Hip Impingement Rehab: The Often Missed Muscle Group

Hip impingement can be a very frustrating diagnosis to rehab through. Through my years of working with this population, the common factors seen and traditionally focused on is overall gluteal strength. Rehab professionals will consistently address glute strength in this population, and I certainly agree this is usually an area that can give people plenty of success. What I want to talk about today is the muscle group often missed and the one I see people get over the hurdle with if they are stalling in hip impingement rehab. That muscle group is the hip flexors.

Hip flexor strength (and mobility) is so important when looking at overall hip health. Often, too many people stretch this muscle group at nauseum and don’t see improvements. When there isn’t a mobility issue in the hip flexors, or even if there IS a mobility issue, we often can see better success with introducing progressive load to this group! The hip flexors, for some brief anatomy, begin on the spine and inner pelvic ring and anchor themselves to the high inner portion of the thigh bone. This allows us to lift our hip up, think stepping over a pile of laundry. This muscle group plays a very important role in anterior hip stability. Most often, hip impingement presents with anterior hip pain. This group works to minimize that stress through the anterior capsule.

So as you go working through hip pain, don’t forget about your anterior hip stabilizers while spending so much time focusing on your glutes! I see this time and time again being a large issue in the hip impingement population, and it’s time it is addressed more frequently!

Need assistance on eliminating hip impingement pain or having guidance on a proper rehab program to focus on what may be your specific limitations? Let’s chat! I would be happy to discuss further how Loon State Physical Therapy can be a teammate in getting you back to moving and feeling your best! Our physical therapy locations are conveniently located in Minneapolis in the Linden Hills neighborhood and Northeast Minneapolis neighborhood to best help you get out of pain. Call us at (612) 405-8503 or book with us online at www.loonstatephysicaltherapy.com for an in-person or virtual appointment.

Until next time!

Andrew Eccles

Owner and Physical Therapist at Loon State Physical Therapy