Lacrosse Hip Flexor Injury Treatment: Expert Physical Therapy to Get You Back in the Game

Written by

In Motion Physical Therapy

Published on

July 11, 2025

Hip flexor injuries are among the most common setbacks for lacrosse athletes, preventing you from performing at your best and potentially sidelining you from the sport you love. As a Doctor of Physical Therapy at In Motion Physical Therapy, I’ve worked with countless lacrosse players suffering from hip flexor injuries. In this post, I’ll share our proven approach to treating lacrosse hip flexor injury treatment and how our personalized plans can get you back on the field stronger than before.

What is a Hip Flexor Injury and Why Are Lacrosse Players Vulnerable?

The Anatomy in Action

Your hip flexors—especially the iliopsoas—are the muscles responsible for lifting your knee and stabilizing your pelvis. In lacrosse, these muscles fire constantly during sprints, cuts, and shots. That’s a recipe for overuse and strain, especially when muscle imbalances, poor mechanics, or fatigue set in.

Why Lacrosse Players Are Prone to Hip Flexor Injuries

Lacrosse demands rapid acceleration, direction changes, and explosive cutting—motions that heavily rely on hip flexors, especially the iliopsoas. When these muscles fire inefficiently or fatigue due to imbalance or poor warm-up, strains and tears can occur.

Hip flexor injuries occur when the muscles that help you lift your knee toward your body become strained or torn. For lacrosse players, these injuries are particularly common (incidence of 5-28% of injuries1 )due to the sport’s quick directional changes, explosive movements, and repetitive running and cutting actions.

Common Symptoms of Hip Flexor Injuries in Lacrosse Players

Sharp pain in the front of the hip or groin area when sprinting or changing direction
Tenderness and discomfort when lifting your knee toward your chest
Muscle spasms in the hip or thigh region
Swelling or bruising in severe cases
Difficulty maintaining proper form during play

Risk Factors Specific to Lacrosse

Muscle imbalances between hip flexors and extensors
Inadequate warm-up routines
Overtraining and insufficient recovery time
Previous hip or lower body injuries
Poor biomechanics during shooting and cutting movements

How Long Does It Take for a Hip Flexor Injury to Heal?

The recovery timeline for hip flexor injuries depends on several factors, including the severity of the injury, your individual healing capacity, and the quality of treatment you receive.

Typical Recovery Timeframes

Grade 1 (Mild): 1-3 weeks with proper treatment
Grade 2 (Moderate): 3-6 weeks with comprehensive rehabilitation
Grade 3 (Severe): 6+ weeks, often requiring specialized care

At In Motion Physical Therapy, we’ve helped athletes return to competitive play faster through our personalized treatment approach. Many of our patients experience significant improvement within just a few weeks because we customize each recovery program based on individual needs and adjust treatment plans according to recovery milestones.

What Does Hip Flexor Injury Treatment Look Like?

Here’s the ugly truth about hip flexor injuries: rest alone won’t solve the problem. Effective lacrosse hip flexor injury treatment requires a comprehensive approach that addresses not just the injured tissue, but also the underlying movement patterns that contributed to the injury.

Initial Evaluation & Diagnosis: What we look for at In Motion PT

When you come to our clinic, we start by understanding your story. How did the injury happen? What activities can you do right now? What are your goals for getting back on the field?

Next, we put you through our assessment process:

Movement screen (SFMA) to identify any dysfunctions that contributed to your injury
Range of motion and strength measurements using our Tindeq system for precise data
Functional movement testing like squats, step-ups, and sport-specific movements

Here’s what makes us different: we don’t just look at your hip flexor in isolation. We examine how your entire body moves as an integrated system. This approach helps us identify the root cause of your injury, not just treat the symptoms.

This comprehensive evaluation allows us to create a personalized treatment plan that’s tailored specifically to you, your sport, and your goals.

In Motion Physical Therapy’s 3-Phase Treatment Approach

Injury recovery is organized into three phases: acute management, strengthening, and return-to-sport.

Phase 1: Acute Treatment (First Few Sessions)

Goal: Reduce pain and protect the injured area while maintaining fitness

During the first few visits, we focus on:

Pain management through manual therapy, ice, and compression
Gentle mobility work including breathing techniques and light stretches
Safe movement patterns to prevent compensation and protect your healing tissue
Low-impact exercises to maintain your cardiovascular fitness

Phase 2: Progressive Rehabilitation (Strengthening)

Goal: Rebuild strength, stability, and proper movement patterns

As pain decreases, we shift focus to:

Manual therapy and soft tissue work to improve tissue quality and mobility
Targeted strengthening for your glutes, core, and hip flexors to address muscle imbalances
Pilates-based exercises to enhance core stability and hip control
Full kinetic chain training to ensure your entire body works together efficiently

Phase 3: Return-to-Sport Protocol (Final Phase)

Goal: Return to competitive lacrosse with confidence and enhanced performance

In the final phase, we prepare you for game-ready performance:

Progressive sprint drills that gradually increase speed and intensity
Agility training focused on cutting, dodging, and directional changes
Lacrosse-specific movements including shooting mechanics and defensive positioning
Reactive training to simulate game situations and build confidence

3 Essential PT Exercises for Hip Flexor Injury Recovery

Here are three exercises I consistently recommend for hip flexor recovery:

1. Prone Quad Stretch in Lumbar Locked Position

Why it works: Directly targets tight hip flexors while maintaining proper pelvic position

How to perform it correctly:

Lay on your stomach on an elevated surface
Place one foot on the floor in front of you
Pull other heel towards your bottom to feel a stretch in your quad and hip flexor

Pro tip: Focus on breathing and relaxation to maximize the stretch

2. Single-Leg Glute Bridges with Marches

Why it works: Strengthens the posterior chain to balance hip flexor dominance

How to perform it correctly:

Lay flat on your back with both knees bent
Lift one knee towards your chest
Lift both hips up off the ground (using 1 leg)
While hips are lifted, place the foot down and switch the knee lifted
Switch feet back, and slowly lower (using 1 leg)
Repeat 10x (each leg leading)

Common mistake to avoid: Don’t let your lower back arch during the movement

3. Straight Leg Raises with Iso Holds @ 30*/60*

Why it works: Safely rebuilds strength in the injured muscle without overstressing it

How to perform it correctly:

Lay flat on your back
One knee bent, lift the other leg up off the ground 30 degrees hip flexion. Hold 10 seconds, slowly lower. Repeat 10x
Same as above, lift leg to 60* hip flexion

3 Return to Sport Exercises for Hip Flexor Injury

Resisted Lateral Shuffles
- Why it works: Recreates defensive movements specific to lacrosse while building hip stability
- How to progress: Increase speed and resistance as control improves
Single-Leg Rotational Medicine Ball Throws
- Why it works: Integrates core rotation with hip stability, mimicking shooting mechanics
- Focus point: Maintain hip stability while generating power through the core
Deceleration Training with Cutting Pattern
- Why it works: Many hip flexor injuries occur during rapid deceleration or direction changes
- Training cue: “Soft landings” with proper hip-knee-ankle alignment

Lacrosse Hip Flexor Injury Treatment FAQ

Get answers to the most common questions we hear from lacrosse players dealing with hip flexor injuries.

What should I avoid when I have a hip flexor injury?

Immediately after a hip flexor injury, avoid activities that cause sharp pain, particularly explosive movements like sprinting and cutting. Low-impact cross-training can be beneficial for maintaining fitness while healing, but avoid stretching into pain or returning to play too soon, which can extend your recovery time by weeks or even months.

Can I still play lacrosse with a mild hip flexor strain?

While some athletes continue playing with mild strains, doing so significantly increases your risk of developing a more severe injury that could sideline you for an entire season. At In Motion Physical Therapy, we’ve found that addressing injuries properly the first time leads to more sustainable athletic careers and fewer recurring problems.

How can I prevent hip flexor injuries from recurring?

The key to preventing recurrent hip flexor injuries lies in addressing the muscle imbalances and movement patterns that contributed to the initial injury. Our maintenance programs include regular hip mobility work, proper warm-up routines, periodized training plans to prevent overtraining, and regular screening for early signs of trouble.

Your Path Back to the Field Starts Here

As a former collegiate athlete, I understand how frustrating hip flexor injuries can be—and how important it is to get back to the sport you love quickly and safely. Our approach at In Motion Physical Therapy combines expert knowledge with personalized care to help you not just recover, but come back stronger than before.

If you’re dealing with a hip flexor injury and you’re located near Farmingdale, NY, we would love to help you at In Motion Physical Therapy. With convenient hours (open 11AM-9PM during the week and 8AM-1PM Saturdays) and 30-minute sessions available, we make it easy to fit recovery into your busy training schedule.

References:

Laura Sommer, DPT

Laura Sommer has been practicing as a Physical Therapist since 2011. She graduated from Northeastern University, where she was a member of the Women’s Soccer Team. Laura is the owner of In Motion Physical Therapy located in Farmingdale, NY.