Hip flexor pain is often an injury that is hard to ignore. Our hip flexors, which lie at the front of the hip, are used in just about every movement that involves the lower half of the body. When you have hip flexor pain you feel it anytime you bend, kick, sit, run, or change directions while moving.
Typically, there are three types of injuries which result in pain to this area of the body: overuse injuries, muscle tears, and direct hits. If you are feeling hip flexor pain, consider the likelihood that one of these reasons may be the cause.
Too Much of The Same Thing
Just like any other part of the body, the hip flexors tend to wear with repetition. Many common workout exercises rely on repeated movements which are great for building strength but come with the risk of overuse.
One of the most common exercises that result in hip flexor pain are squats. It becomes very easy to fall into a routine with repetitive exercises, but resting between reps and using variations of your preferred exercise may help avoid this type of injury.
Sometimes, hip flexor pain can result from overuse injuries that are harder to avoid. Movements like walking and running are common culprits of hip flexor pain.
Make sure your walking or running schedule varies in length and includes some rest days. Since we rely on the hip flexors with any standing movement, it becomes much harder to heal this type of injury quickly.
A Tear Somewhere
Another common injury behind hip flexor pain is a torn muscle. Torn muscles happen when muscle fibers are forced apart due to over-extension. Muscle tears have a variety of causes, but not stretching before activity or performing movement incorrectly are some of the most common.
Stretching helps loosen stiff muscles and builds better flexibility and range of motion. Proper technique also limits stress on the wrong parts of the body. Both stretching and correct technique may help lower your risk of tears.
Unpredictable movements can also cause muscle tears. Athletes who participate in sports like basketball or hockey, where stopping, starting, and changing direction happen frequently, are vulnerable to muscle tear injuries due to the dynamic nature of their bodies.
Any activity which requires you to change directions or momentum quickly may result in hip flexor pain caused by muscle tears.
You Got Hit
A direct blow to the hip is one of the most obvious types of injuries that result in hip flexor pain. This type of injury usually occurs in contact sports. A direct hit to the hip flexor can be caused by another person or object coming into forceful contact with the hip. However, it is possible to get the same injury when an individual falls to the ground.
What To Do
Because it is easy to put a lot of stress on our hip flexors, hip flexor pain in a common complaint. Pain caused by overuse, muscle tears, or direct impacts can usually be treated with ice and rest, but if the injury is severe or not improving, it is important to visit your doctor.
Hip flexor pain that is left untreated has the potential to result in additional injury in the future.