Pulled Hip Flexor (Hip Flexor Strain): Symptoms, Causes & PT Treatment
Updated October 20261 minute read
A pulled hip flexor is a strain of the muscles at the front of the hip that lift your thigh, usually from sprinting, kicking, or a sudden movement. It causes front-of-hip or upper-groin pain that's worse lifting the knee or stretching the hip back. It's rarely serious and most strains heal within a few weeks with relative rest and progressive strengthening. Physical therapy speeds recovery and helps prevent re-injury.
What is a hip flexor strain?
It's an overstretch or small tear of the hip flexor muscles (such as the iliopsoas or rectus femoris) at the front of the hip.
Symptoms
Common features are front-of-hip or upper-groin pain, worse lifting the knee, sprinting, or stretching the hip into extension. There may be tenderness and tightness at the front of the hip.
What causes it / risk factors
Explosive activities (sprinting, kicking), a sudden increase in training, tight or weak hip flexors, and inadequate warm-up contribute.
How it's diagnosed
Diagnosis is clinical from the mechanism and exam. Imaging is reserved for severe or non-healing cases.
Physical therapy treatment
What a PT does. Your therapist guides early relative rest, restores motion, and progressively strengthens the hip flexors and surrounding muscles. Exercises & progression (overview). Pain-free range, progressive strengthening, and graded return to running and sport. Recovery timeline. Mild strains often heal in 2–4 weeks; more significant ones take longer.
Treatment options compared
Active recovery and PT are first-line. Imaging and injections are rarely needed for typical strains.
Red flags
Seek care for inability to bear weight, a pop with sudden severe pain and bruising (possible significant tear), or a hot feverish joint.
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Frequently asked questions
Often 2–4 weeks for mild strains; longer if more severe.
Sources (5)
- AAOS OrthoInfo: Hip Strains. — AAOS OrthoInfo
- MedlinePlus: Strains. — NIH/MedlinePlus
- MedlinePlus: Hip pain. — NIH/MedlinePlus
- Hölmich P, et al. Exercise program for prevention of groin pain in football players: a cluster-randomized trial. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2010. — PubMed
- Serner A, et al. Associations between initial clinical examination and imaging findings and return-to-sport in male athletes with acute hip and groin injuries. Am J Sports Med. 2020. — AJSM
This article is for education only and isn't medical advice. Always talk to a licensed clinician about your specific situation.