Hip flexor sprain

[sportsfan1]

Hey guys, looking for some input on this. Have been bogged down by some hip flexor pain last couple of weeks. I was swamped at work and stuck to the desk for long hours for a couple of months, and then when I got back to tennis, felt some stiffness in the right leg hip joint. It's not very bad, but I can feel it a bit when playing. Never had this issue before.

I have seen the Orthopedic specialist for hip and he said it was a sprained hip flexor and recommended stretching.

It will be winter soon and have to shutdown tennis anyway in about a month, so wondering if I can continue playing until then. Apart from that, there's also the concern of weight going up with inactivity.

 

[dman72]

Hey guys, looking for some input on this. Have been bogged down by some hip flexor pain last couple of weeks. I was swamped at work and stuck to the desk for long hours for a couple of months, and then when I got back to tennis, felt some stiffness in the right leg hip joint. It's not very bad, but I can feel it a bit when playing. Never had this issue before.

I have seen the Orthopedic specialist for hip and he said it was a sprained hip flexor and recommended stretching.

It will be winter soon and have to shutdown tennis anyway in about a month, so wondering if I can continue playing until then. Apart from that, there's also the concern of weight going up with inactivity.

Both of my hips are bad. They ache when there is bad weather and they are very stiff after long matches or long runs.

I think strengthening is more important that stretching. Purely my experience. Research exercises for hip strength, and consider doing some heavy weight work involving hip drive, ie squats, lunges, side lunges, etc. You don't have to go crazy with 300 lbs or anything. Even a couple of heavy dumbells will help you get more out of the movement.

 

[snoopy]

Try lunges and 1 legged squats with the back foot raised on a bench. Start with just your body weight and then maybe add some dumbbells. Go more for reps than high weight.

That should should really stretch out the hip.

 

[charliefedererer]

What did your orthopod say?

Is it okay to play tennis?

Is it okay to do body weight squats and lunges?

 

[sportsfan1]

charliefederer: His advice was to take a break of 1 week from tennis (past that now), do a stretching exercise - bending the knee and pulling the foot behind while standing up so that the thigh/hip gets stretched (no other exercises were discussed). Follow up with physiotherapy if that doesn't help. An x-ray was taken, and he didn't say anything further about the it, so I assume the x-ray looked ok.
I haven't had this hip issue before and it's been slow to go away...

 

[charliefedererer]

X-rays are more to rule out some other problem - a torn or inflamed groin muscle/tendon wouldn't turn up on an x-ray.



The best way to return from an injury after a period of rest is to do so by slowly increasing the level of activity and the length of time doing it.


The trouble on a tennis court is that our competitive instincts take over, and we try to get to that ball that would not be that big a problem before an injury.

But the acceleration and force to get after the ball is more than the healing area can yet tolerate.

So before returning to tennis, you may want to test it out with some light jogging.

If that is okay, advance to a short hitting session - no serving- and no frantic rushes after ball.

If that is okay advance to a longer hitting session.


In such a way you minimize the chance of an early recurrence.



[Do you have an off season training program to stengthen your body to handle the rigors of next season? http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/off-season-training.html
Do you at least do the squat/lunge routine suggested by snoopy above?]

 

[sportsfan1]

dman72, snoopy and federer, thanks for the recommendations and input!

I had started on the throwers 10 earlier, but nothing for the lower body. Thought that I could get away without it (just a time thing), but I guess not :neutral:.

I suppose the exercise bike and elliptical in a closed room in front of TV will be my plan for exercise for next few weeks.

Thanks again for the input.