David's Hip Flexor Inflammation - Thankfully Not a Degenerating Hip Joint

by David
(Lexington, KY)

I had some mild hip range of motion limitation for a few months, then suddenly once, upon standing from a table I had acute hip pain and couldn't stride, couldn't swing that hip. That calmed within a few moments and I could stride but with occasional pain and weakness running from inside of hip/groin area and down into the quad. That persisted for months, a year and a half even.

Of course I thought my hip was going out on me. But X-rays were totally negative, no arthritis or sign of any bone trouble in the joint, yet I was having at times acute pain and loss of function. Turns out I had added an ab exercise right about that time, the captain's chair where you hang and aggressively draw the legs up toward the stomach. Burns the abs pretty well and is neutral on the low back if you use support, so I loved it. Now a year and a half later, I can hear the words of a great exercise guy telling me "Yeah, the captain chair is good, but is sure works the hip flexors sometimes in lieu of the abs." Sure enough, when I did the exercise, though I could feel it burning in the abs, the first thing that would fail was the legs. Couldn't get them up any more even though the abs were still strong. What I was doing was overstressing the hip flexors. It's stubborn now, but better than degenerating hip I think. Some ice, much needed rest, and inflammation medicine should help.