Hip muscle tightness

[archenemy]

I seem to never be able to get over the tightness/soreness in my hip muscles. I practise yoga almost daily and use those muscles a lot. If I take a bit of time off to let them recoup all the way, I just go right back to being sore once I start up again. Is this normal? Is there some other form of exercising or stretching I can do to help this? (I also walk about 3 miles 3X/week at a good pace.) This pain gets exacerbated whenever I use an elipical machine, but not when I use a stairmaster. What is going on?

[ericb]

I seem to never be able to get over the tightness/soreness in my hip muscles. I practise yoga almost daily and use those muscles a lot. If I take a bit of time off to let them recoup all the way, I just go right back to being sore once I start up again. Is this normal? Is there some other form of exercising or stretching I can do to help this? (I also walk about 3 miles 3X/week at a good pace.) This pain gets exacerbated whenever I use an elipical machine, but not when I use a stairmaster. What is going on?

 

AE - I'm sure you might get some more qualified opinions as far as what the problem is, but I've had really good luck using a foam roller on problem areas - glute, flexors, piriformis etc. I have no idea if this will help you, but they are ~ $20, and you can do it in front of the TV.

[Sherri]

Ditto on the foam roller recommendation.

 

To that, I'd add rolling on a tennis ball or racquetball for getting into the deeper muscles and specific areas of tightness or trigger points(if you find a spot that is "exquisitely tender," you've probably found a trigger point.)

 

Walking and elliptical machines heavily involve the hip flexors and TFL(tensor fascia latae), tightening and shortening them over time, so that even rest does not undo the problems that constant use has created. Gotta get in there with that tennis ball or theracane to release them.

 

Without releasing them first, stretching can be counterproductive, and you may not be getting all the potential benefits of the yoga.

 

I don't have any sort of medical background, but I exercise heavily and have learned(the hard way ) what it takes to keep things working so that I can do the things I want to do.

 

Amazon.com sells The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook that is a fantastic, do-it-yourself guide to understanding and treating this sort of thing as well as everything from finger pain to toe pain. You could probably google it to get more info, too.

 

Take care,

 

 

 

 

[tyree]

You could really benifit from a good massage. Go to someone who knows what they are doing. Sounds like you have set your muscles into a bit of a spasm, a good LMP can help reset the propioceptors to get these hip flexors to relax. The tennis ball thing can feel good but it is no substitute for a good neuromuscular therapist.

Also look into active isolated streching. This is just streching that involves contracting opposing muscle groups. The principle behind this is that mm groups are set up in opposing sets. For one set to fire the other (opposite) one has to relax. Again a good LMP can show these to you. Good luck, Tyree

[Winter]

I've been having some of the same problems and have been trying to figure out what it is. Seems that I get it skinning and carrying heavy weight mostly.

 

Are you having pain on the outside of the hip when you walk? Clicking or popping sounds in your hip with movement? Is their a tender area that is painful to the touch on the outside of the hip?

 

Could be bursitis or tendonitis in the iliotibial band.

 

Link to good stretches.

 

Just some more info for you.

[rob]

Inside, or outside of the hip? Does it hurt when walking/hiking downhill?

[archenemy]

Wow, these are outstanding suggestions!!

 

Thank you all, I am going to get started on some of them right away. First, I am going to call my LMP whom I've not seen for a long time. Thanks for bringing that to mind! And I'll get those rolly thingys.

 

You guys Rock!

[archenemy]

Winter,

My hip doesn't pop, but I used to have that problem. I went to a chiro for about a year 2-3x/week and that fixed it.

 

Rob,

I am fine up and down hill. Getting out of bed in the morning or standing up after I have been sitting (expecially cross legged) is excruitiating. And I am even on a Cox 2 inhibitor--but before it kicks in, I ache.

 

I am fine after I exersize for a while. It doesn't bother me when I am 10 min into my yoga or walk.

[archenemy]

Oh, and it hurts the most on the outside of the leg, but deep within. Does that make sense?

[rob]

Sounds like bursitis to me, but I'm no doctor.

 

I would be careful doing anything without a diagnosis. Some injuries can be aggravated by stretching -- personally, I'd talk to a doc.

 

Any health coverage with the new job?

[tyree]

Could be bursitis but my guess is that it is also spasmed psoas. It is most likely a combo of the two but unless you get psoas to settle down you re not going to get anywhere with trying to stretch the IT band and TFL.

First off dont sit with your legs crossed. This only contributes to the shortening of psoas and IT band/TFL as well as stressing the sacroiliac jt. Also, try not to sit for too long of periods w/o getting up to stretch these shortened mm. Unless you have killer health ins I would forgo getting a diagnosis from a general prac. Dr. If you have to pay cash, get in to see a good physical therapist who will be better educated to properly muscle test, diagnose bursitis, jt dysfunction ect. Most MD's will want to give a cortizone shot, although sometimes effective, i would use caution. Personally I think that they are over perscribed. In my practice I have seen many peoples symptoms blow up from cortizone injections. Otherwise with good health insurance you will have to jump through the hoops of getting referals from your PCP to get into a PT. Feel free to PM me if you have anymore ?'s.Just my 2 cents, good luck. Tyree Johnson, LMP

[chesterboo]

Sounds like trochanteric bursitis. Go to your doctor and consider cortisone injection if this is what it is. Very helpful for most . Try pushing to elicit tenderness on outside of hip where your hip bone turns to go into your socket. Also, this would be more painful as you go from a seated to standing postition and take first few steps.

[layton]

An injection should be a last resort, plus it doesn't solve the problem of why it happened.

You need to see someone who will check out your hip, spine, pelvis, feet, and gait.

 

Hip-becauce that's where the problem is presenting itself

Spine-the psoas attaches to the hip and spine.

Pelvis-connected to the hip and unleveling could create a problem

Feet-foot problems and leg legnth inequality will often present in the hip or knees

Gait-muslce imbalance in the feet and legs could cause the hip muslce imbalance

 

It's really hard to work on your hip yourself, especially the psoas.

 

I saw a Rolfer (haha) and she really got in there. Made me cry, but really helped. It went away and came back several times. Turns out I had a 11mm leg legnth inequality diagnosed via x-ray measurements.

[archenemy]

What did you do to correct the inequality? Did you have any options?

[layton]

For a leg length inequality you mean? A heel lift works well and is cheap and easy. A sole lift works better but requires custom soles on your shoes. Many times it's a functional inequality. A shifted pelvis, or spinal misalignment are often the culprit. That's a time I truly believe that a chiropractic adjustment works wonders.