Hip flexor strains are mostly a result of ‘overdoing it’. Though not so severe, it can put you in unbearable pain when left untreated. It is crucial to understand what is hip flexor strain, and its symptoms will help you find a way to getting proper treatment from an experienced orthopedician.
Hip flexor strain
The flexible muscle tissues present close to your pelvic region, and top of the thighs are called hip flexors. The muscle enables flexing your hips and bending knees. Overstretching or overuse of the hip flexors may lead to pain and difficulty in mobility, called hip flexor strain. Some individuals are at higher risks of experiencing the orthopedic injury because of the type and level of activities they indulge themselves in.
Causes of a hip flexor strain
The hip flexor strain is an orthopedic injury that arises with overuse of your tendons and hip flexor muscles. With this, the tendons and muscles turn sore, inflamed, and painful. People who encounter the injury more likely include:
- Dancers
- Cyclists
- Martial artists
- Soccer players
- Martial artists
- Soccer players
- Kickers on a football team
- Step aerobics participants
- Athletes into running and jumping sport
In case you are into deep stretching that involves pulling your thigh backwards, you may suffer from hip flexor strain. Apart from sports, the other causes of hip flexor strain are overuse, arthritis, and poor walking habits or posture.
The orthopedic injury is nothing but muscle tear, that occurs in a range of mild to severe:
- Grade I tear: It is a minor tear that includes damage off a few fibers
- Grade II tear: In this level muscle tear, a higher number of muscle fibers damage. It also results in unbalanced functioning of hip flexor.
- Grade III tear: here the muscle is ruptured entirely, and the person fails to walk without limping.
Symptoms of hip flexor strain
The primary symptom of the orthopedic injury is a pain in the meeting point of your thigh and hip. Several other associated reasons linked to hip flexor strain are:
- Upper leg muscle cramp
- Acute pain in the hip or pelvis
- Difficulty jumping, kicking or sprinting
- Tugging sensation in the groin area
- Tenderness or pain while taking the stairs
- Stiffness or tightness after being stationary
- Thigh feels sore or tender
If you come across any of the above-mentioned symptoms, you can book an appointment with an orthopedist or hip specialist for a proper diagnosis which includes a medical examination and imaging tests.
Treating hip flexor strain
While most hip flexor injuries can be treated with exercises and doing yoga at home, there can be serious conditions when you must see a specialist for proper treatment. A hip specialist or an orthopedician will suggest physical therapy to treat your hip flexor pain.
The recovery period depends on the severity of your injury. Mild strains may recover in a few weeks while multiple muscle tear may take more than six weeks for full recovery.
Visit Dr Reddy to get a detailed diagnosis and treat your hip flexor strain with best medical solutions.