Hip flexor strain is an injury of the hip flexor muscles. It presents as a number of symptoms that allow for the condition to be identified. The most obvious sign that you have hip flexor strain or tendonitis is of course immeasurable pain in the hips and the pelvic region. Apart from this, symptoms also include:
- Muscle spasms at the thighs
- Muscle spasms at the hips
- Soreness of the thighs or upper legs
- Difficulty stretching the leg, thigh, or hip muscles
- Difficulty doing tasks that involve sprinting, kicking, or jumping
- Pain in the stomach or pelvic area
- Decreased range of motionof the hip
- Stiffness in the hips or thighs after being in a stationary position
- Pain or stiffness while walking
Causes of Hip Flexor Strain
So, what causes hip flexor strains in the first place?
Activities that involve moving your knee up toward your torso can exert strain on the hip flexors, causing them to become enlarged. This is why athletes, martial artists, and dancers are at a high risk of injuring their hip flexors. The wear and tear of the muscles in your hips also lead to hip flexor strains. Not using preventative gear when participating in athletic activities or overusing your hip flexor muscles are also reasons for this form of hip injury.
Prevention & Treatment
This brings us to the treatment of hip flexor strains. Before we discuss how the injury may be healed, however, let’s take a look at what you can do to prevent it entirely.
For one, make sure you’re using your protective equipment and gear when playing sports so as to avoid getting injured. When you do engage in athletic activities, make sure you’re aware of how your body responds to the activity. If you notice signs of fatigue and discomfort, slow down and take a break instead of continuing.
It’s also advised to warm up before you participate in strenuous exercise. This will help prepare your hip flexor muscles for the upcoming physical exertion. Also avoid doing repetitive tasks and activities that put your hip flexors at risk of wear and tear.
For treating hip flexor strains, you can resort to:
Exercises: We don’t mean heavy workouts! Gentle stretching exercises, on the other hand, are a great way to ease muscle tension and reduce the pain. However, make sure you’re not exerting a lot of force or it’ll only worsen the pain.
Rest: Alternately, you can also give your body the rest it needs to that the hip flexors have time to heal and recover from the injury. Avoid engaging in strenuous activities that involve muscle stretching for a few days or weeks to help with this.
PRP Therapy: PRP treatment is a pain-free and minimally invasive procedure that can help speed up the healing process. Not only does it help alleviate the pain, but also doesn’t carry any risks like surgical procedures tend to.
RegenerVate Medical Injection Therapy offers regenerative therapy in greater Toronto that helps treat a number of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders, including hip flexor strains. Make an appointment at our clinic today!
