{"id":19936,"date":"2020-02-06T08:27:32","date_gmt":"2020-02-06T08:27:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/?p=19936"},"modified":"2021-10-15T06:07:55","modified_gmt":"2021-10-15T06:07:55","slug":"14-potential-causes-of-hip-flexor-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/14-potential-causes-of-hip-flexor-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Potential Causes of Hip Flexor Pain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Hip flexor muscles are used in bending and hip flexion (the motion of the knee bending towards the stomach). They join the top of the femur to the lower back, hips and the groin. They include the psoas minor, iliopsoas, and the rectus femoris.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the top, where the hip flexor muscle attaches to the spine is the psoas minor which attaches to the psoas major directly below it. The iliac on the outside attaches to the psoas minor to form a triangular shape through the pelvic bone, but around the sacrum finally linking down at the inner thigh to the femur through the rectus femoris. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of their location in the body, the hip flexor muscles are highly involved in everyday routine activities. This exposes them to injury, fatigue stress and damage. Too much cycling, strenuous dancing, rigorous martial arts may cause pain in the lower back and quadriceps with potential causes that stem from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1<\/strong>. Hip flexor strain<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hip flexors<\/a> are activated when the knee is bent in towards the upper body. Hip flexor strain is the stretching or tearing of a muscle in the hip. This injury may occur on one of the hip flexor muscles. These strains are caused by backward slipping while running. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An occurrence that may either caused by repetitive minor slips or one major slip. Also, during activities such as dancing or martial arts, when the knee is also bent and straightened repeatedly, there is a high risk for the hip flexor strain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hip flexor strain may lead to muscle spasms and a sore feeling, cramps, and pain in the upper leg. Hip flexor strain may be relieved by routinely doing hip flexor intensive stretches and yoga. Other ways to relieve this strain is by placing an ice pack on the area which has been affected, resting the muscle, hot shower or over the counter pain killers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Tight hip flexors<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Typically found among those who spend most of their time sitting. Take cyclists among the professional athlete’s category for perspective- cycling involves hip flexion that is repetitive. In the cycling motion, the hip flexion is never fully accomplished, leading to tight hips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tight hips occur where the hip muscles do not get fully stretched.  Also, as aforementioned, long hours of sitting can lead to tight hip flexors due to dormancy of the hip flexors while seated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tight hip flexors can be corrected by doing stretches of different kinds targeting the hip flexor muscles. The flexibility <\/a>of the hip flexor muscles can be determined using the Thomas test. It can be done by lying on flat ground and bending, pulling the right knee toward oneself then the left. After this, the legs are interchangeably stretched into a straight position and pulled so that when the right leg is stretched, the left leg stays pulled in the bent position and vice versa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Hip Stress fractures<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Stress <\/a>fractures of the hips occur due to repeated slight injuries on the bone joining the hip joint. Eventually, the bone gets weary from this continual stress and a fracture occurs. Normally, the bone is usually in a continuous cycle of renewal where the old bone is absorbed while the new one forms. When the process of bone formation cannot keep up with the wearing out of the old bone, eventually a fracture is formed.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When fractures are undiagnosed and the person continues to exert stress on the fractured part, the condition worsens. Hip stress fractures bring front hip pain to the patient with the condition, as well as, pain around the groin. Fractures are diagnosed through x-rays which show the abnormal fractured part of the hip. If the x-rays do not spot any abnormality, then an MRI scan is used. MRIs give a detailed scan than x-rays do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Hip flexor Tendinitis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hip flexor tendonitis is a strain <\/a>on the tendon attaching the psoas muscle to the iliac bone. This is caused by overuse of the hip flexors which leads to the inflammation of the iliopsoas and rectus tendon sheaths. Hip flexor tendonitis is caused by repetitive or incidental trauma, overuse of the tendon sheaths or slight injuries to these sheaths. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This condition is common in pro athletes who use the hip flexors a lot to do rigorous activities requiring speed, to cover long-distance tasks and also to sport uphill. Also, changing to a new type of exercise is a leading cause of hip flexor tendinitis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is diagnosed by using radio imaging either x-rays or MRI. A person diagnosed with tendinitis of the hip flexors may want to reduce the occupation that causes it or stop doing that activity completely. Surgery may also be performed anthropically after which physical therapy is used to promote steady recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Hip flexor Tendinosi<\/strong>s<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0Hip flexor tendinosis is the deterioration of collagen <\/a>fibers within the hip flexor tendons. As opposed to tendinitis, this deterioration does not have an inflammation of the iliopsoas and rectus tendon sheaths. Tendinosis is evidenced by tiny tears in the tendons or jumbled up collagen fibers instead of the usual straight collagen fibers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some usual signs of tendinosis are stiff joint, persistent pain or constricted joint movement. Tendinosis is normally caused by too much use of the tendon or physical injury resulting from trauma or a fall in sports. Athletes and manual workers are prone to tendinosis due to the continual stress on the hip flexor tendon sheaths.  Treatment of tendinosis of the hip flexors is done with the aim of accelerating the body\u2019s natural healing process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, doctors recommend home remedies like rest, doing stretches and massaging the affected tendon. Also, surgery and administration of corticosteroid injection s are used in the treatment of hip flexor tendinosis. 
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6. Iliopsoas bursitis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Iliopsoas bursitis occurs when the iliopsoas in the hip gets inflamed. It occurs in the bursa that is found beneath the iliopsoas muscle. A bursa is a sack located between the joints, muscles, and ligaments.  It is at times termed repetitive use syndrome as it develops from extended use in those who do physically intensive things regularly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is common among athletes who work out a lot but can also develop in people with preexisting conditions like arthritis or tight hips. A person with iliopsoas bursitis experiences pain when walking, standing or working out.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The condition is treated depending on how it was caused and how severe it is, early diagnosis <\/a>can be reversed by using home remedies while the more advanced iliopsoas bursitis may require medical attention from a physician. In advanced cases, the person may need to employ physical therapy to strengthen the hip and improve its flexibility, be given corticosteroid injection and get antibiotic prescriptions.
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7. Transient Osteoporosis of the hip<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is an uncommon condition in which there is a temporary bone loss in the upper side of the femur<\/a>. As opposed to transient osteoporosis, osteoporosis that comes with age is not painful and leads to the degeneration of the bones in the whole body.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In transient osteoporosis, the head of the femur becomes weak and reduces in density. This weakening of the hip bone may result in a pathological fracture. The causes of transient osteoporosis are still highly speculated and no clear reasons have been established yet. Among the proposed reasons for transient osteoporosis changes in hormonal balance, out-of-the-normal mechanical stress on the femur and pelvic bones and the obstruction of some blood vessels around the hips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may be treated through the administration of anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, adherence to a proper nutritional diet or the adornment of bearing restrictions to reduce the weight on the hips in some activities.
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8. Abnormal bone growth in the hips<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Also called femoroacetabular impingement, abnormal growth typically in the area of the groin <\/a>and a reduction in the area of motion of the hip may cause hip flexor pain. It is a condition in which extra bone grows along one or both of the bones that form the hip joint. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bone overgrowth typically develops on the acetabulum or around the head of the femur.  There are three types of FAI. The pincer, in which the impingement is an outgrowth out over the acetabulum. The cam, which is an impingement on the head of the femur so that it cannot move properly in the socket. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lastly, the combined FAI has the two impingements on the same hip joint. FAI occurs due to abnormal bone formation during growth in childhood. Patients with FAI have pain stiffness and walk with a limp. FAI is treated using anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy or arthroscopic surgery to repair the impingements.
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9. Osteonecrosis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Osteonecrosis or avascular necrosis is one of the least likely causes of hip flexor pain. This condition occurs when blood to the bone is greatly reduced or stopped completely.\u00a0 It develops due to trauma <\/a>to the joint from a fracture or a dislocation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alcohol use and overconsumption of steroids have also been commonly linked to osteonecrosis. A person with avascular necrosis will feel pain when carrying weighs in the early stages of the condition, later on, there is also pain when not doing anything. It happens when there is reduced blood supply due to injury or dislocation in the joint, deposits of fat lipids in the blood vessels or certain preexisting medical conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are at a higher chance of getting avascular necrosis when you drink excess alcohol, use steroids or when you use bisphosphonate. Osteonecrosis can be prevented by monitoring your steroid intake, not smocking and maintaining decreased levels of cholesterol.
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