I really hope you guy’s can help me, I’m 9 weeks out from Placid and have been unable to complete a long run for the last four weeks. I have severe pain in my hip joint/buttock region that is only aggravated when I run. Biking/swimming seem to be fine at this point. Went to the doctor and had an MRI done; found four bulging discs in my lower back along with spinal stenosis. Doc seems to think it could be related to discs, I think it might be a muscle/tendon issue due to the fact that I can still bike/swim.
Pain feels like major charlie horse in hip/buttock region after 4-5 miles running. Anybody else experienced this? If so, any good remedies? Please help, I really want to race IMLP.
First, Sorry that this is happening at this time of year. Many have been there including myself. Anyway, when you say “HIP” are you referring to your Sacroiliac joint or your actual Hip joint? SI (sacroiliac pain) is typically at the base of your spine off to one side or the other. Is it only on one side? Does it pop or click? worse with running up or down hills? how about after sitting for long periods of time? what makes it worse or better?
MRI’s will show many things we are not looking for. Bulging discs are pretty much benign for the most part, but not all of the time so from your description I would just chalk the MRI results as… “so what are we going to do about it?” Answer: Nothing except for conservative therapy with either a DC or PT.
From what you gave re: history etc I would say SI joint involvement but answer the above questions and I will do my best to get back to you ASAP. However, what I would suggest is an appointment with either a PT or a DC (both should be sports minded). This could be a very quick fix or not that fast at all. Give me some more info and we may be able to get to the bottom of this. ERIK
I feel your pain. I dealt with Hip/back pain prior to IMLP. I saw a DC and he saved me. He practices ART, Active Release Technique, and also uses this form of torture called Graston Technique. A combination of seeing him, deep tissue massages, and hip-flexor and glute stretches saved me. He also cracked my hip knuckle that felt incredible. If you can’t find a Chiropractor that practices ART check http://www.activerelease.com/. I don’t where you are located, my DC was in Manchester, NH.
The DC gave me the following stretch that loosened up my hip flexors, which eased up the pulling on my pelvis, and hence the hip and back pain ceased. I also saw a PT that was a total waste of time.
The world’s greatest hip-flexor stretch.
WARNING: DO THIS SLOWLY
Start on your hands and knees with your feet against the wall. Slide your right foot straight up the wall, toes pointed to the sky, while letting your right knee slide back against the wall. Place your left foot flat on the floor for leverage and lean your torso back toward the wall. Your torso should be close to vertical (maybe not the first couple of times). Your left ankle, knee, and hip should be at 90 °. This is where it starts to get uncomfortable. During the entire stretch suck your bellybutton toward your spine. Slowly reach for the sky with your right hand and hold the stretch for 20 – 30 seconds. After this, switch hands and reach for the sky with your left hand and hold for 20 – 30 seconds. Finally, place your right hand on your right hip and allow your hips and left knee to move forward, all the while keeping your torso vertical, hold for 20 – 30 seconds. Repeat for opposite side.
Hip/glute stretch
Lay on your back, legs straight and bring one leg, knee bent to your chest and across toward the opposite armpit. Have someone put their body weight on your bent knee as you try to push them back with your knee for 10 – 20 seconds. Relax and allow their weight to stretch your hip/glute and then push back again. Repeat this a couple of times as necessary. Repeat for opposite side.
Glute stretch
Lay on your back, feet flat on floor, knees at 90 °. Place your right ankle on your left quad just above the knee. Grab your left knee with both hands and pull toward you chest. Hold for 20 – 30 seconds. Repeat for opposite sides.
I had this pain about 4 years ago after some military training.
I was diagnosed as having SI joint dysfunction. For me it took about 6 visits for crackin at the Chiro and he gave me exercises to do nightly.
Along with the stretches mentioned earlier you might want to try the ‘scared cat’ stretch by starting neutral back position on all fours (knees and hands) and basically pushing up your spine like a scared cat would with its fur.
Another is to bow and sit back on your heels while stretching forward.
It’s a shame about the stenosis and the discs, I just had surgery for stenosis and a disc about 2 months ago. Recovery is slow…very slow.
Have you used a foam roller before? if not get a hold of one and find some vidoes on youtube of glut massage, you can also use a tennis ball to do this.
Do you live in a flat area/ is most of your run training flat?
Its possible you are not activating your gluts when biking or running leading to unconditioned and injury prone gluts. Again search you tube for glut activation/ conditioning exercises.
This will help remedy the situation rappidly if this is the problem.
Getting a definitive diagnose of the cause of hip pain can be very challenging and expensive.
This has been very well covered in previous threads. Just about every differential diagnosis for hip pain was covered in them. Use the search option on slow twitch and include different key words. eg. hip injury, it band, sciatic nerve etc… Go right back to November 2007.
Stretching has helped the inflammed hip symtoms I have had for a few years. Infact one physio used his whole body weight to apply a few stretches to my hip and it really seemed to work. He was also a very accomplished ironman athlete so was pretty specialised.
Shallow disc bulging at L3-L4 most pronounced at the designated L 4-L5 with mild forminal encraochment on both left and right in conjunction with low-grade facet arthrosis contributes to mild foraminal narrowing and low-grade central canal stenosis.
L5-S1 is transitional with small disc and a rightward eccentric shallow disc displacement.
Transitional lumbosacral segment labled L5-S1 on left.
What do you think ? I can ride and swim just fine but the run is killing me.
Toby,
Thanks for the MRI report. I see that sort of report rather frequently especially from older athletes. I am unsure of your age and I need to know that as well as the answers to the other questions I asked in my first reply in order to ATTEMPT and help you here. As others in this and in other posts have mentioned, having an actual hands on exam is much more beneficial than having someone on the net help. I am glad to try and help you but without an exam, an adequate history and actually seeing who you are I cannot help as much as I wish I could. I am a Sports Chiropractor myself living in Bellingham, WA. Let me know where you live and i MAY be able to point you in the right direction of someone who can help. Answer the original questions and I wll get back to you. Good overall information from others who have posted but I am cautious with giving any advice over the internet as you can understand. Looking forward to hearing back. ERIK
Chief,
Who do you see in Manchester?
I have gone to Boston for ART previously. One guy who said he did ART in Manchester did not really do ART. I will have to try your hip flexor stretch.
Could definitely be an SI issue… my guess is that 75% of triathletes have some degree of hypomobility in their SI joint (hey, who wouldn’t after sitting on a bike for 6 hours!)? If you’re looking into chiro treatment, and/or ART, you could also explore Cyriax frictioning of the ligaments back there… the SI ligament and the Illiolumbar ligament. It’s really NOT pleasant, but it might help if it becomes a chronic problem for you. Cyriax is often applied for different types of tendinitis. And, if you have a good MT you can go to, ask them to work on your illiopsoas… most MTs do not even consider these muscles when they do sports massage, but they SHOULD… especially on triathletes, as they are hip flexor muscles that originate at your lumbar vertebrae. They are so deep in your abdomen though, that MTs tend to ignore them, or are just to chicken to do the work Good luck.
Thanks for all the advice, I just went to the DC and had the Graston Treatment - WOW, it is truly painful but I’m to the point where I’ll do about anything to get me through IMLP…seeing that I’ve already lost 4 weeks of running. Keep any advice coming!!!
I saw Dr. Reinfurt, Manchester Chiropractic and Sports Injury, 70 Queen City Ave, Manchester, NH 03103, (603) 647-2023. I dealt with back and hip pain for years. He was the one to properly diagnose and fix me. Good luck!
Unless, I am totally missing your description, this sounds like your tensor fascia lata and gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. It’s just above and behind the greater trochanter, right???(The big bony bump on the side of your hip?) If this is correct, you need to strengthen and stretch your TFL, ITB and Gluteus medius. Massage might help. Who knows, a little ART or accupuncture might help, too.
Good luck.