Injury Highlight: Hip Flexor Strain

Hip flexor strains may occur in runners, especially if they have weak core or glute muscles or spend long hours sitting. You might feel pain at the front of the hip when you lift your knee, sprint, or run uphill. While it’s easy to think tight hip flexors are the problem, tightness often means weakness. Simply stretching isn’t enough—you need to strengthen these muscles to prevent future issues and keep your stride smooth and powerful.

What Are the Hip Flexors?

The hip flexors are a group of muscles that work together to lift your knee and stabilize your pelvis during running. The key players include:

• Iliopsoas: A deep muscle connecting your spine to your thigh. It’s the primary mover when lifting your knee.

• Rectus femoris: Part of your quadriceps, this muscle helps flex the hip and extend the knee.

• Sartorius: The longest muscle in the body, assisting with hip flexion and rotation.

• Tensor fasciae latae (TFL): This muscle assists with hip flexion and stabilization. It is also the muscle at the top if the ITB band and can create issues in the knee when weak or too tight.

  
  

When these muscles are weak, they struggle to handle the repetitive demands of running. Without proper strength, your body compensates by overusing other muscles, which can lead to imbalances, pain, and inefficiency.

How to Prevent Hip Flexor Strains

Preventing hip flexor strains requires strengthening weak muscles, improving flexibility, and maintaining good running form.

Here’s what works:

1. Strengthen Your Hip Flexors Building hip flexor strength is essential for maintaining proper form and preventing strain. Start with seated marches with a resistance band, which target the iliopsoas and rectus femoris:

   • Sit upright in a chair with a band looped around both feet.

   • Lift one knee toward your chest while keeping the other foot planted. Slowly lower and repeat for 10-15 reps per side.Once you’re comfortable with seated marches, progress to standing band marches, which mimic running more closely by requiring balance and core stability.

   • Stand tall with a resistance band looped around your feet.

   • Lift one knee toward your chest, pause briefly, and slowly lower. Perform 10-12 reps per side.Standing marches not only strengthen the hip flexors but also engage your core and improve balance—key elements of efficient running.

     
     

2. Split Lunges Split lunges are a great way to strengthen the hip flexors, glutes, and lower body as a whole.

   • Start in a lunge position with one foot forward and the other behind you.

   • Lower your back knee toward the floor while keeping your torso upright. Push through your front heel to return to the starting position.

     Perform 10-12 reps per side.

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3. Dynamic Stretching and Mobility Dynamic stretching before a run improves hip flexibility and reduces tension. Leg swings and walking lunges with a twist are excellent ways to warm up your hip flexors without losing power. After your run, static stretches like the kneeling hip flexor stretch help maintain mobility​.

   
   

Recovery Tips

If you’re dealing with a hip flexor strain, start by easing off running for a few days. You can use body weight support while running, cross train or simply decrease you miles and intensity slightly. Focus on restoring range of motion, building strength, and improving balance before returning to high-intensity runs. Gradual progression is key—begin with light jogging and shorter distances while keeping an eye on your form.

Need a Recovery Plan?

The RUNsource app has you covered with hip-strengthening exercises, mobility drills, and expert advice to help you recover from hip flexor strains and prevent future injuries. Whether you’re working on strength or coming back from an injury, you’ll find everything you need to stay strong and healthy.

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