How to help painful hip flexor

[Goldenthigh]

I've had various joint injuries over the past few years (physio thinks down to menopause) so exercise has been a big stop/start. I've just got over Achilles tendinopathy so am starting again with gentle exercise (aquarobics and yoga) to build up my stamina.
I did a yoga class over the weekend but then found I was in agony afterwards from a painful hip flexor. I have been looking for exercises to help strengthen but most seem geared towards stretching and increasing flexibility.
i am very flexible, particularly in my hips, and i think this is what is causing the pain because i can do the stretches but don't have much strength in them. How can I build up strength not flexibility?

I'm interested in this too!

I was laid down for about 7 weeks after a skin graft on my shin, I also sit at a desk all day & my hip flexors are really weak, I'm walking, do body pump, a stretching class & have recently started swimming but I could do with some exercises for my hip flexors - although dreading that the answer may be lunges! 😬

Following! I'm usually really bendy but suddenly gave problems with hip flexor on one side....

I would have thought any lower body movements such as squats, hip thrusts, step ups, lunges etc. It's not always a great idea to just try and strengthen one thing as the body needs to all work together, so you'd strengthen hip flexors along with everything else.

Theraband wrapped around your foot - hold the other end of the bad with your other foot - like step on it.
Weights above head and flex hips.
Alternatively, you can use a light kettle bell - lift toes.
Thomas stretch on bed (google)

My yoga teacher very hot on preventing injury to stretchy people - I am one myself - and I find it's easy to do certain movements relying on the joint flexibility and never gaining any strength as a consequence.

You need to learn never to lock any joints or in your case over extend your hips - we're taught to do this by using your muscles much more than you'd think.

For example if I was doing a simple forward bend to touch my toes I'd be tensing pretty much all the muscles in my leg, actively contracting my kneecaps, holding the knee straight but not extended, before I ever bent forward. When I do bend forward I get the extension by pulling my thigh muscles up, not bending my spine.

All this does make yoga classes about a thousand times more knackering but I never get joint pain afterwards any more!

I knew there would be a lunge in there somewhere! 😀

Thanks though that's quite useful , I'll just keep on doing what I'm doing & hopefully they will get stronger!

That's helpful to think about, thanks.
My joints are definitely stiffening up as I get older, apart from seemingly my hips! But I know I need to somehow build muscle to protect them. I have 2 DC with Hypermobility, I'm not quite hypermobile myself, but they really struggle with injuries if they don't keep absolutely on top of their strength and form.