Hip Flexor Strain: Rehab Exercises (2024)

FAQs

Can I exercise with a strained hip flexor? ›

After the immediate strain settles down and you can tolerate the pain and discomfort, it's time to get moving! Gentle motion and physical activity are appropriate, the goal is to get back to your normal routine and be able to tolerate simple things like walking, sitting, stairs, etc.

Failing to rest and recover a hip flexor strain usually only results in a worse injury and greater pain at a later time. If your hip flexor strain is causing you to limp or your symptoms do not improve after at-home treatments for seven days, call your doctor.

It typically requires one to three weeks of rest and treatment to recover from mild conditions fully. On the other hand, more severe cases can take around four to six weeks or longer. In addition, injuries that did not receive immediate treatment may take months to recover fully and may also cause chronic pain.

Avoiding bending at the hip, such as when reaching into a stove or picking up a child, in order to rest the affected area. Avoiding activities that put stress on the hip, including any sports that involve running, kicking, or turning.

Football, hockey, running, and martial arts are more likely to create this type of injury. However, there are also aggravating factors that can lead to hip flexor strain include, such as: Weak muscles surrounding the hip flexors. Not warming up/ poorly conditioned muscles.

Crunches — Sit-ups and crunches can strain the hip flexor muscles. This can increase your pain, especially if the crunches are done with improper form. Variations of crunching such as bicycle crunches can also be harmful. If you already have a strained hip flexor, resting is a vital part of the recovery process.

Lower abdominal strains are sometimes mistaken for hip flexor strains because the pain can be in the same location.

In a word - yes. Generally speaking, massage therapy can be highly beneficial for relieving pain and tightness in any of the body's muscles, and the hip flexors are no different.

You should expect to make a full recovery from a hip flexor strain. You should regain all your strength and ability to move after it heals. Make sure to warm up before exercising or playing sports, and give your body time to rest and recover after intense activity.

Pain in the hip flexors occurs when the muscles and tendons are overused or pulled beyond their limits from sudden movements like kicking or sprinting. Tight hip flexors are usually caused by not properly warming up before physical activities or not exercising at all. A strain is a type of tear in the muscle tissue.

How long does it take to strengthen a weak hip flexor? ›

Developing greater strength and endurance of the hip stability muscles tends to occur between three and six weeks.

Some hip flexor pain can temporarily affect your daily activities. “A minimal strain might limit how long you can walk, while a moderate strain can limit walking, doing the stairs, and getting out of a chair,” says Maureen Lu, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health.

Sudden hip pain is the most common symptom associated with a hip flexor tear or strain. The pain and other symptoms can range from mild to so intense that it impacts your mobility. Other symptoms of a hip flexor tear or strain include: Pain when lifting the leg to the chest or stretching the hip muscles.

Walking helps keep your hip flexors loose. In fact, one of the best things you can do to keep them from tightening up is to get up and walk around every 30-45 minutes during the day. This is especially helpful if you spend a lot of time sitting down.

Symptoms of a hip flexor tear or strain

The pain and other symptoms can range from mild to so intense that it impacts your mobility. Other symptoms of a hip flexor tear or strain include: Pain when lifting the leg to the chest or stretching the hip muscles. Swelling, bruising or tenderness in the hip or thigh area.