Never ending hip pain

Triathlon Forum
1

Just checking to see if I am missing anything obvious.

-In my early 50s.

-Been a “runner” from highschool to my early 40s.

-Last five years I can barely run fifteen minutes without pain in my hip flexor(s), or quads, or lower back, or upper IT band. Nothing acute happened, I just let my running consistency slip a bit, and as I started to ramp up again I was met with these random pains.

-can’t run more than a day or two in a row without a lot pain.

-pain is not like a muscle pull, or ITB, it is more sharp and “pinching”. It is not always in the same place. It is pretty acute. I can also feel it simply walking up stairs or that kind of thing.

-ultrasound shows a little bit of inflammation in IT band around the hip (left is worse that right, but right isn’t perfect), but that’s it. Nothing else note worthy.

-can’t sleep on my sides (feels like what I think hip bursitis feels like, but sportsmed guy says its not bursitis), but lately also can’t sleep on my back bc lower back is sore now overnight. I basically wake up every 45 minutes unless I take a bunch of aspirin before bed.

-I sit a lot of the day

-My doc says this is all based on weak glute meds, and the fact that my glutes aren’t activating (a term I hate).

  • suggestion is to roll glutes on a lacrosse ball, and do a ton of glute med strengthening work (which I have been doing for about three months).

I can cycle and swim fine, but whip kick will leave me with tweaks all over my hips for a day or so.

Sorry for the stream of conciousness, but it is hard to describe. Looking to see if anyone else has been through something similar.

This is so crazy frustrating. Not only have I not been able to run for the last three years, I am now barely able to sleep. I have been going to physio off an on for years now and two different sports docs. All say about the same thing, but none can figure out why it isn’t going away. It isn’t getting worse (although I haven’t run in four months), but it isn’t getting better at all.

Any thoughts appreciated.

2

If it’s stopping you sleeping it doesn’t sound like muscle pain.

Can you get an MRI to see if you have joint degeneration?

3

Sounds a lot like my wife’s torn labrum symptoms. You’d need an MRI (ideally with contrast) to be sure. But I’m not (that kind of) a doctor.

4

Have you tried using a massage gun? My situation was similar to yours, ongoing hip bursitis (possibly) and same age: 50 plus. Tried one out, had good results and bought one on Amazon for $90 with amazing results. Lacrosse ball and rolling did nothing for me.

5

Sounds a lot like my wife’s torn labrum symptoms. You’d need an MRI (ideally with contrast) to be sure. But I’m not (that kind of) a doctor.

As a former breaststroker who no longer does whip kick to not re-injure a surgically repaired torn labrum, I concur a bit.

To the OP: how flexible are your hip flexors and hamstrings? Tightness in these muscles can throw things out of balance and cause referred pain and injuries.

6

Have you seen a hip orthopedic specialist? Have you gotten an mri on your hips.

I agree with others that this could be a torn labrum or some kind of hip dysplasia.

7

I had something similar and did all the things. Ended up being labrum. The only way to know is go see a specialist. Easiest and quickest way to a solution.

8

I had something similar and did all the things. Ended up being labrum. The only way to know is go see a specialist. Easiest and quickest way to a solution.

Thanks all.

Sounds like labrum is the word of the day. I have had “enhanced ultrasounds” (whatever that is) which my sports med doc said ruled out tears, but I will press him and pursue an MRI.

Getting old is barely worth it.

9

Hello. I am you. 58 years of age, 20 years of triathlon of all distances.

#1 Avoid sitting. Really. I think sitting ruins our hips over time. If you’re reading the paper at breakfast, kneel and do hip flexor stretches. If watching TV, get on the floor and do stretches. Sure, when you’re in the car or at work maybe you can’t avoid it as easily (but try! - who cares what others think), but at all other times DO NOT SIT. I am recently retired so i can avoid it a lot more.

#2 Imaging is useless (unless you have a profound problem, which i don’t think you do). Here’s what it will take: stretching and muscle release. Both. Not one or the other. Both. I will not exercise now unless i can budget time for stretching and/or deep massage (lacrosse ball is perfect for hips, piriformis). The window closes quickly, so leave the rest for later. You have knots (“pressure points”, whatever else you want to call it, but not “scar tissue”) and foreshortened muscle fibers. Warning: it will get worse before it gets better (by that i mean it will hurt more). Stick with it.

If you want it bad enough you will invest the time. Good luck.

10

Yes. I’m 55 and 5 yrs ago faced similar issues. Saw doc for ultrasound, saw PT. No help.

It felt like my hips but intuitively I felt if I could just pull everything apart it would feel better.

I did stretches to open up the hips.

But I feel the thing that fixed it was water running.

With a noodle under your arms run in the water. In the deep end. Everything below the noodle wants to sink so a nice light traction is developed. The running gets the muscles moving.

10 to 15 minutes 3 to 4 times per week. ( every swim workout)

Can do without noodle but harder.

After 2 months all was right with hips again.

If I feel any twinge I get back on the ewater running wagon.

I maintain it now just once a week or so.

11

Hello. I am you. 58 years of age, 20 years of triathlon of all distances.

#1 Avoid sitting. Really. I think sitting ruins our hips over time. If you’re reading the paper at breakfast, kneel and do hip flexor stretches. If watching TV, get on the floor and do stretches. Sure, when you’re in the car or at work maybe you can’t avoid it as easily (but try! - who cares what others think), but at all other times DO NOT SIT. I am recently retired so i can avoid it a lot more.

#2 Imaging is useless (unless you have a profound problem, which i don’t think you do). Here’s what it will take: stretching and muscle release. Both. Not one or the other. Both. I will not exercise now unless i can budget time for stretching and/or deep massage (lacrosse ball is perfect for hips, piriformis). The window closes quickly, so leave the rest for later. You have knots (“pressure points”, whatever else you want to call it, but not “scar tissue”) and foreshortened muscle fibers. Warning: it will get worse before it gets better (by that i mean it will hurt more). Stick with it.

If you want it bad enough you will invest the time. Good luck.

Thanks for this - it is a good motivator to remind me to stay consistent and committed to the rehab. Have you been able to get back to running and/or reducing daily pain?

12

Hello. I am you. 58 years of age, 20 years of triathlon of all distances.

#1 Avoid sitting. Really. I think sitting ruins our hips over time. If you’re reading the paper at breakfast, kneel and do hip flexor stretches. If watching TV, get on the floor and do stretches. Sure, when you’re in the car or at work maybe you can’t avoid it as easily (but try! - who cares what others think), but at all other times DO NOT SIT. I am recently retired so i can avoid it a lot more.

#2 Imaging is useless (unless you have a profound problem, which i don’t think you do). Here’s what it will take: stretching and muscle release. Both. Not one or the other. Both. I will not exercise now unless i can budget time for stretching and/or deep massage (lacrosse ball is perfect for hips, piriformis). The window closes quickly, so leave the rest for later. You have knots (“pressure points”, whatever else you want to call it, but not “scar tissue”) and foreshortened muscle fibers. Warning: it will get worse before it gets better (by that i mean it will hurt more). Stick with it.

If you want it bad enough you will invest the time. Good luck.

Thanks for this - it is a good motivator to remind me to stay consistent and committed to the rehab. Have you been able to get back to running and/or reducing daily pain?

I’d respectfully disagree with the ‘imaging is useless’ statement. It’s not going to fix anything, but you should find out whether or not you have a torn labrum and/or CAM/FAI, and then plan your rehab based on the findings.
For me, a regular MRI diagnosed the CAM/FAI, and an MRI with contrast dye was used to determine if I had a torn labrum (which I did not).
Regarding the ultrasound test…from google:
“MR arthrography (MRI w/contrast) is indicated in cases where ultrasound is negative, but the patient suffers continued, specific symptoms.”

13

Hello. I am you. 58 years of age, 20 years of triathlon of all distances.

#1 Avoid sitting. Really. I think sitting ruins our hips over time. If you’re reading the paper at breakfast, kneel and do hip flexor stretches. If watching TV, get on the floor and do stretches. Sure, when you’re in the car or at work maybe you can’t avoid it as easily (but try! - who cares what others think), but at all other times DO NOT SIT. I am recently retired so i can avoid it a lot more.

#2 Imaging is useless (unless you have a profound problem, which i don’t think you do). Here’s what it will take: stretching and muscle release. Both. Not one or the other. Both. I will not exercise now unless i can budget time for stretching and/or deep massage (lacrosse ball is perfect for hips, piriformis). The window closes quickly, so leave the rest for later. You have knots (“pressure points”, whatever else you want to call it, but not “scar tissue”) and foreshortened muscle fibers. Warning: it will get worse before it gets better (by that i mean it will hurt more). Stick with it.

If you want it bad enough you will invest the time. Good luck.

Thanks for this - it is a good motivator to remind me to stay consistent and committed to the rehab. Have you been able to get back to running and/or reducing daily pain?

I’d respectfully disagree with the ‘imaging is useless’ statement. It’s not going to fix anything, but you should find out whether or not you have a torn labrum and/or CAM/FAI, and then plan your rehab based on the findings.
For me, a regular MRI diagnosed the CAM/FAI, and an MRI with contrast dye was used to determine if I had a torn labrum (which I did not).
Regarding the ultrasound test…from google:
“MR arthrography (MRI w/contrast) is indicated in cases where ultrasound is negative, but the patient suffers continued, specific symptoms.”

Agree with this, and firmly disagree with the statement “imaging is useless”. My long-term worsening hip pain did not respond to any amount of rest and physiotherapy and it was never going to. Contrast MRI showed cam FAI and the labrum torn nicely away from the acetabular. Subsequent hip arthroscopy found damage (grade III) to the articular cartilage in my hip socket. No amount of pilates was going to re-shape my hip, re-attach my labrum or prevent further damage to my cartilage. And failing to act would have allowed it to get worse.

I hope for the OP that it isn’t FAI with subsequent damage to the labrum or cartilage. I didn’t run for a full year before surgery, and haven’t run (yet) for 9 months since. The running I did before I stopped was just causing more and more damage. I’d personally see an orthopedic consultant, ideally a hip specialist, and get some imaging as soon as you can. I wish I’d done that sooner.

Cheers, Rich.

14

Sounds like you may have a torn labrum(s). I have them in both hips confirmed by MRI. I’ve been able to manage the pain/discomfort mostly by doing PT exercises at least a few times per week, just like 10-15 minutes per session. I’ve done 50-100 mile runs with the tears and never had surgery.

15

Imaging is not useless. An MRI will give you a diagnosis or rule out a diagnosis - therefore allowing you to do the right rehab. Without it you are working blind and might spend a year doing exercises that won’t help at all.

16

Interesting!

I’m having similar issues with right hip. M44, doing marathons and triathlons for the last decade. Right quad doesn’t feel right (see what I did here!) for the last 2 years. Symptoms are different from simple pain after 2 hours of running to light spasms when I go to bed.

Tried PT, yoga, strengthening, the pain goes away and comes back.

Hmm, do I have to go to a doctor or something…

17

Tried PT, yoga, strengthening, the pain goes away and comes back.

Once the pain goes away, are you stopping the PT, yoga and stretching? Don’t, just reduce the frequency once you are pain free.

18

I can’t add to any of the above but can offer a hug and I’m sorry you’re going through this.

19

Yes. I’m 55 and 5 yrs ago faced similar issues. Saw doc for ultrasound, saw PT. No help.

It felt like my hips but intuitively I felt if I could just pull everything apart it would feel better.

I did stretches to open up the hips.

But I feel the thing that fixed it was water running.

With a noodle under your arms run in the water. In the deep end. Everything below the noodle wants to sink so a nice light traction is developed. The running gets the muscles moving.

10 to 15 minutes 3 to 4 times per week. ( every swim workout)

Can do without noodle but harder.

After 2 months all was right with hips again.

If I feel any twinge I get back on the ewater running wagon.

I maintain it now just once a week or so.

I wonder if an elipical (we have an arc runner) would also work since it’s no impact.

20

I wonder if an elipical (we have an arc runner) would also work since it’s no impact.

That’s a good idea. Cycling is fine, so that might be a good alternative to running for now.