3 Unique Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL) Stretches

Try These 3 Techniques to Relieve TFL Tightness

By Coach E

Try a new take on typical tensor fasciae latae stretches to make lasting improvements in function and mobility.

Tensor Fasciae Anatomy 101

You may not think much about your tensor fasciae latae muscle (also known as the TFL). In fact, most people don’t even know what the TFL is!

But this commonly ignored muscle can have big effects on day-to-day function and pain.

NOTE: if you have tensor fasciae latae PAIN, read this guide instead as the origins of TFL pain are more complex and require proper understanding to be resolved.

Your TFL is a small muscle that originates on your pelvis, at a bony prominence at the front of your hip called the anterior superior iliac spine.

Image by sbrsport.me

The muscle then inserts into your iliotibial band, which is a strong band of fascia that runs down the middle of the lateral aspect of your thigh [1] to the tibial condyle just below your knee.

Functions of the Tensor Fasciae Latae

Your TFL is a key player when it comes to lower body movement and function. And because of its structure, it acts on two joints – your hips and your knees.

At your hips, your TFL contributes to flexion, internal rotation and abduction.

This muscle also has effects lower down on the kinetic chain.

When your knee is flexed, your TFL helps externally rotate the tibia (toes point out).

In terms of function, your TFL contributes to stability at both your knee and hip by transferring tension to the IT band [2].

So what does all this mean for your real life?

For one, your TFL is a huge player in single-leg balance.

This muscle works to balance your body weight as you stand on one leg [3] – which can affect everything from pistol squats, to throwing a kick, to simply transferring weight from foot to foot as you walk down the block.

And because your TFL helps load up your IT band as you move, it helps you generate elastic energy. This translates to more efficient, effective, and powerful movement.

Common TFL Problems

Because this muscle contributes to many different movements and common functions (like walking, climbing stairs, etc), it can easily get overworked, overused and as a result, tight.

TFL tightness is a common problem and if you’ve been feeling persistent pain or discomfort on the outside of your upper thigh or hip, this little muscle could be the culprit.

Dr. Erin Boynton MD, FRCS
Chief Medical Officer,
Precision Movement

THOUGHTS FROM DR. B

TFL tightness is often the precursor to TFL pain.  When the muscle is consistently overused, it does not have the chance to recover and is always in a state of metabolic overload, the muscle then speaks to us, using the language of pain!  TFL pain can be a warning that your foundation for movement has been lost, that is, your joint alignment is not optimal, the balance of strength and mobility is off and you are using compensatory muscles to get the job done.

Dr. Erin Boynton MD, FRCS
Chief Medical Officer,
Precision Movement

One compensation can lead to another, until eventually our musculoskeletal system can no longer function. Use the warning of a painful TFL to search deeper into your movement patterns and prevent long term issues with your back, knees or feet.  Click here to learn how to fix the root cause.

But tightness of the TFL can cause issues beyond just nagging pain.

A chronically tight TFL can affect your mechanics and alignment further down the kinetic chain – particularly at the knee and ankle.

This can cause problems especially with a lot of repetitive motion like in running or cycling.

As I mentioned earlier, there are a lot of factors that can contribute to TFL pain so if you’re suffering from a painful TFL, check out my article on eliminating tensor fasciae latae pain here.

But if you just need effective ways to stretch your TFL, let’s continue.

How Do You Stretch the TFL?

If you’ve got TFL tightness, all you need to do is type “TFL stretch” into Google and you’ll get what you’re looking for, right?

Unfortunately, not…

I often see people drop into one of two common options, but the problem is that these tensor fasciae latae stretches don’t usually accomplish what they’re intended to.

In the first option, you stand near a wall, leaning into it with one hand. You drop your leg closest to the wall behind you and drive your hips toward the wall.

The issue here is that this stretch often hits the lateral torso musculature or the gluteus medius as opposed to the TFL.

Many people with TFL tightness have a postural issue called anterior pelvic tilt. And if you go into this stretch with an anteriorly tilted pelvis, you’re going to be stretching the aforementioned areas.

In the second common option, you lie down on the ground and take both knees over to one side. You then place your bottom foot on top of your other knee to achieve a deeper stretch.

The issue with this approach is that it requires you going into internal rotation and flexion of the hip, plus external rotation of the tibia.

Because these are the very same movements that your TFL helps perform by CONTRACTING, you are never going to achieve full LENGTHENING of the muscle in this position – which defeats the purpose.

3 Unique TFL Stretch Techniques

Instead of trying to relieve a tight TFL with these ineffective strategies, try these 3 unique techniques that effectively target the TFL.

Dr. Erin Boynton MD, FRCS
Chief Medical Officer,
Precision Movement

THOUGHTS FROM DR. B

You may be wondering about other ways to relax the TFL include massage, ART, electroacupuncture and various modalities such as hot/cold contrast, ultrasound and laser.  Finally, putting a trigger point ball on the TFL and laying on it, then rotating your hip can help to release the muscle from the surrounding connective tissues. These can definitely lengthen the TFL, but length may not last for long!  

Dr. Erin Boynton MD, FRCS
Chief Medical Officer,
Precision Movement

This is why I love these 3 unique stretches to relax the TFL as they use our bodies own neuromuscular signalling mechanisms to release the tension! AND most importantly, they recruit or engage the muscles that are critical to preventing the problem from returning.  Just using these 3 unique exercises to relax the muscle may do the trick, but if you find that you improve after the exercise, yet your pain recurs then that tells me that you should consider taking the next step.  You need to fix the reason that your TFL keeps getting tight in the first place. This means that you need to re-establish your foundation for movement and do some specific exercises to correct alignment, muscle balance and build endurance in the muscles that the TFL is compensating for. Check out the following program to eliminate the problem once and for all by correcting the root postural alignment or movement issue.

Static Standing TFL Stretch

Unlike classic TFL stretches, this approach will require you to perform motions that are opposite to the ones that a contracted TFL creates – thus allowing for a fully lengthened tensor fasciae latae muscle.

static tfl stretch

  • Start standing and come into an extended hip position by stepping your right foot back behind you
  • Externally rotate your right hip approximately 45° but make sure you’re not rotating your entire pelvis – keep your pelvis square to the front
  • Next, adduct your right hip by stepping the right foot back behind the other foot
  • Again, keep your hips square as you drive your hips forward, creating a stretch in your TFL

This first technique is a unilateral approach to TFL tightness. In other words, it’s a good way to relieve acute tightness on one side of your body at a time.

However, this move will not be enough to restore TFL length permanently because you’re not building strength at end ranges, so you’ve got to continue on and incorporate the next two moves.

Active Progressive TFL Stretch

This next technique addresses bilateral TFL tightness and unlike the static stretch above, requires you to actively contract muscles to achieve the stretch.

This means that the length is achieved via a neuromuscular reflex called reciprocal inhibition, which results in relaxation of a muscle when it’s antagonists are contracted.

Reciprocal inhibition exists to make sure we’re not wasting energy and are moving as efficiently as possible because it wouldn’t make sense for our triceps to contract hard when we’re flexing our elbows, which is a function of the biceps.

So reciprocal inhibition is a built-in mechanism to relax muscles when they’d oppose our desired movements and make movement more inefficient.

One bonus with this technique is that it’s easy to progress (and see your progress) as your TFL loosens up over time.

First, we’ll test to see if your TFL is indeed tight.

Tensor Fasciae Latae Length Test

tfl length test

  • Stand with your feet together, heels about 2 inches from the wall, and head and thoracic spine against the wall
  • Contracting your glutes and abs, posteriorly tilt your pelvis and try to flatten your lumbar spine against the wall

If you can flatten your lumbar spine against the wall your TFL is likely not tight.

If you are unable to do so, try again this time with your feet shoulder width apart – if you can flatten your lumbar spine against the wall with your feet shoulder width, your TFL is likely tight.

If your TFL is indeed tight, then you can use this test as an active stretch by first finding the position of optimal stretch:

Starting at shoulder width, bring your feet together by about an inch and keep trying to flatten your lumbar spine against the wall. Once you find the foot width where you can no longer do this, use that width and hold the contraction for 30 seconds. Perform 5 reps.

Every time you do this technique test to see where you’re at and over time your feet will get closer and closer until they’re together.

Active 4-Point TFL Stretch

This last tensor fasciae latae stretch is another active approach, this time working on one limb at at time.

What this drill effectively does is builds strength and control in all of the muscles that are antagonistic to the functions of the TFL.

This allows you to create length in the muscle while also working to strengthen the muscles that might otherwise get lazy and let the TFL take over.
active tfl stretch

  • Get into the 4-point position on your hands and knees
  • Straighten the knee while contracting the glutes to extend the hip – DO NOT move the pelvis/lumbar spine
  • Externally rotate the hip so your your toes point out about 45°
  • With a stable pelvis and spine and straight knee, adduct the hip
  • Hold for about 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side for 2-3 reps each side

These approaches to the tensor fasciae latae stretch will help you address TFL tightness via the traditional static stretching method, but also neuromuscularly via the two unique active stretches that are necessary to building length that lasts.

Give them a shot and start giving your TFL some much-deserved TLC.

This article was reviewed and updated on November 4, 2020 by our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Erin Boynton, MD, FRCS to include new research and information on latest surgical developments. Read more about Dr. B here.

About the Author

Eric Wong (aka Coach E) is the founder of Precision Movement and has a degree in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo. He's been a coach since 2005 and spent his early career training combat athletes including multiple UFC fighters and professional boxers. He now dedicates himself to helping active people eliminate pain and improve mobility. He lives in Toronto (Go Leafs Go!) with his wife and two kids and drinks black coffee at work and IPAs at play. Click here to learn more about Eric.

>