Chronic Deep Hip Pain - MD Advise Please
I am a 56-year old, 3-time Ironman finisher who is now in the 10th month of an aggravating condition that I briefly had once in my mid 30’s, once again three years ago, and now. The pain is most severe when and after running, although cycling in the aero position in too big of a gear can aggravate it just as much, and feels like the joints are basically just breaking down. When running it simply feels like the legs are not able to “stay in the socket” anymore, so I am forced to take shorter and shorter steps. The pain can be simulated by standing, extending one foot out in front of the other, and pulling it backwards while maintaining pressure on the floor. The pain, felt very deep inside (not on the outside) and under the protruding bones at the base of the buttocks can be greatly felt as well by any sudden twisting movement or bending at the waist, and can be tremendously aggravated by extended periods of sitting in a car or in a slouched position, especially on any hard surface where I have “rocked” backwards off of the seat bones. I have been to a nationally recognized sports doctor who, after bilateral MRI’s of the hips, believes my condition to be a tendonopathy or chronic inflammation of the high upper attachments of both hamstrings. There is no evidence on the films of any major connective or skeletal condition. After 3 months of physical therapy, strengthening certain areas, trying to ice (too deep to be very effective), and recovering from secondary injuries actually caused by the therapist because he was testing my “Ironman-ness”, my sports doctor has no solution other than less activity with mild stretching (supposedly that connective area is hard to adequately stretch), or a radical procedure that severely inflames the area by needle probes in hopes of the body repairing itself. (Not something I will pursue anytime soon.) In his words, this condition, unrelated to the sciatic nerve, is a very difficult problem to fix. So, are there any ideas that might yield a solution, temporary or permanent? I do feel that I have some years left and would love to continue this active lifestyle.
Obviously, get a second and third opinion.
My deep hip pain emanates from IT Band problems and the foam roller-stretching routine helps.
I am in the 50-54 AG and understand that some pain just never completely goes away and you hope to minimize the cumulative damage.
Good luck with your endeavor to find pain relief.