Hip Flexor Injury - advise please!

[akgary]

My son has injured his right hip area(he is a righty epeeist) - happened in a competition doing a lunge - that sort of went 'too' deep - hurts when he lunges and fleches - pushing off of the bent right foot. Trainer says Hip Flexor and Glutius medias. Probably muscle strain. But how can we best determine if there is a tear? Fenced yesterday in a team qualifier and it was not good - sore afterwards - but otherwise sore only when he does these things.
Any one else out there had a similar injury - and how did it play out?

[jeff]

Same answer as it always is for this type of question - and not even the first time today!

Go to a doctor. An Internet discussion forum is not the right place to diagnose somebody's injury. Pain that didn't go away in a day or two? Might be something that gets better on it's own, might be something serious. GO TO A DOCTOR. And he should not fence till diagnosed, to make sure the problem isn't made worse.

[akgary]

we are on our way to the MD tomorrow - just looking for perspective....

thanks for the good advice....

[TBean]

Don't fence, see a sports medicine doctor and ask for an MRI, in addition to the x-rays, to determine if there is a tear.

[lindajdunn]

What TBean said!

I had a knee injury that was initially diagnosed as bursitis. About three months later, I REQUESTED an MRI and would probably have continued limping forever if I hadn't requested an MRI. The MRI, btw, found two significant tears.

A small rant follows.

Doctors are professionals, but they're not professional mind readers. It's necessary to be proactive and to insure they have all the information they need to make an informed decision. Even then, it's sometimes necessary to do your own research.

You only get ONE body in your life. If you're lucky, it arrives in good working order and all you have to do is maintain it.

[grni]

end rant.

[rudd]

Don't see an MD. Very few have any real knowledge of sports injuries. Only go if you need a referral. Go see a sports therapist of some description. Try and build up a relationship with the sport therapist. Your son will be seeing him again and again if he continue to compete.

The first few sessions with a new therapist are always a waste of time. The need to collect some data and develop and understanding of the way the patient responds to treatment.

Have that relationship make treatments faster, more effective and hence more cost effective.

In the mean time rest the are as much as possible and ice as needed and take an over the counter anti-inflammatory e.g. aspirin, ibuprofen.

[TBean]

Don't see an MD. Very few have any real knowledge of sports injuries. Only go if you need a referral. Go see a sports therapist of some description. Try and build up a relationship with the sport therapist. Your son will be seeing him again and again if he continue to compete.

The first few sessions with a new therapist are always a waste of time. The need to collect some data and develop and understanding of the way the patient responds to treatment.

Have that relationship make treatments faster, more effective and hence more cost effective.

In the mean time rest the are as much as possible and ice as needed and take an over the counter anti-inflammatory e.g. aspirin, ibuprofen.

A sports therapist cannot order an x-ray, an MRI, give an injection, or a a long possibility of other diagnostic tools that may be needed to figure out and/or treat the issue. I think a physician specializing in sports medicine - not an orthopedic surgeon - is the best first step. The second possible part of the equation is PT with a specialization in sports rehab.

Also, depending on where they live, a trip to a physician may be the required first step in order to get the proper referals to therapy and whatnot.

[Cookeit]

Try and build up a relationship with the sport therapist. Your son will be seeing him again and again if he continue to compete.

Huh???

[fencerwallet]

The sarcasm might be lost on a young injured fencer.

[wwalkerjr]

Go see a sports therapist of some description. Try and build up a relationship with the sport therapist. Your son will be seeing him again and again if he continue to compete.

The first few sessions with a new therapist are always a waste of time. The need to collect some data and develop and understanding of the way the patient responds to treatment.

Have that relationship make treatments faster, more effective and hence more cost effective.

In the mean time rest the are as much as possible and ice as needed and take an over the counter anti-inflammatory e.g. aspirin, ibuprofen.

Like most citizens from other parts of the US, I don't know how things work in NJ, but in the 3 states where I have lived, physical therapists can only legally treat those people referred by a licensed physician.

There have been some studies recently that suggest that the use of Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) delay the healing of soft tissue injuries.

So, in short, Rudd's response seems full of bad advice.

[DonnaP]

I am a therapist - albeit my specialty is upper extremity injuries and not "sports" injuries in general.

First - Call a doctor....... UGH

Some, not all, physical therapists have direct access - meaning they can treat without a prescription from an MD (they generally have advanced PhD degrees). Though it may be hard to get your insurance to pay for it. And as stated by TBean, a PT cannot order any tests or give medication. That being said, there are some PT's that I believe are very skilled, but the bottom line is they are not medical doctors.

Find a referral for a doctor who knows youth and sports injuries. Ask around, and then ask the doc what his or her experience is in this field. A good physician will not be offended if you ask questions about their experience (if you're polite about it).

PS - you don't usually strain a hip flexor during a lunge??

[dharmaqueen]

See your primary physician, let she/he determine if the injury warrants an orthopedist vs a rehab medicine specialist or physiatrist. Most of the time you can get into see your MD sooner than the specialist and get the ball rolling vis a vis MRI, needing bracing, crutches etc based on the type of injury.