The hip flexor, or Iliopsoas, consists of a pair of muscles that run from the pelvic crest to the femur. According to the Kap'iolani Medical Center, hip flexor strains are common among bicyclists, runners, athletes who jump or run with high knee kicks, and athletes like soccer players who rely on lifting their leg in a kicking motion repeatedly. Healing and rehabilitating hip flexors can be a tedious process that takes weeks.
Rest
Get plenty of rest. Above all else, rest promotes healing most efficiently. If your pain is severe, and you have already had it checked by your physician to ensure there are no major tears, plan to take at least two weeks off of any intense activity. Some hip flexor injuries require only a few days to heal; however, it's always better to give the injury more time to heal than it needs, rather than coming back too early and re-injuring yourself as badly or worse than before.
Use Ice
Ice the injury for 20 to 25 minutes each day. As with any muscle strain, ice can help reduce swelling, which in turn promotes healing. Icing can also be paired with regular doses of anti-flamatory medications like ibuprofen. Consult your physician before taking medications for the injury.
Gentle Stretching
Stretch your hip flexor with gentle stretches. Slowly stretch your hip flexor by bringing the injured leg back behind your body and pulling your non-injured leg in front of your body. This should put you in the "lunge" position. Slowly lower yourself down to the ground, stopping if you feel any sharp pain in the injured area.
Proprioception
Participate in proprioception exercises. Proprioception means "sense of self" and any exercises that focus on proprioception revolve around retaining your balance. Walk briskly over uneven ground, concentrating on bringing your feet down the same way every time, regardless of the height or angle of your next step. Another exercise is done by standing on a balance board mounted on top of a ball.
Intense Stretching
Graduate to more intense hip flexor stretching exercises. This step should not be done until the injury is almost completely healed. Repeat the same hip flexor lunge" stretch; however, go as far to the ground as you can while retaining your balance. Follow up by lying on the ground and pulling the knee on your injured side to your chest to stretch the hip flexor muscle in the other direction.
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