Hip flexor strain: Mechanism of injury, diagnosis and treatment

A hip flexor strain is a strain of the group of muscles across the anterior aspect (front) of the hip. These muscles are commonly injured in sports such as soccer and football. Often the injury involves a forceful movement in sports or exercise. As with most tendon and muscle strains, the patient can usually recover without surgery. Rest from the offending sport, ice, and physical therapy to stretch and strengthen the area can help the athlete before jogging and a sports-specific functional program are started. Also see rectus femoris strain.

I want to help you! Please click the link above and take a few seconds to share the biggest challenge or struggle you’re facing with your injury!

Click the link above for more information about a hip flexor strain and other resources for your sports or exercise injury.

Get The Serious Injury Checklist FREE!
How can you know if your injury should get better in a few days or if it's more serious? This checklist can help you plan your next step to recover quickly and safely.

The rectus femoris is the muscle and tendon most often injury in a hip flexor strain. It’s one of the quadriceps muscles of the thigh, and it crosses the hip and knee. It is commonly injured in the front of the hip.

MECHANISM OF INJURY
It is a common injury in sports such as soccer and football. Usually it involves a forceful movement such as immediately starting to sprint or forcefully kicking a ball, especially when the athlete’s foot strikes another player while trying to kick.

DIAGNOSIS OF A HIP FLEXOR STRAIN
With a hip flexor strain or tear, the athlete will localize the pain to the front of the hip. An orthopedic surgeon might feel a defect in this area if the patient has a complete tear of the tendon, but a full tear is unusual. More often, the physician will notice pain or weakness with resisted hip flexion or resisted knee extension. X-rays can determine if the athlete pulled a small piece of bone off one of the bones in the hip. Such an injury often occurs in teenage athletes before they finish growing. An MRI will help to confirm which tendon is involved, the extent of injury and how long it might take the athlete to recover and return to sports.

TREATMENT OF A HIP FLEXOR TEAR OR STRAIN
As with most tendon and muscle strains, a patient with a hip flexor injury usually will not need surgery. Rest from the offending sport or exercise and ice to the area can help. Working with a physical therapist can help tremendously. Return to sports is likely, but it can take several weeks to a few months to return to full sports and exercise.

[DrDavidGeier]

If you have questions about the injuries or treatments mentioned in this video, or about a sports or exercise injury, subscribe to my channel and click the bell to be notified of my Better Than Ever LIVE! streams, including an Ask Dr. Geier live show I do most Fridays at 12:00 PM ET.

[margaretzelenka]

Thank you. This was the most informative video I have found even though it is under 3 minutes.

[mayorbob]

The soccer scenario at the start is exactly how I got injured.

[sambergeron]

The soccer incident he explained is exaclty what happened to me about 5 weeks ago. I've still been playing through it since and it has only gotten worse

[jamieackinclose]

My 54 yr old husband was running playing soccer and heard a "snap." It seems to be in the hip flexor area and it's painful . I'm hoping he hasn't torn his tendon. He's going to see his PT.

[zeyad_mohamed]

1:52 I'm 15 and when I kicked a football really hard my hip tendon pulled a piece of bone with it, I took a 3 month rest but when I came back to play football again after 3 month a started running and the same thing happened again fast forward 4 month till now and I still feel a slight pain after doing rehab that my doctor sent
Any tips

[sergiogonzalez]

My tendon pulled a piece of the bone off like you said and I’m 14, It happened in December and I’ve gone through physical therapy and it temporarily fixed the issue but it still hurts a lot and doesn’t feel the same. That whole area of the hip just feels tight and restricted, I’ve used ankle weights, stretched, ice and nothing helps

[randomshoereviewer]

What if you had the injury 3 years ago and it went untreated and it deformed your one side of the body like a deformed rib cage for example

[southern.porkchop]

Dr David, I have a question .. I had a hip labral tear revision on my left hip and can’t tell if I have Iliopsoas tendinitis or if I re-damaged my labrum? I’m 11wks out from surgery ... if I walk too much or do hip flexion things, the front of my groin starts to really hurt ... any insight would be great! Thx!

[rendanidavid]

What must i do to get rid of pain hip flexor

[yookaze]

Doctor, it would help so much more if you could use actual anatomical images :)

[Ronnievert]

I injured mine during the week off west sectionals for my track team I was sprinting a 200 and I pulled it then I went to the meet thinking I’d be fine 2 days later and my last run of the day I was taking off and I pulled it mid race and I was so frustrated

[kyoza]

It hurts when I lift my leg up to my chest or turn it. I think I got it from dancing..

[williambrauer]

I’m 15 years old and was doing heavy weight split squats when I heard a loud popping sound and had instant pain, could that be a hip flexor injury aswell as pulling some bone off?

[mewansmore]

PLEASE help me! I have an injury on the outside of my hip. I got it from doing the splits. Its sharp pain. Its its the outside of my hip where the leg joins my pelvis. What do you think?

[Gamecocklady]

So embarrassing but I lost my balance on a spin bike that I was clipped into (yes it's possible). My chest fell onto the handle bars and I basically looked like a total spazz still trying to move my legs. Next day... hip flexor pain and ankle strain on my left leg. 🤦‍♀️

[WeeJasperVetClinic]

Hello Doctor, I live in the remote part of Australia and seeking medical help is very hard. I tried to find the vlog regarding if the shoulder injection did not work as I was going to post this to it.. My question is that I had the ultra sound guild end injection over a week ago and I am still getting a lot of pain in left shoulder with no relief. Do you think I require an operation based on the below?... Findings: there is an articular surface partial tear at the anterior to mild aspect of supraspinatus around 5mm proximal to the insertion. The tear around 6 x 6 mm. Remainder of the tendon is intact. There is a further transverse bursal surface tear involving the superior aspect of subscapularis. There is anatomical glenohumeral alignment. There are some small marginal Glenside osteophytes. There is minimal subacromial bursal fluid. There is mild to moderate AC joint arthrosis. Acromion shows type 2 morphology. COMMENTS:: Articular surface partial tear involving the distal aspect of the anterior to mild supraspinatus tendon. Further bursal surface partial tear involving the superior aspect of the distal subscapularis tendon. No significant joint effusion. Minimal subacromial. Best Regards Ray

[elizabethnashed]

I injured mine in a car accident. The seat belt got me.

[paytherent]

Thanks for very helpful i was doing body weight leg lifts every day for 2 months as part of my therapy now i know why i have the the slight pain where you mentioned, now to chill and just relax for a few days

[AmericanSpartan]

How serious is this type of injury for Jamarr Chase and how quickly can he return to field with full health?