Three Warning Signs Of A Hip Flexor Strain
Muscle strains are an ever-present risk for virtually every athlete, whether you're competing in a contact team sport such as football or ice hockey or a solo sport such as gymnastics. While a thorough stretching regimen before each practice and game can limit the occurrence of muscle strains, they can still take place. One common muscle strain that affects many athletes is the strain of the hip flexor, which is a hip muscle that plays an important role in the movement of your leg. If you believe that you've suffered a hip flexor strain, you'll want to visit a local sports medicine center. Here are some warning signs of this hip injury.
Hip Discomfort
One of the earliest indicators that something is wrong in your hip is that you'll be aware of a degree of discomfort in this part of your body. It's common to feel discomfort when you're simply standing still, but you'll especially be aware of pain when you try to move. Walking will hurt, but running can often be extremely painful. Even if you want to try pushing through the pain in an effort to continue playing your sport, it's best to accept that you have a hip injury and stop to prevent further damage.
Limited Stride Length
Given the role of the hip flexor in your ability to move your leg, another warning sign that something is wrong is a change in your stride length. Specifically, when you attempt to move one leg in front of the other to complete a normal stride, you may not be able to put your leg out as far as you'd like. If the strain occurs when you're running, you might even stumble because of the inability to take your normal stride.
Swelling
Depending on the severity of your hip flexor strain, it's possible that you could experience some swelling in this region. The hip flexor is located at the front of your hip close to the top of your upper leg. If you gently touch this area, you might feel some swelling and pain that worsens as you touch it. Using ice can help to reduce the swelling in this area; if you suffer an injury during a game, there's a good chance that your team's trainer will have ice on hand that you can apply to this area. You'll still want to make an appointment at a local sports medicine clinic to assess the severity of the injury and receive treatment.