Hip Flexor Strain

Lifting your knee up toward your body takes work. The muscles that make this movement possible are your hip flexors. These muscles and their tendons, like all the others, can experience strain if you overwork them. 

Your hip flexor muscles allow you to bring your knees and thighs toward your body, as well as to bend at the waist. Any symptoms of strain with these muscles can impact your comfort or mobility. It is important to rest and seek treatment for your symptoms, or they will worsen.

Hip flexor strains are common orthopedic conditions. They limit mobility and affect people in different ways, depending on their activity level and type.

A hip flexor strain occurs from the overuse or overstretching of the iliacus and psoas major muscles, as well as the rectus femoris muscles. The actual injury occurs when the hip flexor muscles and tendons stretch or tear. More active individuals are at higher risk for this condition, especially if they engage in any of the following activities:

• Dancing
• Cycling
• Football
• Martial arts
• Soccer

Hip flexor strains range from very mild to very severe. There are three grades of hip flexor strains.

1. Grade I tear: Damage to a few muscle fibers. Hip function is normal.
2. Grade II tear: Damage to several muscle fibers. Some loss of hip flexor function and mobility which may cause the hip to give out while walking or standing.
3. Grade III tear: The hip flexor muscles are completely torn. This is very severe, as the hip can no longer hold weight.

While most hip flexor strains are Grade I or II, they should be treated with care. These tears gradually increase with repeated movement, and worsen the condition.

The most recognizable symptom is pain located at the front of the hip, where it meets the thigh. Below, we list other symptoms that signal a possible hip flexor strain.

• Sudden, sharp pain in the hips or pelvis
• Tenderness or soreness in the upper leg
• Stiffness after being stationary
• Bruising or swelling of the hips or thighs
• Muscle spasms at the hips or thighs
• Pain while stretching hip or thigh muscles

Many of these injuries occur during sports games or practice, but they also result from poor posture or arthritis. Our orthopedic specialists will identify the cause of your symptoms and form an individualized treatment plan to help get your life back after an injury.

The number one treatment for a hip flexor strain is rest. Resting the affected muscles is essential to their recovery. Avoid further stretching of the muscles, and switch up your normal routine. Instead of riding a bike, consider a gentler activity such as swimming.

Milder hip flexor strains can be treated from the comfort of your own home, with no prescriptions or surgeries. Cloth-covered ice packs, heating pads, over-the-counter pain relievers, and rest are all viable options for at-home treatment. 

For more severe cases, we might recommend physical therapy. On very rare occasions, surgery may be required to repair the muscles.

Recovery depends mostly on the severity of the injury, and partially on how much rest you give your muscles. Recovery time ranges from a few weeks for mild strains to over six weeks for severe strains. Failure to rest your muscles will result in lengthened recovery times and a worsened injury.

Gentle stretching a few minutes before workouts or vigorous exercise help to reduce the likelihood of a hip flexor strain. Warming up your muscles with a short walk also helps. In short, don’t push your hip flexors too hard. Listen to your body, and contact our orthopedic specialists for any questions you may have regarding your hip flexor strain.