One of the most debated topics in all of musculoskeletal health is the anterior hip pinch. It’s a sensation felt on the front of your thigh, below the waistband, that comes about during flexion of your hip. The flexion could be as basic as sitting down in a chair or as advanced as an ass-to-grass back squat.
A quick Google or YouTube search will reveal THOUSANDS of pieces of content related to this symptom. 95% of them are incorrect in their assessment and recommendation. “It’s your HIP FLEXOR,” they say. “Lengthen or strengthen your psoas,” they’ll proclaim. These pieces of content, although well-intentioned, are incorrect and it’s likely why you still haven’t gotten any relief. Just because a symptom is in a location or any given structure, does not mean the structure is to blame.
The hip flexors do not lengthen during hip flexion. They shorten. Therefore, it is almost biomechanically possible for an anterior hip pinch to be caused by the hip flexor group.
So what structures DO need to lengthen during hip flexion and what is that anterior hip pinch?
The symptom itself is actually an impingement of your hip joint. Because certain structures aren’t lengthening well, your femur is getting too close to your acetabulum. There’s a reason it’s called a hip pinch. Your structures are pinching together.
The structures that aren’t lengthening well are the posterior-inferior portion of your femoroacetabular joint capsule and the adductor magnus. These structures often become adhered due to overuse, lack of blood flow, or even acute injury in rare cases. This adhesion acts like superglue and prevents the structures from stretching to their anatomic potential. This diagnosis will be confirmed by a lack of range of motion in your hip flexion, by diagnostically palpating the area, and by a positive, permanent response to care.
At home exercises that can be tried are a pigeon pose and a low runners lunge. Or, combine the two stretches using this video. If you do not respond positively to either of those stretches after 4-weeks, it’s advised that you seek professional help. Measure your progress by using this video.
If you're looking to rule out hip flexor dysfunction as the cause of your pain, check out this video.
Using shockwave therapy, we can induce length in your hip capsule and your adductor magnus permanently after only a few visits, causing an immediate improvement in your function.
It is important to note that there are also structural issues that can cause the hip pinch. Arthritis and labral tears can also elicit this symptom set and is one of the reasons why we frequently recommend MRIs of hip joints to our patients. Luckily, shockwave can also help to regenerate your joints, giving you a strong option for non-surgical improvement.
At Wildcard Spine and Sport, we specialize in fixing pain that’s lasted longer than six months, even if you’ve seen two or more providers. We are the only practitioners in the five boroughs certified to diagnose and remove adhesion. Click the button below or call the office today at 917-908-0055.