Pulled hip flexor, how can I heal it quickly and effectively!?

Question

During football practice today about a week and a half ago, I pulled a muscle in my upper leg, near my groin. Today, during football practice, (which happened to be a two-a-day, a blasty blast, trust me) I re-aggravated the injury, and it hurt. Quite a bit. Upon seeing the team trainer, I discovered that I pulled my hip flexor muscle. Usually, I'd just ice it, rest, and be done with it. I've read that it can take up to four weeks of rest and keeping away from strenuous activities for an injury such as this to heal. This isn't good, because I have practice every week day, some of them twice a day, and sometimes on Saturdays. I already missed a second practice today, and probably another in a few days. Missing all these practices isn't good, and I really need to get my leg to heal in order to practice at my full potential. What should I do!? Is there any ways to have a quick recovery? Please and thank you.

Answer 1

moist heat  

Answer 2

I'm recovering from this injury myself and am on the fifth day of rehabing it and its around 85%:

Day 1: Ice and heat alternating every 30min for 2 hours. Use Icy-hot or Bengay creams on the affected area (use caution applying Icy-hot in these areas, it can cause pain in some places you'd rather not have it) twice that day. Avoid stretching or straining it.

Day 2: Icy-hot once and avoid stretching it much. Light jogging is fine.

Day 3: Icy-hot once then start a stretching regimin. The best stretch for it is to lay on your stomach and have a teammate or coach gently pull your ankle up and forward towards your head. Let your knee flex slightly but let the hip take the stretch. While this is the oppisite direction from where is hurts this stretch relives the stiffness and speeds along recovery. Do this stretch often from this point in the rehab on. You can start running at a good speed this day with the use of this stretch but limit jumping and explosive movements.

Day 4: Same stretch as day 3. you can stop using icy-hot. Increase work load as comfortable.

Day 5: same as day four.

Day 6: Same as five.

Day 7: you should be at about 95%