If you have some time to read, this thread [letsrun] has a lot of info on a pull in the lower abdomen. Hope you heal fast!

Bump

First: How do you know your hip flexors are tight? It is possible that your hip joint isn't made to extend as far as you believe it should.

Second: hernia's don't only happen in the area that dr.'s do the old fashioned "turn-your-head-and-cough" test. They can happen much higher than that location and still hurt like hell.

But it could also be a muscle strain. Your hip flexors and abdominals both attach at the front of your hips, so it could be either/or.

Find a decent sports medicine dr. (in my experience they seem to "care" more about diagnosis, but that's just my experience) who can help. A good physical therapist should be able to help as well.

Good luck man, hernias are no fun, I speak from experience. But healing time could be worse, and if you have to go into surgery, it's pretty quick with basically no scar....

Yeah, I've heard they suck. That's why I'm on full alert. But I've been diagnosed with tight hip flexors by my chiropractor. As a matter of fact, those are old news to me. But fortunately if I stretch them and strengthen my glutes...I get positive results. But I was wondering how much the muscles in the hips can affect the lower abdomen. I always remember being told that the cause of an injury is above or below the problem area, so why not to the side? Thanks for the input.

I have been dealing with the same type of issue for 6 weeks now. Can not run. Will be seeing my doc in 2 weeks when he gets back from vacation.
And I will have the info from letsrun about sport hernias. But, since I have some big races in the next few weeks, I am stuck taking pain pills and
just sucking it up. But, I have this impression if it is not a muscle pull, which can take like 2 months to heal if one does nothing, a sports hernia
may not heal by itself.

Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

So if you lean really far forward to do something...like over your handlebars while descending or perhaps even your arrowbars, you feel that nasty, tight pinch? So it's not just me? It feels as if muscles are pulling up on the bones that sit just above my genital zone. You too? I'm actually off to the doctors in a few minutes. HMOs you need referals so I'm starting the process.

I feel mine the most with pull ups, leg lifts and running. Not too bad on the bike or swim.

Reading letsrun, sounds like a lot of HBO's do not cover since it is not a proven issue or something like that.

Having my doc go out on a 3 week vacation was bad timing.

Let me know what you find. Have you read some of the letsrun thread? I have the same symptoms a lot of them talk to.

Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

I'm shocked you waited for your Dr. A hernia will most likely not go away on it's own in less than a few months, though for some it can take a few weeks.

Rest is the #1 thing to be done to fix it other than surgery, and it doesn't sound like you're doing that.

I'm shocked how many people (not just on ST) that will try to "work through" an injury. If you were a pro athlete and your living depended on it, I could understand it more. But as an amateur, makes no sense to me at all.

Especially with the consequences if it gets bad enough.

From about.com:

What is the treatment of a sports hernia?
There are no treatments that have been shown to be effective for sports hernia other than surgery. That said, the initial treatment of a sports hernia is always conservative in hopes that the symptoms will resolve. Resting from activity, anti-inflammatory medications, ice treatments, and physical therapy can all be tried in an effort to alleviate the patient's symptoms.

If these measures do not relieve the symptoms of a sports hernia, surgery may be recommended to repair the weakened area of the abdominal wall. In number of studies have shown between 65% and 90% of athletes are able to return to their activity after surgery for a sports hernia. Rehabilitation from surgery for a sports hernia usually takes about eight weeks.

"I always remember being told that the cause of an injury is above or below the problem area, so why not to the side?"

This is sort a poor statement. When someone says "above or below" they mean relative to the joint. But with the hip, well it isn't a hinge joint, so above or below the hip doesn't apply since it moves in more than one plane.

As for tight hip flexors: I'm a firm believer that muscles get "tight" as an injury prevention measure. usually because the opposing muscle is weak, so addressing glute strength (as well as hamstring) is a good approach. I don't necessarily think stretching your hip flexor is a goos idea, and that they will "release" on their own once the hip is stable enough to feel safe. Also, what good will "loose" hip flexors be? You don't plan on hyperextending your hip do you?

Yea, I know. But after spending 10 years to get to this point, this is my shot. :o(
I at first thought it might be just a muscle tear, which it still could be. So, just my bad luck
when I finally decided it was time to get more info, my doc is gone for 3 weeks. Will see if this is good
or bad. If I find I need surgery, am sure glad I got my worlds spot for 2008. I just need
to get through nationals on the 30th, then what ever needs to be done will take first priority.

Now, it does not seem to be getting worse, which I assume is good. It may be actaully
getting a little better. I was final able to run in training for an hour today. And, nothing I read, if it is a sports
hernia, seem to be life threatening? Just hurts. :o(

So yep, you, my wife, etc. are right. I should have totally stopped racing and training. But, .... :o(

Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Sounds like a hernia to me.

My husband's dealing with one right now. He's had it for a while, but it's getting worse -- he'll be having surgery for it later this summer.

He tried cycling yesterday; the pain got worse, and he had to walk home. The kind of pain you're describing sounds really similar.

The good news is that the surgery is pretty quick and easy. There's recovery time . . . but after that, you're good to go.

Good luck with this.

So, does your husband have the easy to tell hernia, meaning, it sticks out and you can push back in?
If so, thats a no brainer, go get it fixed.

But, it is not clear how one can tell if one has a sports hernia, vs a muscle pull, from what I have been reading.
But, I sure need to find out.

Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Yep. But it didn't start out that way. Like I said, it's been getting worse -- hence the surgery coming up later this summer.

I think its the kind of pain that makes it possible to differentiate between a hernia and a muscle pull -- hernia pain is, as the OP described, a "tight pinch" -- really acute.

But the only way to tell is to get your doctor on the job. Too bad about yours being on vacation -- the timing sucks.

Hope it works out for you.

Interesting, I would not say what I have feels like a tight pinch. Just a stop that is really really sore!!!

Thats why I had not run to the doc to start with. But, since it is time for my annual with him 2 two weeks anyways,
good timing for that.

So, if he knows he needs surgery, why the wait? Or, is he like me, does not want to rest? :o(

Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Why the wait? We're up here in Canada, and our wonderful socialized medical system means that anything other than emergency surgery (usually) gets a long wait.

His hernia is "acute," but it's not an emergency -- yet -- so we twiddle our thumbs for another 8 weeks at least. The surgeon said the beginning of August was the likeliest time he could schedule the surgery. Bummer.

You're wise to back off the training until you get an answer from your doc. Hernias can -- and do -- get worse. The smaller it is, the easier it is to fix.

I thought your socialized medical system was the best. They seem to be always talking about it here in the good old US of A.
Thats a real drag though, since you know it will not get better by itself, and one can not really do anything until it is fixed.
Bummer

Yep, doc on the 19th for the first step. Then I assume it will be an MRI, etc. Fun. :o(

Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

I really can't complain too much about the Canadian medical system. I've gotten good treatment, had some sophisticated procedures done, and all for free. This is the first time we've been caught in the downside -- the long wait for non-emergency surgery.

BTW, I tried that exercise you described in your post about your injury -- leg lifts, wasn't it? (I was looking for some exercises that "really work the abs.") I tried it -- and my guts nearly popped out! It's a killer!

And yeah, your doc will probably need to do a CAT scan or an MRI to find out what's really going on. Good luck!

Yep, those leg lifts are what did it to me. :o(
Great for the abs if one does not over do it, like I did.

Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

FYI: leg lifts work your hip flexors as much as your abs, if not more.

Well my poor statement has been verified as a possibility by the Doc at Kaiser and my chiropractor via a phone call. Both said it's possible. Also, both said I might still have a hernia. Lots of working on the glutes on the future.

But hyperextending my hip? I'm looking for advice here and have a lot of experience with this stuff so if you cannot add good stuff to it, please don't try to ridicule me. I'm trying to prevent getting "cut". There are stretches out there that contract the glutes, yet stretch the hips. Get on my level now. Besides what good would loose hip flexors be? Come on now. C-o-m-f-o-r-t. That's the name of this game. Tight hip flexors suck.

"Well my poor statement has been verified as a possibility by the Doc at Kaiser and my chiropractor via a phone call. Both said it's possible. Also, both said I might still have a hernia. Lots of working on the glutes on the future."

I was saying it's a poor statement because the hip can move more than in one plane. You were right, I was agreeing with you and validated what I thought you were saying. When you were told above or below a joint was the poor statement and that you were right when you ass u me that pain could come from something other than above and below a joint.

And now that they have both verified it's "possible" that the cause of an injury is above or below the problem area, is it also "possible" that the cause could be to the side as well? Yes? Huh, exactly what I was saying to agree with you.

"But hyperextending my hip? I'm looking for advice here and have a lot of experience with this stuff so if you cannot add good stuff to it, please don't try to ridicule me"

I'm not trying to ridicule you at all. Nor do I think "tight" hip flexors are "good". But what I am saying is that "tight" MIGHT be a good thing for YOUR hips IF something else is weak. BUT, if you have SO MUCH experience with this stuff, why are you asking an online forum about a hernia?

"There are stretches out there that contract the glutes, yet stretch the hips. Get on my level now"

This would be an "active stretch". This can be done for basically every joint in your body. I fully endorse "active stretching" vs. "passive stretching" every day of the week. There are also stretches that flex the bicep and stretch the tricep, flex the quad and stretch the hamstring, etc.

"C-o-m-f-o-r-t. That's the name of this game"

If c-o-m-f-o-r-t is the name of the game, the game is not triathlon. Nothing about our sport is "c-o-m-f-o-r-t", it's pain for the duration of the event.

Now that we have that out of the way, I WAS AGREEING with your statement, and you can CHILL OUT! Next time you ask for advice, and someone offers theirs up, don't piss and moan about it. Take it or leave it, I don't really care, but don't bitch about getting advice after you ask for it.

10-4, I am reading your advice. I am open to any and all opinions at any time.

Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

#1 opinion: go to a sports medicine dr. I can tell you what I did for rehab for my sports hernia, but let's be sure that's what it is.

#2 opinion: dont ask for medical advice on an nline forum without proper diagnosis. Then, only ask for the experience of others with the same diagnosis, not a second opinion.

#3 opinion: GET BETTER before you make it worse! I made mine worse by continuing to train with it, and it made the healing process just take that much longer. I may be young, but that much I have learned (the hard way)

#4 opinion: joint pain CAN come from more than above or below the joint. Make sure your doctor knows this (he does, as long as he actually went to med school and didn't steal another dr.'s identity and is now practicing medicine without a license! ;-))

#5 opinion: take what Andrew Coggan says as gold (but still read the research he sites). So far I have read through the "conversations" he's had on ST, and the research he quotes is fantastic. He may have a "different" sense of humor (which I happen to enjoy reading) but he knows his sh!t even if you don't enjoy his banter.

#6 opinion: don't listen to me, as I am just another online poster who hasn't had the ability to actually diagnose you.