Anyone with Hip Flexor issues?

[Zacksmomi]

I posted recently about problems with my hip (which I am still going to ask for an xray of) and I came accross a post from Quix (thanks again for saving the day) about testing hip flexor strength.  Well my right leg (the painful one) would barely come off the floor and holding it there was killing me.  I tried it with the left and had no problem.  So my guess is hip flexor problems.

So is this possibly a flare up that has now attacked nerves to my hip area?

I am going to talk with Neuro on Tues (thinking of calling PCP on Mon) and I am thinking PT for this?? Does anyone have experience with this problem?  Today the pain (I guess from doing the strength test) is really intense.  I am actually taking some vicodin for it but I can only take half a 500 mg at a time or I get sick.

Thanks for listening
D

[essdipity]

Excellent question, so me too, me too. This was the weakness noticed by my neuro on first exam. Now my PT says not only are these weak (relatively mild--good!) but other muscle groups are weak too. I don't know how much of this is subjective, meaning each tester has his own criteria. After all it's hard to define 'mild pressure.'

We have, or used to have, some PTs here. Can you help us out?

ess

[rendean]

Bump on the foolow-up question regarding why this muscle group seems to be affected most often versus say the shoulder girdle, etc.

Thanks,
Brenda

[Zacksmomi]

I am going to get checked out.  Thanks for the info.

D

[Nancy T]

Wow, thanks, Quix! Great information. Hope you are feeling better.

[rendean]

Why is it the hip flexors seem most affected in MS?

Thanks,
Rendean

[Aheit]

Yes I have the same question why are they the most affected in Ms?

[Quixotic1]

Hi, again!

The hip flexors are the three muscles that bend the body forward at the hip.  When you are standing and raise you knee up you are flexing the hip.  These muscles are the illiacus, the Psoas major, and the rectus femoris.  The Rectus femoris crosses the hip AND the knee.  It is also one of the four Quadricep muscles.  It not only flexes the hip, but it extends (stratightens) the knee.

My quick and dirty test for the hip flexors is to sit in a tall chair with your legs dangling.  then one at a time lift up your knee off the table.  When the hip flexors are weak the knee will barely come up and you will have a lot of difficulty withstanding a little pressure downward on the knee.  Someone else should do the pressing down.

Here is a description of the hip flexor muscles:

http://www.fitstep.com/Advanced/Anatomy/Hip_flexors.htm

http://www.fitstep.   /Advanced/Anatomy/Hip_flexors.htm

For a picture of the Rectus femoris:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectus_femoris

You can flex the hip while lying on the back, but this takes a great deal more strength because of the weight of the extended leg.  Seated gives you a better idea of the real strenght or weakness of the flexors.

Quix

[Nancy T]

What is the (self?-) test for hip flexors in Quix's post, or where is the post?

I cannot raise my legs more than an inch when lying on my stomach; the PT seemed to think that was not normal--I thought no one could do it! Another PT once said my strength was abnormal when she pushed on my straight-raised leg while lying on my side. Are either of those the hip-flexor test?

I don't even know where the hip flexors are... are they the muscles on the outside of your hip that feel strained if you are standing and cross one leg in front of the other? That's what feels so incredibly strained when I walk continuously.

Thanks for all the info and I hope you get your pain under control soon, Zacksmomi.

Nancy

[Quixotic1]

Both PD and Terry are correct.

You need to have this evaluated.  The pain is a confounding issue, because pain can make things appear weak when they are not.  Pain is one of the body's way of saying "STOP DOING THAT!!!"

You may have pain only, or pain and weakness.  You need to find out what the problem is.

My PT found that my right hip flexors were a 3- over 5.  This means that I can barely lift them against gravity.

0/5 - no movement at all
1/5 - a small amount of movement or tensing seen
2/5 - able to move horizontal to gravity (see below)
3/3 - able to lift against gravity
4/5 - able to lift against gravity and resist mild pressure
5/5 - able to lift against gravity and resist strong pressure

2/5 means that you can drag the limb across a surface, but cannot lift it.  Example, you are lying on a table on your side and they are evaluating the abilty of your quads to straighten out your knee when it is bent.  As long as the table is supporting your leg you can straighten your knee horizontally.

Quix

[Aheit]

I have MS and major problems with my right side. Both my hip flexors and the flexors in my shoulder area have been affected by the MS my question is I am going to be possibly I candidate for stem cell treatment if no therapy will help me strengthen these areas, is it possible that the stem cells will?

[saveone]

I have the same problem and I take PT to help with it.  My PT eval had my hip flexors at 3/5.  My left leg barley comes off the chair if I am sitting, my right maybe 2 ins,  depending on the day.

My PT told me the first day...if your brain doesn't send the message to the nerve then all the therapy in the world won't help, but maybe we can help you keep what muscle strength you have.  For three weeks I did great. Then out of the blue a flare.   i couldn't do the exercises.  I was dealing with fatigue and had no strength.  Now my legs seem worse than ever but I am going back to PT and I will fight to the end!!!

So in a nut shell maybe your GP can refer you for an eval Or your neuro can, depending if he will or not.

I hope you get over the flare and keep those legs moving as much as possible.

terry

[PastorDan]

If it is soreness from the workout, some PT might be in order, but if it is a true flare up, I'd think perhaps not, or it could be aggravated.  Then again, what do I know?