When we overuse any muscle or ligament, it underwent strain which causes pain. At the top of the thigh and pelvic region, flexible muscle tissues are located called Hip Flexors. Hip flexors help in bending and flexing of knees. When these muscles undergo overstretching and overuse, hip flexors strain to occur. Hip flexor strain can be quite painful when left untreated. This is a common orthopedic condition but requires an orthopedician consultation and treatment on time.

Typically, this orthopedic injury occurs when too much use of the hip flexor muscles and tendons causes stretching or tearing. Cyclists, Dancers, Football players, martial arts players are active people who may be at a higher risk to hip flexor strains than others.

The severity of Hip Flexor strains are divided into 3 grades:

• Grade 1: In this, Hip generally works normally but small tear damages a few fibers.
• Grade 2: In this, mild pain occurs during walking and sitting as several muscle fibers are damaged.
• Grade 3: In this, the complete damage to Hip is there which makes impossible to walk, sit and doing daily chores.

HIP FLEXOR STRAIN SYMPTOMS:

According to Dr. Amit Saini, Orthopedician at Sapra Multispecialty Hospital Hisar, the various symptoms that a Hip flexor strain can cause are:

Pain in Hip and Pelvis

Pain during walking and climbing stairs

Muscle cramps

Swelling and inflammation in Hip and Thigh

Difficulty in lifting the knee towards the chest

Being an Orthopedician, I suggest a 10-to 15-minute of applying ice to the affected area.  Also, advise avoiding activities that overuse your hip flexors. Furthermore, gentle stretching exercises can help to reduce muscle tension. Recovery time is often dependent on the injury’s severity. Mild strains can take a couple of weeks to heal, while severe strains can take up to six weeks or more to fully recover.