Okay, Cliff's Notes version of things...
Anytime you have a strain or really tight muscle, the first thing you should do is look to a synergistic muscle that isn't doing its job. The injured/tight muscle is going to have to work overtime to pick up the slack. A few quick examples...
Tight/Strained ----- Weak
TFL ------- Gluteus Medius or Psoas Major
Hamstrings ------ Gluteus Maximus
Adductors Magnus ------ Gluteus Maximus
Rectus Femoris -------- Psoas Major
Pec Major ------ Subscapularis
Subscapularis ------ Teres Minor and/or Infraspinatus
Teres Minor/Infraspinatus ----- Subscapularis (goes both ways)
Quadratus Lumborus ----- Gluteus Medius
There are a ton more, but you get the picture (and be sure to remember that you don't usually just have one muscle that shuts down; it's part of a bigger dysfunction, in most cases). Find the dysfunction, and then work back to find and fix the synergist while treating the symptoms. For you, I'd be willing to bet that it's the rectus femoris. If it was the TFL (another hip flexor), the pain would be more lateral. And, psoas strains aren't that common
So, check your psoas major. Stand with your back to the wall, and pull one knee as far up to your chest as possible without leaning back or forward (stay upright). Then, let go with your hand and see if you can maintain the hip-above-knee position. Then, check the other side and compare. You can also have a partner press down on the knee in that position to see if a side-to-side discrepancy is noted. If it is, the psoas is your problem.
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