Hip Pain II

[indysteel]

Oakleaf's thread and Knotted's very helpful answer have inspired me to post my own hip pain question. Knotted, sorry to take advantage of your expertise, but I'm just looking for some general guidance. I have a tendency to just suffer through injury.

Late last winter (December maybe), I started having low back and hip pain on my right side. The pain wasn't consistent. I didn't feel it all the time and it wasn't always in the exact same spot. A lot had changed in my routine this past fall. I was spending a lot more time driving, we had otten a new mattress, and I'd gone back to yoga after a short hiatus. I couldn't pin down exactly what was causing it, but because it hurt quite a bit when I stood up from a chair, I assumed that my psoas muscle was involved, and I started doing some stretches/releases with some success. I was also watching how I sat in my office chair, making a better effort to uncross my legs/keep my feet on the floor.

Then I went to a "core conditioning" class for the first time. It was a pilates mat class more or less. From there, things got ugly. Within a day of the class, I felt like I'd pulled something in my groin, and my ROM went from extremely limber to extremly tight. I can still barely open up that hip. For instance, I can't really do Baddha Kanasana or Janu Sirsasana anymore. My left hip opens up just fine. When the injury first happened, my other (seemingly unrelated) hip pain started up again with a vengeance. I could barely stand up straight at times, and my hip would almost lock up--deep in my glute--while I was walking. This happened a week before my honeymoon in Europe, so parts of my trip were rather painful.

Once I returned from Europe, the worst of the psoas (I think) muscle issues were better, but my groin continues to hurt. I get some relief from yoga. I stretch it a bit during class, but mostly avoid certain poses. Cycling does not hurt at all; walking does a bit. It doesn't really respond to ice or pain relievers. Oddly enough, the one stretch that seems to feel good to me is an IT band stretch I used to do for my knee. I'm so confused!

Anyway, I keep putting off seeing a doctor, because I find her to be less than helpful when it comes to sports or soft tissue injuries. That, and I'm not sure when I could do physical therapy.

If anybody has any insight, I'd love to hear it. And if the advice is to see a doctor, I'll bite the bullet and do so.

[KnottedYet]

Wanna try doing the same thing I told Oak?

[indysteel]

I will. Thanks!

Is it bad to gently stretch the groin? I originally assumed I just pulled something, but this has been going on since April with on modest improvement.

[KnottedYet]

It might just be pointless to stretch the groin, but probably won't hurt anything.

Muscles don't get tight just because they get a wild hair and spontaneously decide to tighten.

They tighten for a reason. Until you clear up the reason, they will just keep tightening up.

Stretching a chronically tight muscle can be a nice hobby. You can do it for years and years and years...

You did something to your back or hip. No biggie. Normally they fix themselves, maybe yours just needs a little extra push.

Try the one-step-at-a-time thing I wrote up for Oak. (remember, STOP the steps when you find something that makes you better) Again, if none of the 3 basic moves do diddley-squat, go to your doctor.

[KnottedYet]

It might just be pointless to stretch the groin, but probably won't hurt anything.

Muscles don't get tight just because they get a wild hair and spontaneously decide to tighten.

They tighten for a reason. Until you clear up the reason, they will just keep tightening up.

Stretching a chronically tight muscle can be a nice hobby. You can do it for years and years and years...

You did something to your back or hip. No biggie. Normally they fix themselves, maybe yours just needs a little extra push.

Try the one-step-at-a-time thing I wrote up for Oak. (remember, STOP the steps when you find something that makes you better) Again, if none of the 3 basic moves do diddley-squat, go to your doctor.

I need to add: the sideways banananana hip push thing is "sore hand on sore hip, push!" So if your pain is on the right, it is right hand on right hip, push everything leftwards. If your pain is on the left, it is left hand on left hip and push everything rightwards.

[Trek420]

This is making me wonder: what if the hokey pokey is what it's all about?