Understanding Hip Flexor Pain: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention

Hip flexors are the group of muscles located at the top of the thighs, towards the front of the hips. These muscles play a crucial role in facilitating movement, allowing you to lift your hips and legs. When these muscles are affected by pain, everyday activities become challenging impacting mobility and quality of life. Dr. Yung Han, MD, FRCSC, sheds light on the role of hip flexors, causes of pain, and treatment strategies.

1. How does hip flexor pain impact mobility and quality of life?
The primary hip flexor muscles include the psoas, iliacus, and rectus femoris, which are responsible for flexing the hip or raising the leg at the hip joint. When these muscles are affected by pain, everyday activities like walking, climbing stairs, or even sitting become challenging. Additionally, hip flexor pain can impair participation in active sports such as running, soccer, football, martial arts, and dance. It may also contribute to low back pain and lead to anterior pelvic tilt, further affecting posture and mobility.

2. What are the most common causes of hip flexor pain?
Hip flexor pain often results from one of three primary causes: 1) acute injury, 2) overuse, or 3) a sedentary lifestyle. Acute injuries, such as a muscle strain, tendinitis, or avulsion fracture, may occur during explosive motions like kicking a ball. Overuse injuries, common in repetitive activities like cycling, running, or kicking, can lead to muscle strain or tendinitis. Lastly, a sedentary lifestyle, characterized by prolonged sitting, poor posture, and muscle weakness, can also cause hip flexor pain.

3. What severe hip flexor pain symptoms should prompt a patient to notify their doctor?
People should seek medical attention if they experience persistent or worsening pain that restricts daily activities, a loss of motion at the hip, or if a significant injury results in weakness, swelling, bruising, or difficulty bearing weight.

4. How would you treat hip flexor pain? At what point would you recommend surgery?
Most cases of hip flexor pain can be treated non-surgically with rest, anti-inflammatory medications, stretching, strengthening exercises, and physical therapy to address muscle imbalances and improve biomechanics. Surgery may be considered in cases of significantly displaced avulsion fractures in highly active patients or in cases of persistent pain and disability after failed conservative treatments.

5. How can people prevent hip flexor pain from developing?
Prevention strategies include conditioning and maintaining flexibility and strength in the hip and core muscles through regular stretching and strengthening exercises. Proper warm-up and cool-down routines during sports activities can significantly reduce injury risks. Avoiding prolonged sitting, maintaining good posture, and addressing muscle imbalances with physical therapy are also essential. A balanced diet, aerobic exercise, and stress management can further help in preventing and managing pain.

6. Would you like to add anything else?
It’s important to recognize that other conditions can be mistaken for hip flexor pain, such as hip arthritis, avascular necrosis, femoroacetabular impingement, hip dysplasia, and stress fractures. These conditions can be more serious and would warrant a consultation with an orthopaedic surgeon for proper diagnosis and management.
 
 
Go to our Blog