When I stretch the right leg/hip (as shown in the picture) the red arrow is where I feel a pinching feeling with no stretch feeling in the area indicated by the green arrow. I don’t feel the stretch even if I push the knee away. Pushing the knee away by utilizing my abductors does lesson the pinch feeling.
When I stretch my left leg/hip area, I have no pinch feeling and feel the stretch in the hip area indicated by the green arrow. I assume I should feel the stretching where the green arrow indicates, regardless of which side I am stretching.
Picture B is the actual way I stretch by placing my foot on a wall.
I have been having issues with my right hip for some time now (~2 months). Pushing a prowler aggravates it as does squatting. Deadlifting does not. The pain (a burning feeling similar to having rotator issues if you have had them) keeps me awake or prevents me from sleeping most nights.
Occasionally, the pain will be in the back around the top of the glute, but most often at the top of front of my hip near the crease, pretty much in the same area as the pinching feeling but slightly lower. I have no issues with walking, sitting, standing, just lying down to sleep.
Just tonight I was able to hit the area with my pvc roller so perhaps that will alleviate the issue. I haven’t been to a doctor because they are going to give me NSAIDS and tell me to stop doing whatever hurts. I have stopped doing what hurts and am going to give pvc rolling and stretching a go for a bit and see if that helps.
Anyone know what is going on or have/had anything similar?
Sounds like it’s tightness in the red area. Can you describe the discomfort you have with squats/prowler pushes? This might be too aggressive/advanced of a stretch for that side right now. Is there anything else you’re doing for that side? Example: Forward lunge stretch
From this part, it sounds like your illacus or psoas is tight. The psoas wraps around to the back. The best way to address these is through mobility work and some static stretches. I can give you some if you think this is something you want to try.
And BTW, we careful with using PVC rolling in this area. It’s a strong area, but there are lots of structures that will tighten up if you’re too forceful with the rolling. If anything, I would advise against direct rolling and just do gentle massage with your hands.
The pain doesn’t occur while prowling or squatting (i.e. it feels “tight” or “pinched” while in bottom of squat) but later that night or the next day HURTS LIKE HECK. Stretching and rolling alleviate that but only for a certain amount of time.
I agree I have tight musculature there. I avoided stretching them for a long time thinking I might have anterior glide syndrome because my right glute has trouble firing unless I activate it first and I had read that stretching them could make the syndrome worse.
I do a stretching routine I found on T-Nation but can’t find it now. It is a series of stretches for the entire body and I have tweaked some of them or so slight variations. One I do is the Samson stretch while pressing a wooden pole overhead to work on keeping my chest up.
For mobility work, I use (99% of the time) DeFranco’s Agile 8 to warm up for lower body workouts or one I got from Diesel Crew that consists of more moves but using only 3 reps for each movement.
My plan now is to stretch, mobilize and not prowl or squat for a bit to see if it subsides. If that doesn’t work, I am going to the doc…
Thank you for your advice and please shoot some movements and stretches my way.
[quote]blake b wrote:
The pain doesn’t occur while prowling or squatting (i.e. it feels “tight” or “pinched” while in bottom of squat) but later that night or the next day HURTS LIKE HECK. Stretching and rolling alleviate that but only for a certain amount of time.
I agree I have tight musculature there. I avoided stretching them for a long time thinking I might have anterior glide syndrome because my right glute has trouble firing unless I activate it first and I had read that stretching them could make the syndrome worse.
I do a stretching routine I found on T-Nation but can’t find it now. It is a series of stretches for the entire body and I have tweaked some of them or so slight variations. One I do is the Samson stretch while pressing a wooden pole overhead to work on keeping my chest up.
For mobility work, I use (99% of the time) DeFranco’s Agile 8 to warm up for lower body workouts or one I got from Diesel Crew that consists of more moves but using only 3 reps for each movement.
My plan now is to stretch, mobilize and not prowl or squat for a bit to see if it subsides. If that doesn’t work, I am going to the doc…
Thank you for your advice and please shoot some movements and stretches my way. [/quote]
Increase mobility work for hips and work on proper bodyweight squat form. Work on having perfect bodyweight squat form and focus on sitting really sitting back rather than dropping down. This will be most helpful for restoring mobility in hips.
As far as other exercises, do what is recommended in below article:
When in lunge position, include dynamic movements like forward and back, side to side, and circles. Focus on good form.
[quote]beefcakemdphd wrote:
Google “trochanteric bursitis” - see if the site matches your pain. Also google “tensor fascia lata”, see if this site matches as well.
[/quote]
Yes the pain matches the bursitis. I had tensor fascia lata in my left leg… but got rid of it with stretching and foam and pvc rolling.
Backinaction, thanks for the help. Poor squat form, I have no doubt, has contributed to my situation, if not caused it. I also started direct glute work, ala Bret Contreras, about a month ago. All my squat/DL assistance has become direct glute work. Hip thrusts on squat day and one leg reverse hypers on DL day.
I’ve had the same problem with a couple of my clients. It’s your hip flexors. (General term… . In one of my clients, it was her psoas.)
Go get it checked out by a physiotherapist, they will do some intense band assisted passive stretching that you can’t possibly do on your own, believe me, I have tried every mobility exercise and stretch imaginable. . you will be very limited in your ability to apply your own mobility techniques due to the pinch.
Within a few months of this therapy, the pinch will subside.
Do you run a lot now? Your hip flexors could also be pretty inflamed. Do you do a lot of sit ups?
You will also benefit from some eccentrics training to your hip flexors to build some strength. Stay away from fast hip flexion motions (especially running) and do some biking instead if you need the cardio.
Edit - Boyle’s hip flexor stretch is the best one I’ve found for the psoas, since it connects posterior, the angled bottom leg works very well.
[quote]Im_New_Feed_Me wrote:
I’ve had the same problem with a couple of my clients. It’s your hip flexors. (General term… . In one of my clients, it was her psoas.)
Go get it checked out by a physiotherapist, they will do some intense band assisted passive stretching that you can’t possibly do on your own, believe me, I have tried every mobility exercise and stretch imaginable. . you will be very limited in your ability to apply your own mobility techniques due to the pinch.
Within a few months of this therapy, the pinch will subside.
Do you run a lot now? Your hip flexors could also be pretty inflamed. Do you do a lot of sit ups?
You will also benefit from some eccentrics training to your hip flexors to build some strength. Stay away from fast hip flexion motions (especially running) and do some biking instead if you need the cardio.
Edit - Boyle’s hip flexor stretch is the best one I’ve found for the psoas, since it connects posterior, the angled bottom leg works very well.
The only running I was doing was prowler sprints but I haven’t been doing them since this really flared up. For abs, I’ve been doing hanging leg raises which I don’t feel in the hip flexors, just the abs and using an ab wheel. I have been thinking of adding in direct work to them… I’ll do some eccentrics to see if that helps. Thanks also for the stretch!
Edit: Just tried that stretch… I couldn’t even get into position with my right leg/hip… Guess I will have to work up to it.
Try “IT band” focused stretching. You can find these on line. Gluteus medius strenghening (both open and closed chain) will also help as well. You probably need to change your squat mechanics. Things to consider are:
stance width 2) toe angle 3) shoe wear. Also, if you have too high of an arch for flat feet, this will adversely affect the IT band.
I just did an IT band stretch (the one where you stand and cross your legs…) WOW… tightness galore in the glute medius and into the maximus…
You guys are a great help to me.
I’ve already tried narrowing my squat stance but that makes me point my toes out to about 45 deg if I want to get close to depth. I am currently using Adidas Sambas to squat in. I’ve tried actual squat shoes in the past and didn’t like them.
While experimenting with many of the aforementioned stretches, etc… I discovered that stretching my adductors prior to attempting the pictured stretch reduces greatly the pinching feeling.
"Occasionally, the pain will be in the back around the top of the glute, but most often at the top of front of my hip near the crease, pretty much in the same area as the pinching feeling but slightly lower.
Sounds like you have an SIJ issue (Sacroiliac joint). Generally with injury to the joint, pain will be in the lower back region (as you described just around the top of the glute). It also tends to radiate into the anterior portion of your hip as well as other places.
Best to see a manipulative therapist who will not only manipulate your SIJ, they will also give you a proper rehab program to correct muscular imbalances.
i find myself asking “why is something tight” - that until we get at what seems to be triggering the tightness - such that there is a perceived requirement for constant stretching - then is that really the best place to focus treatment? BackInAction suggests alot of mobility work. i’d be more inclined too to investigate that, see how the quality of the movement is and look at where movement may need to open up. After all, the site of pain is not the source of pain always - so where in the chain may better relief be offered?
in other words, just because we know where something is, doesn’t mean we have the right lever yet to relieve it.
[quote]blake b wrote:
While experimenting with many of the aforementioned stretches, etc… I discovered that stretching my adductors prior to attempting the pictured stretch reduces greatly the pinching feeling.[/quote]
it may be that you’re actually openning up space for the nerve - that what you’re doing is not about the muscle or tendon per se but about the nerve and so finding ways to zero in on that will help - along with finding out what in your movement may be inducing this shut down to begin with.
If you want to accelerate the process conenct with a movement specialist. if you pm me your location and i know anyone who can help who’s nearby i’m happy to recommend.
