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Psoas pain... worst injury ever??
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Hello guys,

I know that are worse injuries, muscle, ligament and labral tears, stress fractures, even broken bones. But in the maybe not-so-serious palette of injuries that you can produce to yourself while training (exclude bike crashes and any other traumatic injury associated to a fall, animal bites, etc.), any type of tendi-whatever or pain of the psoas, is maybe the most feared injury? I mean it because:
  • It takes a long time to sort it out
  • It is virtually unreacheable to the hand
  • Standard tendinitis treatments do not always work as it it not possible to touch the tendon nor the muscle itself
  • Seems it is going to last forever as cannot know what actually is going on deep there
  • Tears, fractures, and muscle strains, seem to have a known time of recovery once you know what you have
  • Other than stretching and excentric exercises, no other solution and with no guaranteed of early healing

So far, I am under psoas pain for the last 3 months after a few weeks of high intensity workouts (running and biking). I tried to recover while training as I had a couple of HIM in October, but there was no recovery so 8 weeks after fighting with it, I had to end the tri season. Another 4 weeks with very little training with sub-zero intensity and no running, but not yet fully recovered. I am streching daily, even started yoga, and keep on working in the gym (never stopped).
I need to know if there is light at the end of the tunnel, how long did it take you to recover, and what did you do that made the change onto fully funtional again. Please, I am desperate.
Thank you very much.

STRAVA INSTAGRAM
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Re: Psoas pain... worst injury ever?? [Dr. Triax] [ In reply to ]
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There is light. It is just a long way down a long tunnel.

I injured my Psoas a few years back wake surfing behind a boat of all things. It took 9 months to heal fully and it was mostly rest that worked. I did discover that a hard rubber medicine ball about the size of a youth soccer ball was a great trigger point tool. I could lay on it face down and get some relief.
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Re: Psoas pain... worst injury ever?? [Dr. Triax] [ In reply to ]
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I have multiple threads open on my devices, things that looked interesting but I haven't read yet. Wonder if you've seen this one? Don't know yet if it fits for you.

https://forum.slowtwitch.com/...scle_pain__P5909801/

To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.
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Re: Psoas pain... worst injury ever?? [Dr. Triax] [ In reply to ]
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I’ve had IT band syndrome for 9 weeks now. Still can’t run. Had to bail on IM Louisville due to this. by far the worst injury I’ve ever had. I’m sure psoas is similar.
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Re: Psoas pain... worst injury ever?? [Tsunami] [ In reply to ]
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Yes, I've read them all... :(

STRAVA INSTAGRAM
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Re: Psoas pain... worst injury ever?? [Dr. Triax] [ In reply to ]
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There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I injured mine in 2012 training for my first Ironman. Mine manifested itself as lower back pain around L4-5. With help from a physical therapist I was able to hobble through my race.

The stretch I found most useful is to lay on your back, bring your feet towards your butt and lay your knees to one side will keeping your shoulders flat on the ground.

going to a dress shoe with a lower heel made a big difference.

Also stretching my hip flexors (especially after sitting for an extended time) is crucial in preventing flare ups.

Oui, mais pas de femme toute de suite (yes, but I am not ready for a woman straight away) -Stephen Roche's reply when asked whether he was okay after collapsing at the finish in the La Plagne stage of the 1987 Tour
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Re: Psoas pain... worst injury ever?? [Dr. Triax] [ In reply to ]
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For the record and to whom it might concern, this week I just did two very easy 30 min jogs without pain. That is 6 months after the issue started. By the end of December, and because the pain was never going away, I stopped running and cycling for 10 days. Just swimming. Then 2 more weeks of some very easy 30 min spins and no running at all.
Now I hope to keep building up my strengh very slowly without further issues.

STRAVA INSTAGRAM
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Re: Psoas pain... worst injury ever?? [Dr. Triax] [ In reply to ]
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I've wondered if this has anything to do with my hip problems. I have had a hip/ abdominal issue for almost 5 yrs now with no resolution.
My therapist has wonder aloud if it was something to do with the psoas.....Hmm
Let me know how you make out.
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Re: Psoas pain... worst injury ever?? [Vincible] [ In reply to ]
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Vincible wrote:

The stretch I found most useful is to lay on your back, bring your feet towards your butt and lay your knees to one side will keeping your shoulders flat on the ground.
.

another to try -- grab a washcloth or small towel and lie on your back on a non-carpeted surface. Knees bent, feet flat on floor.

the washcloth goes under the injured-side foot. Now, dorsiflex the foot slightly and allow the heel to drag the cloth up to your butt, very very slowly, with back flat, and then back down. The key is to keep the sole of that foot very soft, and let the core retract the foot. This will work the psoas gently. You should feel a gentle roll if you're doing it right.
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Re: Psoas pain... worst injury ever?? [Dr. Triax] [ In reply to ]
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My physio swears by this odd "Egoscue" device:

http://www.crookedhuman.com/egoscuer-multi-positioning-tower-1127.html


Says most psoas "injuries" are really just a locked psoas that needs to be released, and this contraption puts you in a position that lets it release.


There are websites that describe how you can do a sort-of version of the same exercise with a chair or two.


<The Dew Abides>
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Re: Psoas pain... worst injury ever?? [Dr. Triax] [ In reply to ]
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I agree! Terrible injury! I injured mine last October after a fairly intense brick workout. Finally came to the conclusion that part of the issue was bike fit. Went in for a professional fit and turns out my seat was waaay to high. 6months later and pain was all but gone. Raced an Oly 2 weeks ago.......and some of the psoas pain was back. The only way I have found to somewhat "release" it, is to lay, stomach down, on a 6" massage ball and let it slowly stretch it. Sucks but works. I feel like this may be one of those injuries that may haunts me for the rest of my racing career........Hope not but feels that way.
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Re: Psoas pain... worst injury ever?? [Dr. Triax] [ In reply to ]
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There's light at the end of the tunnel but it might take a while and you should try to find a very good PT, if you haven't already. My fiance had this and for years, it was misdiagnosed as a variety of structural problems with her hip. After deciding to give it another try, she finally found someone who identified it correctly and it has been getting better, but along with rest, it's also required a prescribed set of (not entirely intuitive) exercises plus deep PSOAS massage, which apparently is extremely painful.

Good luck, you'll get through it! I know it's hard, but be patient. Maybe try to find some cross trainings in the meantime that are enjoyable for you and don't stress it. Maybe rowing?
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