Hip pain in combat sports
Why does the front of my hip pinch when I’m playing guard?
Anatomy: The hip is a ball and socket joint, made deeper by a structure called the labrum. The labrum sits on the rim of the socket part of the hip and is made of soft fibrocartilage. There is a large ligament and capsule that cover the bony portion of the hip, providing stability with tension and mobility when lax. The hip is a very stable joint and contains some of the largest muscle groups in the body. Because of these large muscles, you can produce a lot of force- and fast. You can kick an opponent at a distance greater than that of throwing a punch. You can sweep to gain a tactical advantage when grappling or control their limbs to submit.
Injury: Grappling requires a balance between very flexible but strong hips. In the guard your hips are in flexion, abduction and relative external rotation (see picture). As your opponent goes to pass the guard, they may force your knee across your chest into your opposite shoulder (ex. right knee, left shoulder). This compresses the labrum, a soft, pliable tissue like rubber. If the labrum is torn it can cause a sharp pinching pain when you are caught in this position.
Another frequent hip injury is iliopsoas tendinopathy, also known as snapping hip syndrome. Long practices holding the guard position can cause shortening of the iliopsoas muscle. The shortened muscle can snap over a bony part of the top of the femur when running, stretching or exercising.
Prevention: As stated above, hip flexibility and strength are important. Mobility stretches with a band or belt will stretch out the ligaments and capsule that are responsible for arthrokinematic, or small joint movements. Strengthening exercises should consist of a mix of heavy resistance and higher repetition sport-specific movements. Stretching, foam rolling and massage should be performed after exercise to limit inhibition of muscle contractions.