Hip Flexor Strain

KNOW YOUR INJURY:

Hip Flexor Strain

KNOW YOUR INJURY:

Hip Flexor Strain (Tendinopathy)

KNOW YOUR INJURY:

Hip Flexor Strain

What is a Hip Flexor Strain?

Your hip flexor muscles attach from your femur (the big leg bone) to your you low back, hips and pelvis and are responsible for bringing your knees up towards your chest. These muscles include the iliopsoas (iliacus and psoas) and the rectus femoris (which forms part of your quads).

Overuse of these muscles results strain and anterior hip pain (in front of your hip). The condition can be chronic or acute in nature and results in tearing of the muscle tissue. Tears are graded in severity by the level of tissue damage:

    • Grade I tear: minor, minimal muscle fibres damaged
    • Grade II tear: moderate loss of function, significant muscle fibre damage
    • Grade III tear: severe/complete rupture, difficulty walking

What causes a Hip Flexor Strain?

Strain occurs as an overuse injury most likely to affect active individuals who rapidly and explosively lift their knee to their torso and/or repetitively stretch the hip flexors. Lifestyles that involve long periods of sitting can also result in shortening/tightening of the hip flexors and lead to strain with activity.

Often strain occurs because you are doing too much, too soon. Lack of conditioning to specific training regimes, equipment and surfaces, such as hill running, new shoes or changing from track to grass, can place strain on the body as it tries to adapt.

Over pronation (flat feet), rigid arches, decreased foot/ankle mobility and balance as well as leg muscle weakness can all predispose the tissue to compensatory strain.

Initially, the repetitive micro-trauma may not be felt as pain but if one does not rest, heal and adapt, degeneration occurs and the tissue can become 'sick'.

Over-time, a chronic syndrome develops that affects the entire lower kinematic chain from your low back to your foot and ankle. This becomes very challenging to treat and requires a management protocol that focuses not only on the area of pain but on the entire lower kinematic chain as a bio-mechanical unit.

The common anecdote of a car's wheel alignment applies well in this case. The 'imbalanced' wheel takes extra strain with use and eventually will wear out faster than the others. You can replace the wheel, but unless you fix the cause of the problem, the new wheel is still going to wear out. Over time, other parts of the car begin to compensate and take strain and eventually you are left with a complicated syndrome that requires a holistic recovery approach, focusing on the full kinematic chain from the hip to the foot.

3 STEP DIAGNOSIS

We've put together a 3 Step Self-Examination Quiz to help you figure out if you might have have a Hip Flexor Strain. 

What are the risk factors for a Hip Flexor Strain?

High Impacts Sports: High-impact sports such as dancing, martial arts or running.

Lack of conditioning: If you’ve recently started working out or increasing the intensity of your exercise routine, you might find yourself struggling with a hip flexor strain as your body tries to adapt.

Physiological issues: Abnormal hip, knee or foot mobility might compromise the strength and proprioceptive function of your lower limbs, increasing your likelihood of developing a hip flexor strain.

Prior hamstring strain: It is believed that hamstring injuries can result in secondary/compensatory hip flexor strain.

How do I prevent a Hip Flexor Strain?

Focusing on the full kinematic chain through consistent, controlled eccentric exercises are your best defense!

The ZlaantBoard and Circuit (included in the box) follows a dynamic, yet simple, daily exercise routine that incorporates these findings, focussing on quality of movement as well as strength and mobility, through a range of proprioceptive exercises that target the lower kinematic chain.

By incorporating the ZlaantBoard into your daily warm up routine, we will help you to recover, prevent, perform and GET BACK OUT THERE!


If you believe you’re suffering from a hip flexor strain but have not yet received a formal diagnosis, we advise that you visit your chiropractor or healthcare practitioner to confirm your condition and rule out any more serious conditions that may be contributing to your symptoms.



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What is a Hip Flexor Strain?

Your hip flexor muscles attach from your femur (the big leg bone) to your you low back, hips and pelvis and are responsible for bringing your knees up towards your chest. These muscles include the iliopsoas (iliacus and psoas) and the rectus femoris (which forms part of your quads).

Overuse of these muscles results strain and anterior hip pain (in front of your hip). The condition can be chronic or acute in nature and results in tearing of the muscle tissue. Tears are graded in severity by the level of tissue damage:

    • Grade I tear: minor, minimal muscle fibre damage
    • Grade II tear: moderate loss of function, significant muscle fibre damage
    • Grade III tear: severe/complete rupture, difficulty walking

What is a Hip Flexor Strain?

Your hip flexor muscles attach from your femur (the big leg bone) to your you low back, hips and pelvis and are responsible for bringing your knees up towards your chest. These muscles include the iliopsoas (iliacus and psoas) and the rectus femoris (which forms part of your quads).

Overuse of these muscles results strain and anterior hip pain (in front of your hip). The condition can be chronic or acute in nature and results in tearing of the muscle tissue. Tears are graded in severity by the level of tissue damage:

    • Grade I tear: minor, minimal muscle fibres damaged
    • Grade II tear: moderate loss of function, significant muscle fibre damage
    • Grade III tear: severe/complete rupture, difficulty walking

What causes a Hip Flexor Strain?

Strain occurs as an overuse injury most likely to affect active individuals who rapidly and explosively lift their knee to their torso and/or repetitively stretch the hip flexors. Lifestyles that involve long periods of sitting can also result in shortening/tightening of the hip flexors and lead to strain with activity.

Often strain occurs because you are doing too much, too soon. Lack of conditioning to specific training regimes, equipment and surfaces, such as hill running, new shoes or changing from track to grass, can place strain on the body as it tries to adapt.

Over pronation (flat feet), rigid arches, decreased foot/ankle mobility and balance as well as leg muscle weakness can all predispose the tissue to compensatory strain.

Initially, the repetitive micro-trauma may not be felt as pain but if one does not rest, heal and adapt, degeneration occurs and the tissue can become 'sick'.

Over-time, a chronic syndrome develops that affects the entire lower kinematic chain from your low back to your foot and ankle. This becomes very challenging to treat and requires a management protocol that focuses not only on the area of pain but on the entire lower kinematic chain as a bio-mechanical unit.

The common anecdote of a car's wheel alignment applies well in this case. The 'imbalanced' wheel takes extra strain with use and eventually will wear out faster than the others. You can replace the wheel, but unless you fix the cause of the problem, the new wheel is still going to wear out. Over time, other parts of the car begin to compensate and take strain and eventually you are left with a complicated syndrome that requires a holistic recovery approach, focusing on the full kinematic chain from the hip to the foot.

What causes Hip Flexor Strain?

Strain occurs as an overuse injury most likely to affect active individuals who rapidly and explosively lift their knee to their torso and/or repetitively stretch the hip flexors. Lifestyles that involve long periods of sitting can also result in shortening/tightening of the hip flexors and lead to strain with activity.

Often strain occurs because you are doing too much, too soon. Lack of conditioning to specific training regimes, equipment and surfaces, such as hill running, new shoes or changing from track to grass, can place strain on the body as it tries to adapt.

Over pronation (flat feet), rigid arches, decreased foot/ankle mobility and balance as well as leg muscle weakness can all predispose the tissue to compensatory strain.

Initially, the repetitive micro-trauma may not be felt as pain but if one does not rest, heal and adapt, degeneration occurs and the tissue can become 'sick'.

Over-time, a chronic syndrome develops that affects the entire lower kinematic chain from your low back to your foot and ankle. This becomes very challenging to treat and requires a management protocol that focuses not only on the area of pain but on the entire lower kinematic chain as a bio-mechanical unit.

The common anecdote of a car's wheel alignment applies well in this case. The 'imbalanced' wheel takes extra strain with use and eventually will wear out faster than the others. You can replace the wheel, but unless you fix the cause of the problem, the new wheel is still going to wear out. Over time, other parts of the car begin to compensate and take strain and eventually you are left with a complicated syndrome that requires a holistic recovery approach, focusing on the full kinematic chain from the hip to the foot.

3 STEP DIAGNOSIS

We've put together a 3 Step Self-Examination Quiz to help you figure out if you might have a Hip Flexor Strain. 

3 STEP DIAGNOSIS

We've put together a 3 Step Self-Examination Quiz to help you figure out if you might have a Hip Flexor Strain. 

What are the risk factors for Hip Flexor Strain?

High Impacts Sports: High-impact sports such as dancing, martial arts or running.

Lack of conditioning: If you’ve recently started working out or increasing the intensity of your exercise routine, you might find yourself struggling with a hip flexor strain as your body tries to adapt.

Physiological issues: Abnormal hip, knee or foot mobility might compromise the strength and proprioceptive function of your lower limbs, increasing your likelihood of developing a hip flexor strain.

Prior hamstring strain: It is believed that hamstring injuries can result in secondary/compensatory hip flexor strain.

What are the risk factors for a Hip Flexor Strain?

High Impacts Sports: High-impact sports such as dancing, martial arts or running.

Lack of conditioning: If you’ve recently started working out or increasing the intensity of your exercise routine, you might find yourself struggling with a hip flexor strain as your body tries to adapt.

Physiological issues: Abnormal hip, knee or foot mobility might compromise the strength and proprioceptive function of your lower limbs, increasing your likelihood of developing a hip flexor strain.

Prior hamstring strain: It is believed that hamstring injuries can result in secondary/compensatory hip flexor strain.

How do I fix/prevent a Hip Flexor Strain?

Focusing on the full kinematic chain through consistent, controlled eccentric exercises is your best defense!

The ZlaantBoard and Circuit (included in the box) follows a dynamic, yet simple, daily exercise routine that incorporates these findings, focussing on quality of movement as well as strength and mobility, through a range of proprioceptive exercises that target the lower kinematic chain.

By incorporating the ZlaantBoard into your daily warm up routine, we will help you to recover, prevent, perform and GET BACK OUT THERE!

How do I prevent a Hip Flexor Strain?

Focusing on the full kinematic chain through consistent, controlled eccentric exercises is your best defense!

The ZlaantBoard and Circuit (included in the box) follows a dynamic, yet simple, daily exercise routine that incorporates these findings, focussing on quality of movement as well as strength and mobility, through a range of proprioceptive exercises that target the lower kinematic chain.

By incorporating the ZlaantBoard into your daily warm up routine, we will help you to recover, prevent, perform and GET BACK OUT THERE!


If you believe you’re suffering from a hip flexor strain but have not yet received a formal diagnosis, we advise that you visit your chiropractor or healthcare practitioner to confirm your condition and rule out any more serious conditions that may be contributing to your symptoms.



If you believe you’re suffering from a hip flexor strain but have not yet received a formal diagnosis, we advise that you visit your chiropractor or healthcare practitioner to confirm your condition and rule out any more serious conditions that may be contributing to your symptoms.



LIKE, FOLLOW, SHARE...
JOIN THE ZLAANT COMMUNITY