What causes hip flexor spasms? How do you know if you have a hip flexor strain? What are the best treatments for relieving hip flexor pain? Get all the answers in this in-depth article.

Understanding Hip Flexor Strain

Hip flexor strain, also known as hip flexor spasm, is a common injury that can affect both physically active individuals and those with a sedentary lifestyle. The hip flexor muscles, which include the iliopsoas and rectus femoris, allow us to lift our knees and bend at the waist. When these muscles are overused, strained, or weakened, it can lead to painful spasms and reduced mobility.

Causes of Hip Flexor Spasms

There are several factors that can contribute to the development of hip flexor spasms:

• Overuse: Frequent activities that involve repeated hip flexion, such as running, cycling, or heavy lifting, can strain the hip flexor muscles and tendons.
• Prolonged Sitting: Sitting for long periods can cause the hip flexor muscles to weaken and shorten, making them more prone to spasms.
• Sudden Movements: Abrupt changes in direction or sudden acceleration during sports or other physical activities can also lead to hip flexor strains.
• Muscular Imbalances: Weakness in the core or surrounding muscles can put additional strain on the hip flexors, increasing the risk of injury.

Symptoms of Hip Flexor Spasms

When a hip flexor spasm occurs, individuals may experience the following symptoms:

• Sudden, sharp pain in the hip or lower back
• Muscle spasms or cramping in the hip, thigh, or groin area
• Tenderness or swelling around the affected area
• Difficulty lifting the leg or bending at the waist
• Reduced mobility and discomfort while walking or running

Diagnosing and Treating Hip Flexor Strain

If you suspect you have a hip flexor strain, it’s important to seek medical attention to properly diagnose and treat the injury. Your healthcare provider may perform a physical examination and order imaging tests, such as an X-ray or MRI, to rule out other conditions and determine the severity of the injury.

Initial Treatment

The initial treatment for a hip flexor strain typically involves the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) method, along with over-the-counter pain medication to reduce inflammation and discomfort. Your healthcare provider may also recommend the use of crutches or a brace to help support the injured area and limit movement during the initial healing process.

Rehabilitation and Strengthening Exercises

As the initial pain and swelling subside, your healthcare provider or physical therapist may recommend a series of stretching and strengthening exercises to help rehabilitate the injured hip flexor muscles. These exercises may include:

• Hip flexor stretches: Gently stretching the hip flexor muscles can help to release tension and improve flexibility.
• Core strengthening exercises: Strengthening the core muscles can help to support the hip flexor muscles and prevent future injuries.
• Lower body strengthening exercises: Exercises that target the legs, such as squats and lunges, can help to build strength and stability in the hip flexor muscles.

Preventing Future Hip Flexor Strains

To help prevent future hip flexor strains, it’s important to incorporate the following strategies into your daily routine:

1. Warm up properly before physical activity: Spend 5-10 minutes warming up your muscles and joints to prepare them for the demands of exercise.
2. Stretch regularly: Make time to stretch your hip flexor muscles on a daily basis, especially if you have a sedentary job or participate in high-impact activities.
3. Strengthen your core: Building core strength can help to support the hip flexor muscles and reduce the risk of injury.
4. Gradually increase the intensity of your workouts: Avoid sudden increases in the duration or intensity of your physical activity to prevent overuse injuries.
5. Take breaks and rest when needed: If you experience pain or discomfort, be sure to give your body the time it needs to recover and heal.

When to Seek Medical Attention

If you are experiencing persistent or worsening hip flexor pain, it’s important to seek medical attention. Seek immediate medical care if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Severe, debilitating pain that prevents you from moving or bearing weight on the affected leg
• Visible swelling or bruising around the hip or groin area
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the affected leg
• Fever, chills, or other signs of infection

Your healthcare provider can properly diagnose the severity of your injury and recommend the most appropriate treatment plan to help you recover and prevent future hip flexor strains.

Conclusion

Hip flexor strain is a common injury that can affect both physically active individuals and those with a sedentary lifestyle. Understanding the causes, symptoms, and effective treatment approaches can help you manage your hip flexor pain and prevent future injuries. Remember to seek medical attention if you experience severe or persistent symptoms, and be sure to incorporate stretching, strengthening, and other preventive measures into your daily routine to keep your hip flexor muscles healthy and strong.

Hip flexor spasm: causes, symptoms and treatment

Hip flexor pain is one of those conditions that affects both people who are very physically active and people who participate in minimal physical activity. If you’re experiencing hip pain and wondering if you might have over or underdone it, read on to learn about the common causes and symptoms of hip flexor spasms, and what can be done about them.

What causes hip flexor spasms?

The group of muscles that allow you to lift your knee to your chest and bend at the waist are collectively known as your hip flexors. The two main muscles in this group are the iliopsoas and the rectus femoris. These muscles and their tendons can be strained by overuse, particularly with regular squats or by deadlifting heavy weights.

However, people who sit for long periods of time are also prone to hip flexor spasms. This is because prolonged inactivity in a seated position can cause the muscles to weaken and shorten.

The iliopsoas, or deep hip flexor, is usually involved when hip flexor spasms are experienced.

What are the symptoms of hip flexor spasms?

During a spasm, you will usually experience pain in both your hip and your back. The pain will often come on very suddenly, and you will likely feel spasms in your hip or thigh. Your hip may feel tender to the touch, and the pain will increase if you stretch your hip flexor muscles or move your knee towards your chest.

Hip flexor pain can make running or walking difficult and can also limit your mobility. Bending to touch your toes or to put on shoes may be very painful.

Problems with your hip flexor muscles can range from mild to severe, but in all cases, if left untreated the issue can get worse.

What treatment is available?

A good starting point for hip flexor pain is to release the tight or shortened muscles. To stretch your hip flexors and encourage them to lengthen, lie on your back with your knees bent and the lower half of your pelvis lifted on a foam roller. Hold that position for 2 – 3 minutes and allow gravity to do the work. Not sure how to do this exercise properly, or don’t have the right equipment? Don’t worry, we can help!

As well as helping you to release your muscles, the key to chiropractic treatment for hip flexor spasms is core stabilisation and strengthening, along with lower back mobilisation to improve overall movement.

You might also find that going for frequent, gentle walks help to relieve the pain, and applying an ice/heat pack can soothe spasms when they occur (check with us which is appropriate during your next appointment).

To prevent damage to your hip flexor muscles in the future, take regular breaks if you are sitting down for long periods by stretching your legs and going for a quick walk. Make sure you stretch your hip muscles before and after you exercise and if you are lifting weights, make sure you build up the weight gradually so you don’t jump in the deep end too soon!

If you’re experiencing pain in your hip, give us a call on 9477 1905 or email us at admin@asquithfamilychiropractors. com.au to find out what might be causing it and how we can help.

References
1. Healthline. 2017. Understanding Hip Flexor Strain. [Online] Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/hip-flexor-strain

Symptoms, recovery time, treatment, and more

Hip flexor strain can occur when the hip flexor muscles are pulled, strained, torn, or injured. Many activities may cause the condition and symptoms can include sharp pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility.

The hip flexors connect the top of the femur, which is the largest bone in the body, to the lower back, hips, and groin. There are various hip flexor muscles that all work to enable a person to move.

They include:

• the iliacus and psoas major muscles that are also referred to as iliopsoas
• the rectus femoris, which is part of a person’s quadriceps

Overuse or overstretching of these muscles and tendons can result in injury, accompanying pain, and reduced mobility.

Damage to the hip area can vary from minor injuries that require little treatment to more severe injuries that result in the muscles disconnecting from the bone. The most serious hip flexor injuries are third-degree sprains where the bone breaks alongside the muscle sprain.

Many people who experience hip flexor strain will have these symptoms as well:

• sudden, sharp pain in the hip or pelvis after trauma to the area
• pain when lifting the leg
• cramping, stiffness, and weakness in the muscles of the upper leg area
• swelling
• muscle spasms in the hip or thighs
• inability to continue kicking, jumping, or sprinting
• reduced mobility and discomfort when moving, including limping

Hip exercises can help strengthen the hip flexor muscles. Most exercises can be done at home and are gentle stretches, which will help to reduce tension and prevent further or future injury.

In addition to exercises that can be done at home, gentle swimming and cycling can be beneficial for improving strength and preventing hip flexor strain.

Warming up muscles before beginning exercises will help to ensure they are ready to be stretched and may prevent further straining.

Applying heat to the area and going for a gentle walk for a few minutes are ideal ways to warm up before beginning the stretches.

The following stretches can help to:

• reduce tightness
• increase flexibility
• strengthen muscles
• prevent injury

Hip flexor stretch

Standing in a wide walking position, a person should put both hands on a firm support in front of them. Lunge forward and bend the front knee. They should push their hips forward while keeping their back straight. Hold for 20­–30 seconds and repeat 5 times.

Seated butterfly stretch

Sitting up straight on the floor, individuals should place the soles of their feet together, letting their knees bend outwards. Their heels should be pulled gently inwards, and their knees should drop farther towards the floor. Hold the stretch for 10­–30 seconds.

Bridge pose

To do this pose, a person should lie on their back with their knees bent and feet on the floor. They should take a deep breath before raising their hips off the floor while squeezing their glutes. Hold for a moment, gently lower, and repeat.

Lunges

A person should begin by standing straight with their feet together. They will take a step forward with their right foot, bending their knee and transferring their weight onto that leg before lowering their hips to the floor and holding the position. This should then be repeated on the other side.

Hip flexion

Individuals should start by lying flat on their back with their legs straight. They will slowly pull the knee of their right leg towards their chest, as close as possible without straining. After slowly lowering the leg, repeat the same on the opposite side.

Supine hip extension

Lie on a bench facing up. Individuals should make sure their sit bones are on the bottom edge of the bench. Plant one leg on the ground, and then bend the knee of the other leg and lift toward the chest. Take 5 deep breaths, then switch to the other side. Repeat 9 times. Stop if any pain occurs.

For minor hip flexor injuries, some people may not visit their doctor and instead will treat themselves from home.

Some common ways to help treat hip flexor strain are:

• resting the muscles to help them heal while avoiding activities that could cause further strain
• wearing a compression wrap around the area, which is available to buy in pharmacies or online
• applying an ice pack to the affected area, which is available to buy in pharmacies or online
• applying a heat pack to the affected area, which is available to buy in pharmacies or online
• a hot shower or bath
• over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol), or naproxen sodium (Aleve)

When taking these medications, it is important to follow the instructions and not use them for more than 10 days.

If the pain persists despite these remedies, a person should make an appointment with their doctor to discuss alternative treatments.

Surgery

In more severe cases, a doctor will usually recommend an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan to determine whether the bone has been fractured.

When the damage is extensive, a doctor may recommend an individual to contact a physical therapist or undergo surgery to repair the muscle. However, instances of damage this severe are rare.

If hip flexor strain causes a limp or the symptoms do not get better after resting and treating at home for a week, it may be advisable to contact a doctor.

While a mild hip flexor strain can take just a few weeks to heal, it may take more than 6 weeks to recover from a more severe strain.

Hip flexor strains usually happen when a person bends the muscle in an unusual way very quickly. A person’s hip flexors are engaged when they bring their knee up towards their torso.

Hip flexors are put under the most strain during activities such as dancing, martial arts, or running. Athletes who use the hip flexors in their sport and training are more susceptible to hip flexor strain or injury that can cause the muscles to tear.

A person will usually feel a strong “pop” in the anterior hip immediately after the unexpected motion. Pain and swelling usually follow. In sports medicine, it is thought that many hip flexor wounds are associated with hamstring strains.

People who are particularly vulnerable to hip flexor strain, such as athletes or those who regularly participate in vigorous activities that could damage or overstretch the hip flexors, can take precautions to avoid injury.

Ensuring muscles are properly warmed up before taking part in physical activity and doing exercises to strengthen the muscles can help to keep the area flexible and strong as well as reduce the chances of damage occurring.

In addition, eating a balanced diet and maintaining a good weight can help keep the body healthy and reduce stress on the hips.

Hip flexor strain can be painful and uncomfortable, but it is rarely a cause for concern. How long the strain takes to heal will depend on the severity of the injury, but it is usually a few weeks for mild strains and up to 6 weeks for more serious damage.

Resting and stopping activities that might have caused the strain will give a person the best chance to heal and recover quickly.

Causes of pain in the hip during exercise

Almost every person who goes in for sports has experienced pain in the body. Muscle pain, various injuries – all this is an integral part of the life of professional athletes. The intensity of these symptoms varies, but they should not be ignored. Otherwise, dangerous consequences may develop.

Causes of pain during sports

There is no consensus among sports doctors, coaches and experienced athletes about the appearance of pain after exercise. There are two most common theories for the occurrence of muscle pain after sports.

The first theory is that muscles ache as a result of exposure to lactic acid or lactate. For a long time it was believed that pain after exercise is associated with the production of large amounts of lactic acid during exercise. This acid has an effect on muscle tissue, resulting in painful sensations. But now more and more doctors are inclined to believe that the level of lactic acid decreases after the end of a workout, so unpleasant symptoms appear only in the process of playing sports and for another hour after it.

There is another reason – delayed pain due to various injuries, for example, rupture, sprain. Such painful sensations arise as a result of the fact that the muscles are overloaded, microcracks appear in the tissues, when they begin to heal, pain appears. The more intense the load, the more microdamage occurs and the duration of pain increases. This pain usually lasts at least one week.

There is always a risk of injury when playing sports. The risk of injury increases if a person ignores the warm-up and cool-down. The tissues of muscles and ligaments can be damaged under the influence of forces that exceed the internal resource of their strength. For example, muscles are easily damaged when they are very weak or tight for a particular type of exercise. Weakness of muscles and ligaments after stretching is the cause of joint damage.

Another cause of pain is the tendency to injury, which is due to the uneven load exerted on certain parts of the body. This predisposition is associated with individual anatomical features of the body. For example, if a person has one limb shorter than the other, one side of the body is overloaded, pain appears in the knee and hip.

In more serious cases, such as dislocations and fractures, the pain is long-lasting aching or sharp. In this case, a person needs the help of doctors.

Types of sports injuries and their characteristic symptoms

Consider common sports injuries and their symptoms.

Contusion of the hip joint

This type of injury most often occurs in the elderly and professional athletes. When such an injury occurs, additional bruising and swelling occur. These symptoms are complemented by a dull aching pain syndrome. If such an injury is ignored and not addressed to specialists, serious consequences will develop. Only with the help of modern diagnostics can you find out what condition the bone tissue is in. The recovery period is reduced if proper treatment of inflammation of the hip joint is carried out.

Contusion is a closed type of tissue injury. In this case, the subcutaneous tissue, blood vessels, and muscle tissues suffer. The cause of such an injury at a young age is an accident, work injury, active sports training. In old age, the risk of such an injury increases.

Normally tissues are resistant to various mechanical damages. If there is an impact or fall, soft tissues are damaged. With a bruise, a pronounced pain syndrome occurs.

The main manifestations of a bruise are:

• the appearance of a sharp pain upon impact, after a while it is felt when moving or touching;
• swelling in the affected area;
• formation of hematoma, bruising. This happens when blood vessels rupture;
• severe pain when trying to lean on the diseased limb, the person begins to limp;
• purplish-red spots appear on the skin during the first few hours, after which, after a while, they turn blue, and as the tissues recover, they turn greenish-yellow.

In the first degree of damage, unpleasant symptoms disappear on their own after a few days, do not require medical intervention. At the second degree of damage, edema and hematoma appear, severe pain. In the third degree, muscles and tendons are damaged, mobility is limited. In the fourth degree, a person needs immediate medical attention.

Sprains and ruptures

Sprains in the thigh are accompanied by severe or moderate pain at rest and severe pain when moving. A sprain occurs when the ligaments that support the joint are stretched or torn. Often, tendons are torn in parallel. With an extensive rupture of the ligaments, bleeding occurs.

There are several degrees of such injury:

1. At the first stage, the tissues are slightly damaged. The sprain is mild, the tears are microscopic. Tissue repair occurs within a few weeks. Requires conservative therapy.
2. Moderate injury occurs in the second degree. Rupture or partial damage. Recovery takes several months. Conducted conservative therapy. Sometimes surgery is required, depending on additional symptoms of hip inflammation.
3. In the third degree, a severe injury is diagnosed. There is a complete rupture of the ligament or several ligaments. Surgery is required.

The main risk factors are:

• injury;
• lack of warm-up when playing sports;
• old age;
• presence of osteoporosis;
• deficiency of protein and vitamins.

The key signs of such an injury are:

• painful sensations;
• muscle spasms;
• puffiness;
• hematomas.

Acetabular lip rupture

This part of the thigh is a ring of cartilage surrounding the hollow part of the hip joint. One of the most common causes of pain in the hip joint is the rupture of the acetabular lip. This causes pain in the pelvis, groin and knee. Treatment of the hip joint consists of arthroscopy.

Pain is aggravated when trying to move, when standing up, when sitting for a long time, when walking for a long time. In a horizontal position, pain becomes less pronounced. Additionally, pain in the lumbar region may be felt.

Dislocation

Most often, hip dislocation occurs in people at a young age. The cause of such an injury is an accident, a fall from a height, intensive sports training. With a dislocation, the joint of the femoral head moves away.

When a dislocation occurs, a pronounced pain syndrome of a sharp nature is felt. It is not possible to lean on the diseased limb, it is impossible to bend or lift it, as the pain becomes much more intense. Another symptom is deformity, an unnatural position of the limb. The joint becomes elastic, and hemorrhage and swelling are visualized under the skin.

Fracture

This injury is quite severe and serious. More often it is faced by the elderly and professional athletes.

The main manifestations of a femoral neck fracture are:

• severe pain in the groin, which is aggravated by movements of the limb;
• rotation of the diseased limb relative to the axis;
• the injured leg is shortened by a few centimeters;
• inability to lift a straight limb in the supine position.

When to see a doctor

Seek medical attention if the following symptoms appear:

• intense pain;
• hemorrhages;
• severe swelling.

If the pain is mild and resolves on its own within a week, this is a normal recovery process. If there is a slightly pronounced pain, swelling persists for more than one week, you need to visit a specialist.

First Aid

First Aid for damaged tissues consists of the following actions:

• providing rest – this will protect injured tissues from further damage;
• Applying a cold compress to reduce swelling and pain;
• compression – fixation of the damaged area, for this purpose an elastic bandage is used;
• raising the sore leg above the level of the heart – this ensures the outflow of blood and lymph fluid, reduces swelling.

Diagnostic methods

The main diagnostic methods are:

• radiography;
• ultrasound;
• computed tomography;
• magnetic resonance imaging;
• electromyography.

Treatment of sports injuries of the hip joint

Moderate or mild injuries are treated conservatively. Pain medications, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroid injections are used. In advanced cases and severe injuries, surgical treatment is performed.

After the acute process is stopped, physiotherapy is prescribed, thanks to which damaged tissues recover faster.

Prevention

To reduce the risk of injury, you should:

• be sure to warm up before training;
• avoid sudden serious exertion, they should be gradual;
• if fatigue occurs, stop the workout.

If you experience pain in the thigh after exercise, you should immediately visit a doctor. The specialist will prescribe the right treatment. This will prevent complications.

Almost every person who goes in for sports has experienced the appearance of pain in the body. Muscle pain, various injuries – all this is an integral part of the life of professional athletes. The intensity of these symptoms varies, but they should not be ignored. Otherwise, dangerous consequences may develop.

Causes of pain during sports

There is no consensus among sports doctors, coaches and experienced athletes about the appearance of pain after exercise. There are two most common theories for the occurrence of muscle pain after sports.

The first theory is that muscles ache as a result of exposure to lactic acid or lactate. For a long time it was believed that pain after exercise is associated with the production of large amounts of lactic acid during exercise. This acid has an effect on muscle tissue, resulting in painful sensations. But now more and more doctors are inclined to believe that the level of lactic acid decreases after the end of a workout, so unpleasant symptoms appear only in the process of playing sports and for another hour after it.

There is another reason – delayed pain due to various injuries, for example, rupture, sprain. Such painful sensations arise as a result of the fact that the muscles are overloaded, microcracks appear in the tissues, when they begin to heal, pain appears. The more intense the load, the more microdamage occurs and the duration of pain increases. This pain usually lasts at least one week.

There is always a risk of injury when playing sports. The risk of injury increases if a person ignores the warm-up and cool-down. The tissues of muscles and ligaments can be damaged under the influence of forces that exceed the internal resource of their strength. For example, muscles are easily damaged when they are very weak or tight for a particular type of exercise. Weakness of muscles and ligaments after stretching is the cause of joint damage.

Another cause of pain is the tendency to injury, which is due to the uneven load exerted on certain parts of the body. This predisposition is associated with individual anatomical features of the body. For example, if a person has one limb shorter than the other, one side of the body is overloaded, pain appears in the knee and hip.

In more serious cases, such as dislocations and fractures, the pain is long-lasting aching or sharp. In this case, a person needs the help of doctors.

Types of sports injuries and their characteristic symptoms

Consider common sports injuries and their symptoms.

Contusion of the hip joint

This type of injury most often occurs in the elderly and professional athletes. When such an injury occurs, additional bruising and swelling occur. These symptoms are complemented by a dull aching pain syndrome. If such an injury is ignored and not addressed to specialists, serious consequences will develop. Only with the help of modern diagnostics can you find out what condition the bone tissue is in. The recovery period is reduced if proper treatment of inflammation of the hip joint is carried out.

Contusion is a closed type of tissue injury. In this case, the subcutaneous tissue, blood vessels, and muscle tissues suffer. The cause of such an injury at a young age is an accident, work injury, active sports training. In old age, the risk of such an injury increases.

Normally tissues are resistant to various mechanical damages. If there is an impact or fall, soft tissues are damaged. With a bruise, a pronounced pain syndrome occurs.

The main manifestations of a bruise are:

• the appearance of a sharp pain upon impact, after a while it is felt when moving or touching;
• swelling in the affected area;
• formation of hematoma, bruising. This happens when blood vessels rupture;
• severe pain when trying to lean on the diseased limb, the person begins to limp;
• purplish-red spots appear on the skin during the first few hours, after which, after a while, they turn blue, and as the tissues recover, they turn greenish-yellow.

In the first degree of damage, unpleasant symptoms disappear on their own after a few days, do not require medical intervention. At the second degree of damage, edema and hematoma appear, severe pain. In the third degree, muscles and tendons are damaged, mobility is limited. In the fourth degree, a person needs immediate medical attention.

Sprains and ruptures

Sprains in the thigh are accompanied by severe or moderate pain at rest and severe pain when moving. A sprain occurs when the ligaments that support the joint are stretched or torn. Often, tendons are torn in parallel. With an extensive rupture of the ligaments, bleeding occurs.

There are several degrees of such injury:

1. At the first stage, the tissues are slightly damaged. The sprain is mild, the tears are microscopic. Tissue repair occurs within a few weeks. Requires conservative therapy.
2. Moderate injury occurs in the second degree. Rupture or partial damage. Recovery takes several months. Conducted conservative therapy. Sometimes surgery is required, depending on additional symptoms of hip inflammation.
3. In the third degree, a severe injury is diagnosed. There is a complete rupture of the ligament or several ligaments. Surgery is required.

The main risk factors are:

• injury;
• lack of warm-up when playing sports;
• old age;
• presence of osteoporosis;
• deficiency of protein and vitamins.

The key signs of such an injury are:

• painful sensations;
• muscle spasms;
• puffiness;
• hematomas.

Acetabular lip rupture

This part of the thigh is a ring of cartilage surrounding the hollow part of the hip joint. One of the most common causes of pain in the hip joint is the rupture of the acetabular lip. This causes pain in the pelvis, groin and knee. Treatment of the hip joint consists of arthroscopy.

Pain is aggravated when trying to move, when standing up, when sitting for a long time, when walking for a long time. In a horizontal position, pain becomes less pronounced. Additionally, pain in the lumbar region may be felt.

Dislocation

Most often, hip dislocation occurs in people at a young age. The cause of such an injury is an accident, a fall from a height, intensive sports training. With a dislocation, the joint of the femoral head moves away.

When a dislocation occurs, a pronounced pain syndrome of a sharp nature is felt. It is not possible to lean on the diseased limb, it is impossible to bend or lift it, as the pain becomes much more intense. Another symptom is deformity, an unnatural position of the limb. The joint becomes elastic, and hemorrhage and swelling are visualized under the skin.

Fracture

This injury is quite severe and serious. More often it is faced by the elderly and professional athletes.

The main manifestations of a femoral neck fracture are:

• severe pain in the groin, which is aggravated by movements of the limb;
• rotation of the diseased limb relative to the axis;
• the injured leg is shortened by a few centimeters;
• inability to lift a straight limb in the supine position.

When to see a doctor

Seek medical attention if the following symptoms appear:

• intense pain;
• hemorrhages;
• severe swelling.

If the pain is mild and resolves on its own within a week, this is a normal recovery process. If there is a slightly pronounced pain, swelling persists for more than one week, you need to visit a specialist.

First Aid

First Aid for damaged tissues consists of the following actions:

• providing rest – this will protect injured tissues from further damage;
• Applying a cold compress to reduce swelling and pain;
• compression – fixation of the damaged area, for this purpose an elastic bandage is used;
• raising the sore leg above the level of the heart – this ensures the outflow of blood and lymph fluid, reduces swelling.

Diagnostic methods

The main diagnostic methods are:

• radiography;
• ultrasound;
• computed tomography;
• magnetic resonance imaging;
• electromyography.

Treatment of sports injuries of the hip joint

Moderate or mild injuries are treated conservatively. Pain medications, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroid injections are used. In advanced cases and severe injuries, surgical treatment is performed.

After the acute process is stopped, physiotherapy is prescribed, thanks to which damaged tissues recover faster.

Prevention

To reduce the risk of injury, you should:

• be sure to warm up before training;
• avoid sudden serious exertion, they should be gradual;
• if fatigue occurs, stop the workout.

If you experience pain in the thigh after exercise, you should immediately visit a doctor. The specialist will prescribe the right treatment. This will prevent complications.

For pain in the back and joints, it is also necessary to treat the muscles Medical On Group Tyumen

The occurrence of pain is an alarming signal of the body that a problem is developing in a certain area. Many reasons can lead to the occurrence of such discomfort. The most common culprits are degenerative-dystrophic processes (osteochondrosis, arthrosis), as well as various injuries, whether it be bruises, torn ligaments, or even just sprains or overstrain of untrained muscles.

Excessive loads on the elements of the musculoskeletal system or their physiological aging provokes the development of diseases. Therefore, even minor pains can be harbingers or causes of serious problems. Timely access to a doctor and proper treatment will allow: to prevent the progression of the pathology, relieve pain, prevent the occurrence of complications, as well as improve the prognosis of treatment and, in most cases, it will be possible to recover or achieve stable remission and prevent the disease from developing further. This improves the quality of life and restores working capacity.

Pain in any location, for any reason, can trigger a “chain reaction” called myofascial pain syndrome. A person intuitively tries to choose the most comfortable position during pain, and even the usual movements are performed differently – those muscles that were previously used to a lesser extent begin to be actively involved. The body seeks to create a muscular frame in order to immobilize the painful area. Subsequently, it is precisely those muscles that have taken on an additional load that cause the occurrence of myofascial pain syndrome.

Myofascial pain syndrome (MBS) is a chronic, pathological condition caused by the formation of local muscle spasms or indurations represented by pain points (triggers). Pain can be provoked by pressing on these points, or by the movement of the muscles involved in the pathological process. This syndrome leads to limited range of motion and increased muscle fatigue.

When MBS occurs, pain spreads through the muscles from the source to the surrounding soft tissues, which is manifested by the appearance of new painful seals (pain points). These areas of muscle compaction are not large and have a diameter of 0.1-0.3 cm, but if a large number of them appear, they are grouped, thereby creating a trigger zone with a diameter of 1 cm or more. The appearance of pain points occurs with overstrain and microtraumatization of the muscle. MBS can cause a violation of the normal distribution of loads in the nearest joints and lead to early wear and even deformation (curvature).

Predisposing factors for the appearance of MBS are:

• Pathology of the spine. Degenerative-dystrophic diseases (osteochondrosis of any localization, arthrosis of the intervertebral joints), spinal injuries are a source of pain that provokes the back muscles to maintain an increased tone. Also, a factor provoking the occurrence of SMEs becomes a forced, due to pain, static position, which causes muscle strain.
• Pathology of the musculoskeletal system. spinal deformity, asymmetry of the lower extremities (one-sided shortening), asymmetry (skew) of the pelvis, transverse and longitudinal flat feet can lead to an incorrect, uneven distribution of the load on the muscles, as well as cartilage and bones of the body, which will determine the occurrence of not only MBS, but also diseases such as arthrosis, arthritis, synovitis, ligamentitis. 70% of the population has scoliotic spinal deformity and 50% flat feet of varying degrees.
• Forced posture. Work in a monotonous position of the body, fixation of limbs, static position lead to muscle overload.
• stereotyped movements. The same repetitive movements occur with the contraction of the same muscles, leading to their overstrain and improper distribution of tone.
• Inadequate loading, especially of untrained muscles. As a result, muscle strain and micro tears occur.
• bruises. Direct trauma to the muscle itself causes a violation of the structure of its fibers. The consequence of this is a violation of the function, if the function of some fibers decreases, then the function of others should increase, compensating for the lack of the first, which leads to an overload of the latter.
• Somatic diseases. Soreness of the internal organs, provokes tonic tension of certain muscle groups. With prolonged persistence of the pain syndrome, trigger points and chronic severe pain syndrome may form.
• Emotional overstrain. Various psycho-emotional reactions, such as stress, anxiety, can induce muscles to tonic tension. In turn, the occurrence of muscular-tonic states, and their persistence after an emotional experience, are capable of forming MBS and the gradual development of chronic back pain (osteochondrosis) radiating to the limbs.

As a result of microtrauma or muscle overload, there is a violation of the transport of substances through the cell wall. Calcium ions are released, which leads to damage at the cellular level. An excess amount of calcium provokes the contraction of the myocyte (muscle cell). A muscle that is in a spasmodic state provides an increase in intramuscular pressure, which leads to a deterioration in microcirculation. With a long contraction, a large amount of work is performed, for which energy is expended, a period of relaxation is required to replenish energy. If there is no relaxation period for a long time, compensation mechanisms work: the energy in the cell is replenished not at the expense of newly arrived nutrients from the bloodstream, but at the expense of the available reserves inside itself, which leads to inefficient work. An even longer load, exceeding the capabilities of the muscle, causes a breakdown of compensatory mechanisms – the accumulation of toxins in the muscle tissue, and as a result, the formation of a trigger point. The resulting pain provokes muscle contraction. A vicious circle is formed: pain – muscle tension – pain. Also, a violation of the structure of the cartilage of the joint and bone can join this circle. When the pain spreads through the muscles, nerves may be involved, through which the pain syndrome can be transmitted to remote areas (for example, to give to the arms or legs with pain in the spine).

There are active and latent trigger points. Active pain points can appear during movement and even at rest. Latent points do not hurt at rest, but when you press them, a sharp pain occurs. There are 3 forms of myofascial pain syndrome: acute, subacute and chronic. In the acute form, the pain syndrome is maintained constantly and intensifies with movements. The subacute form is characterized by pain only during movements, and does not manifest itself at rest. In the chronic form of MBS, pain occurs only when the trigger point itself is pressed directly, and a feeling of discomfort may appear during movements.
Understanding the cause of the disease is required to select the right treatment. Therefore, in practice, the classification of MBS by etiology is used: it can be a primary myofascial pain syndrome, the root cause of which is direct damage to the muscle fiber – overstrain, microtears; as well as secondary MBS, the root cause in this case is pain in the joints, in the internal organs, in the spine.

MBS is not dangerous for life, but to a large extent it can worsen its quality, reduce working capacity and accelerate the wear of bone and cartilage structures of the musculoskeletal system. Chronic pain syndrome exhausts a person physically, has a bad effect on the psycho-emotional state, and can disturb sleep. Lack of sleep increases fatigue, negatively affecting life and work activity.

Most of the pain in degenerative pathologies of the musculoskeletal system is caused by myofascial pain syndrome. Even if you remove the primary source of pain, with an already formed MBS, the pain will not go away, moreover, the incorrect distribution of loads in neighboring areas from the affected muscles will provoke microtraumatization and inflammation. Therefore, it is important to treat not only arthrosis of the joints, protrusions and hernias of the intervertebral discs, bursitis, synovitis, but also the surrounding muscles.

The advanced methods of treating myofascial syndrome are considered to be a set of measures that affect all links in the chain of pathological processes and provide relief from the primary source of pain, improve microcirculation in spasmodic muscles, by relaxing muscle tone and directly expanding the lumen of blood vessels, restoring intracellular metabolism and transport through the cell membrane, as well as stopping inflammation.

Combinations of some physiotherapy methods (Hil-therapy with a high-intensity laser, shock wave therapy, ultrasound treatment with medicines) with massage, various types of blockades, physical therapy and drug therapy, as well as the use of various orthopedic products, give a good effect.