, but fine nonetheless.
Mike91
February 27, 2017
Wow, your articles are amazing. I’ve been told I possibly have FAI in both hips but I think this is what I’ve got going on. I’ve always found I had no internal rotation. Both legs have the propensity to externally rotate, causing me to walk like a duck, just more subtly. I got into powerlifting and found it impossible to get into squat positions others could get in, no matter how much I mobilized. Worked my way to squatting 405 ass to grass, but I think I destroyed my hips in the process. They constantly hurt. They pinch when I walk. My hip flexion has always been solid, but my legs have to externally rotate in order to do so. Very enlightening article.
Frustration setting in as I’m only 25 and both hips grind, snap, crack and click. They hurt 24/7. I imagine I have a torn labrum. Obviously I’ll never squat/powerlift like I did again, but I still train 6 days a week. It’s impossible to find anything that isn’t painful, but there are exercises that don’t make it worse. I wouldn’t be surprised if I caused the bone to grow because I absolutely forced internal rotation over 4-5 years when I am clearly not built for it.
Obviously I can’t change the structure, but have you worked with people who have chronic hip pain due to fai and a torn labrum who were able to fix the pain without surgery, and still stay active?
reddyb
February 28, 2017
Hey Mike,
Thanks for the nice words. You may be interested in some more in depth words on retroversion here, if you haven’t seen this already: https://b-reddy.org/2013/05/09/talking-about-hip-retroversion/
Have worked with many with hip pain, including those with torn labrums. Can’t guarantee a person will get to where they want without surgery, but (way) more often than not, things can be managed quite well. It’s more often a question of the definition of quite well, as that’s very person dependent. Day to day pain though, being able to get a solid workout in, that’s typically doable.
How I work with remote people if interested: https://b-reddy.org/2013/06/20/the-remote-client-process/
Mike91
February 28, 2017
Awesome, that’s very reassuring. I’ve been to several doctors and physical therapists who kind of scratched their heads when they took a look at my hips, and didn’t seem to be familiar with FAI. Got kind of discouraging. Last year, I was squatting/deadlifting 400-500 lbs and now I can’t even do a bodyweight squat lol. I’ll definitely check out the remote link you provided. Just started my career in law enforcement so surgery ain’t really an option at the moment. Neither is sitting on my ass. Thank you for all the articles you put out. You’ve explained things better than any other resource I’ve come across regarding the matter.
reddyb
March 3, 2017
Sure thing. You’re welcome! Good luck in starting your career. I’ve worked a decent amount of people in that field. Take care of that lower back too!
Kimberly
July 24, 2019
I danced ballet and other dances intensively from age 4 to 20 or 22. I used to complain to my modern and jazz dance teachers that I felt like something was blocking me and pinching me when they would correct me and tell me to align myself parallel. High school PE teachers would also try to correct me. They didn’t understand that an “abnormal” skeleton was possible and they were only trying to pass on correct technique. I cannot lunge with my feet parallel. I cannot bring my knee to my chest, I can bring it diagonally to my side. I cannot do a true forward battement or develope or high kick. They were only trying to help me. But I realize now that this probably contributed to my hips being completely wonky by my late teens.
I have always been duck footed as well and after reading the other article on this website I know I have retroverted hips. Both hips sounded exactly like yours. Grind, click, crack, snap. I could not walk or move without searing pain most of the time.
I took a ten year break from stressing out my hips with dancing and have been doing activities for the past few years which used to cause me extreme pain. I think the bones have decreased back to a more normal size now and I only get the clicking, popping and pain sometimes. It is very manageable now and the pain doesn’t prevent me from doing the things I used to do. I know taking a 10 year break from what you love is not the answer, but in those 10 years I kept dancing, just did other styles that weren’t as abusive to my hips. Holding your core in a pilates style throughout life also goes a long way!
b-reddy
July 26, 2019
Thanks for sharing your story Kimberly.
One part I want to highlight is how during that break, you were still dancing, but doing other styles. That’s a crucial point when dealing with movement issues. It’s not so much what you do; it’s how you do it. It’s not that you couldn’t dance; it’s you had to find your way of doing it.
Mik6
April 26, 2018
Very informative and well-detailed article as usual!! This article ended my journey digging out a lot of sites to figure out my clicking hip, lack of internal rotation etc because of no improvement even after seeing several doctors.
Accepting my retroverted hip structure, I think sumo squat/deadlift would be better than conventional ones. However, I don’t want to aggravate my retroverted hip symptoms but I feel getting a little more externally rotated after doing sumo squat/deadlifts. Should I add hip internal strengthening exercise to compensate this? or add a little bit of internal rotation stretches up to a degree that I feel OK?
b-reddy
April 27, 2018
Glad it was helpful!
-Sumo is definitely the way to go. Though you don’t have to be powerlifting stance wide. A squat stance is usually about right.
-I very rarely implement any internal rotation strengthening. I will however have some very gentle stretching, to see if we can get any improvement. Here is an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRFtp0_ldQk
Notice how the hip is in neutral. (The knee is directly below the hip, not in front or behind it.) That’s a much friendlier position than trying to do this with the hip flexed. I like to start with that to really insure we don’t cause any symptoms.
That said, it’s very rare someone gets a big improvement here, once a conclusion of “Yeah, there’s some retroversion going on.” In other words, I haven’t seen a person like this go from sumo to conventional because their internal rotation ROM improved that much.
Plus, it’s not like widening the stance is that big a deal anyways, so I don’t really see much point in fighting that battle. Overwhelmingly, people do better once they just accept their body moves differently, opposed to consistently trying to see if they can get it to move “like everybody else.”