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Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain
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Hi there,


my name is Mike, a 28-year-old male interested in running and soccer. Although I know this is a triathlon forum,
I consciously signed up for this forum as I have seen a lot of members giving great advice to other members
regarding several injuries. I want to share my long-lasting injury with you and hope that someone is able to give me some advice about it. The injury goes back to spring 2019, but I will try to make this post not too long by only highlighting the relevant history.


- April 2019: pulled my hamstring when starting a sprint in a soccer game, due to bad warming up for only 5 minutes
- Tried to fix it myself by resting and light running only. Light running went fine, but when speeding up the pace my hamstring really hurt for the next days (not necessarily during the running session)
- Went to a physiotherapist in October 2019; 2 times a week for about 4 months, including massage, trigger point release and exercises (plank, bridge, death lift, squat, lunge). No improvements.
- Went to another physiotherapist since I thought I may suffer from hamstring tendinopathy. Ultrasound device (echography) found no signs of tendinopathy. Another 4 months of training, primarily focuses on the hamstring (flywheel training, squatting, bridging with weights etc.). No improvement and same situation as before; no problems with light running, but sprinting work caused pain for the next days.
- From that time on I started to notice a sharp stabbing pain deep in my buttock, which occurred randomly during the day,
but especially during walking. The pain persist for some seconds and then goes away, coming back several times a day.
- Went to my general practioner and he thinks the pain comes from a pinched sciatic nerve, due to a (possibly)
changed posture due to the hamstring injury. He sent me to a chiropractor in order to relieve this pain.
- This chiropractor noticed quite a difference in leg length (about 2 centimeters) coming from a twisted hip, originating in the spine. Up until now I have had 12 sessions. The chiropractor says my spine is nearly in the right shape now. However, this stabbing buttock pain keeps showing up. He is about to send me to another physiotherapist, but given the history I am a bit skeptic of this form of therapy for my case.
- I notice that some stretches do help a bit (90/90 stretch), but not enough to prevent the stabbing pain from coming back.


So basically I am suffering from two injuries now; 1) the hamstring pain that I feel the days after I speed up my running pace and 2) the stabbing pain in my buttock, coming randomly during the day when walking. Maybe these two are linked to each other, but I am not sure about it. I think my hamstring is still not recovered due to scar tissue that has build up over the months. However, I hope to first overcome the buttock pain, since it is literally a pain in the ... and it keeps me from light running as well.


Still became a long post, sorry for that! Hope you guys may have some advice regarding my situation since I am getting a bit stuck, and it is already bothering me for almost 2 years. Thank you in advance :)


Kind regards!


Mike
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Re: Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain [Mike_] [ In reply to ]
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I had a similar experience a few years back: Pulled left hamstring that progressed to lower back ache and pain deep in left buttock.

A visit to a sports massage therapist helped the hamstring strain. They really worked the knots out of the muscles (whether that's actually what happens physically I don't know) and prescribed some exercises to follow as it healed. Sorry to hear that yours isn't healing quite as quickly.

They suggested some piriformis stretches for the pain in the butt. Adding these new stretches to my routine has made a massive difference and seems to fix any back or glute aches that crop up after hard bike or run sessions.
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Re: Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain [Mike_] [ In reply to ]
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Your injury sound suspiciously like mine from 2 years ago. In my case, I had a hamstring tendon partial tear at the ischial tuberosity (google it). After PT, etc only an MRI definitively diagnosed. Surgery ensued to clean up the area and put in set screws to initiate fully reattaching the tendon (as part of 6 month rehab). Been good since. Best of luck!

tinman
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Re: Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain [Mike_] [ In reply to ]
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I had very similar symptoms to you after I tore my right hamstring with deep, sharp and random pains occurring after the initial injury healed.

The only think that resolved it fully was strength training, especially deadlifts and, to a lesser extent squats. I did lots of stretching too.

Getting the muscle strong and lengthened again by doing the above made the issue disappear fully for me.
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Re: Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain [Mike_] [ In reply to ]
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I thought that dealing with random pains in the ass was just normal here on ST...
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Re: Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain [Mike_] [ In reply to ]
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Sorry to hear about this.
Since you have been suffering for some extended period of time without improvement, I would recommend your seeing a physician about this over physiotherapists and chiropractors.
While I hesitate to diagnose from a distance, one of the most common causes of this type of sharp, deep, stabbing pain the the buttock is piriformis syndrome, which can be diagnosed in the office with some bedside provocation maneuvers. The hamstring pain may be a separate condition or it may be a radiation of the impinged sciatic nerve from piriformis syndrome. This is a very treatable condition, but again requires specific diagnosis and treatment regimen—best addressed by a physician who is seeing you, and not from the likes of board posters like me!

Good luck to you, and hope you feel better soon.
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Re: Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain [Mike_] [ In reply to ]
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I'd get someone to film you running and see if you can spot any issues in your stride. My hamstring/tush issues act up when I overstride.

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain [Mike_] [ In reply to ]
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Try standing stiff leg calf raises - high reps until you feel it in your glute and cant continue. For me this seems to "floss" the calf, hamstring and glute chain.
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Re: Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain [chief10] [ In reply to ]
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Hi Chief10,

thanks for your reply! I think there are indeed some knots / built up scar tissues to my hamstring that need to be 'removed'. Concerning the piriformis stretches, do you remember which stretches helped you? I did notice some improvement with the 90/90 stretch as well, maybe I should pick them up again.

Kind regards!
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Re: Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain [tinman] [ In reply to ]
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Tinman, good to hear your surgery went well and you are good since. I don't think my tendon is damaged as they checked this with the ultrasound device and they were pretty sure that it looked good. Will keep this in mind though, thanks for you reply!
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Re: Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain [Sandrhodie] [ In reply to ]
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Hi Sandrhodie,

did you have deep, sharp, random pains in the buttock or in the hamstring? You refer to a lot of stretching too, something that has helped me to a certain degree as well. Do you remember which stretches helped you? Thanks!
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Re: Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain [Jae K] [ In reply to ]
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HI Jae K,

you are absolutely right, especially since it is bothering me for so long already. However, I have been to my GP already. He performed some tests / provocation on me and he was pretty sure the buttock pain came from a pinched nerve. He then directed me to a chiropractor. I just hoped that people here have had the same injury in the past and are able to give me some tips/advice. Thank you for your reply!

Mike
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Re: Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain [Mike_] [ In reply to ]
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Mike_ wrote:
Hi Chief10,

thanks for your reply! I think there are indeed some knots / built up scar tissues to my hamstring that need to be 'removed'. Concerning the piriformis stretches, do you remember which stretches helped you? I did notice some improvement with the 90/90 stretch as well, maybe I should pick them up again.

Kind regards!

Indeed, the therapist described the treatment as "liquifying" the muscle fibres, really working them apart. It actually weakens the muscle in the short term, I took 2 weeks off running and just did (light) strength exercises to encourage the muscle to heal the right way. Note that I wasted 6 weeks trying rest, stretching etc before getting it looked at and it still worked.

I mostly did the piriformis stretches listed here:

https://www.spine-health.com/...and-physical-therapy

The yoga pigeon pose also helps, probably similar to the 90-90. All the best.
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Re: Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain [Mike_] [ In reply to ]
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Have you considered a producing disc in your lumbar spine? An L4/L5 protruding disc can zing the nerve that is deep in your ass. I had issues with that for a while and was able to remedy with PT instead of surgery and it is gone. And I learned a lot about my spine posture that has been very beneficial.

Hillary Trout
San Luis Obispo, CA

Your trip is short. Make the most of it.
https://www.slogoing.net/
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Re: Strange buttock injury, random stabbing pain [Mike_] [ In reply to ]
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Hi, Mike
They were sharp and random in my buttock - deep inside, roughly in the middle. With the benefit of hindsight now it must have been on the insertion point on the ischial tuberosity. The pains were worse during running and a stretch of about 60 seconds every 10 minutes or so was enough to keep them at bay.

They were just the typical hammy stretches with the leg straight and in front with toes up and torso leaning down with hands on the opposite knee.

I hardly felt any pain in the hammy after the initial tear had healed. Once again, lots of strength work combined with stretching sorted it out.

Best of luck!
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