Understanding Hip Flexor Strains: Symptoms & Treatment

Hip flexor strains are often caused by simply “overdoing it.” While this type of injury is typically not serious, it can be quite painful and limit your activity and mobility. Knowing what hip flexor strain is and its causes can help you avoid injury and lead a healthy, pain-free life.

What are Hip Flexors?
The hip flexors are flexible muscle tissue that connects the top of the femur to the lower back, hips, and groin. The main job of your hip flexors is to bring your knees toward your chest and to bend at the waist. If overused, overstretched, or forced to hyperextend, injury can occur and reduce mobility.

Athletes who use the hip flexors in their sport are more susceptible to this type of injury. Activities like dancing, martial arts, and running put the hip flexors under the most strain. However, the things you do every day — like sitting in front of a computer for hours — can weaken and tighten your hip flexors, making them more prone to injury.

What Does Hip Flexor Strain Feel Like?
The primary symptom of hip flexor strain is pain at the front of the hip. However, there are many other symptoms associated with this injury. These include:

• Pain that comes on suddenly
• Increased pain when lifting your thigh toward your chest
• Pain when stretching your hip muscles
• Muscle spasms at your thigh or hip
• Swelling or bruising at your hip or thigh area
• Tenderness to the touch at the front of your hip

Those aren’t the only symptoms of hip flexor strain, though. You may also feel pain when running or walking.

How to Treat a Hip Flexor Strain
Many patients can treat their hip flexor strain with home remedies. Conservative treatments include:

Rest
Your hip specialist will advise you to rest the affected muscles if you have a hip flexor strain. They might also suggest that you change up your normal activities to avoid overstretching the muscle. For example, try swimming instead of riding a bicycle.

Home Remedies
Most hip flexor strains can be treated without the need for prescription medications or more invasive treatments. You could apply an ice pack to the affected area for 10- to 15-minute increments. Or, alternate ice packs with moist heat applications starting 72 hours after the initial injury. Your doctor may also suggest taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as Tylenol, Advil, or Motrin.

Exercise
Stretching can help reduce the likelihood of future injury, as well as minimize hip flexor muscle tension. Try stretches, such as the pigeon pose and the seated butterfly, but make sure you don’t push yourself too hard — these stretches should be gentle.

In Severe Cases
If your hip flexor strain is severe, your hip specialist will recommend an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan to assess if a further injury has occurred. Surgery may be needed to repair the ruptured muscle if the damage is extensive.

At NY Orthopedics, we offer a wide range of hip flexor strain treatment options, compassionate care, and the technical expertise that can only be found at a practice with some of the top hip specialists in the field. We offer the latest state-of-the-art procedures, which allows us to provide better outcomes and, in some cases, faster recovery times.

Knowing the common causes of hip flexor strain can help you address your symptoms before they become worse. If you find yourself with pain or an injury, NY Orthopedics offers multiple locations across New York and an office in New Jersey with top-level care to keep your hip flexors strong. Schedule an appointment with us today.