Elfrid Payton, Strained Left Hip FlexorElfrid Payton re-aggravated an injured left hip flexor on day 1 of training camp, September 27, 2016 while fighting through a screen during scrimmage; he missed the final 30 to 40 minutes of that practice. He said he initially sustained the injury a week prior and thought it had healed well enough. Since Tuesday, he has been held out of all practices and drills. He continues to be listed as “day to day.”
No defined timetable has been listed for his return, but it is fair to expect these injuries to heal within 1-3 weeks with rest, physical therapy exercises, and NSAID’s to reduce inflammation and pain. Athletic trainers test athletes’ range of motion in the hip and assess for pain daily. Until Payton regains full range of motion in the left hip and is without any pain, he’ll likely be held out of all practices and gameplay. It is encouraging to note that Payton acknowledged that he is feeling better.
He was shown here working on his “White Chocolate” elbow passes with assistant coach Jay Hernandez this week.
https://www.facebook.com/OrlandoMagic/?fref=tsAs previously mentioned, the hip flexors are a group of muscles that help “flex” the hip. With left hip flexor injuries, usually the psoas or illiacus is the strained muscle.
These muscles can be split into groups based on their location and function:
Inner Hip Muscles: Psoas muscle and illiacus muscle
Anterior compartment of thigh: Quadriceps and sartorius (these also help extend the knee)
Gluteal Muscles: Tensor fasciae latae
Medial compartment of the thigh: Pectineus, adductors, and gracilis (these also help "adduct" the leg toward the body)
A study done at the American Hip Institute was published in the August 2013 Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine sought to assess the epidemiology of all hip related injuries in the NBA from 1988 to 2012. One of the more common risk factors for any muscle strain is a sudden increase in sustained use of the muscle. Interestingly, the study found that most hip injuries occur in training camp and preseason.
As the authors express, it should give team athletic trainers something to really show caution toward as the season begins. It should be interesting to see what research comes out going forward on interventions to best prevent these injuries at the beginning of training camp and preseason.
The study also found that the average number of days a player with a hip injury missed was 6.3 with a standard deviation of +/- 10.2 days, essentially in accordance with Payton's expected return to play range of 1-3 weeks.
It’s unlikely we see Payton play in any exhibition games this week, but I think there is a good chance he’s ready to go for the first preseason home game against the San Antonio Spurs on October 12.
http://ojs.sagepub.com/content/1/3/2325967113499130.full
