Hip cramps and pushing yourself

SuperC_sa

Hi everyone,

Where to begin...

Okay so I started practicing yoga very seriously in August last year and Ive seen a lot of improvement, but I still get a slight cramp pain in my hips when doing a lot of hip openers. My tree pose used to be very painful to do but that hip pain has totally disappeared now through regular practice. But I do still get a twinge/cramp/pain/not even sure how to explain this in a lot of other poses such as Upright Big Toe Sequence (Hasta Padangusthasana) (still in early stages of this pose) and can you believe it sometimes in down dog too. My hips seem to be one of my tightest spots so lots of work is going into them..

Now my question is more around the how far do you push yourself, the cramps that I get are often such a shock that I immediately pull out of the pose. Should I be trying to go in easy with the pain just a little, or stay away from it totally?

With my tree pose it just went away on its own and after a lot of hip openers I was surprised to find it wasnt there anymore when I eventually attempted it again later on..Should that be my attitude with any pose that causes a cramp like pain? Leave it until I develop, or should there be a slight pushing myself into the pose?

I have heard my teacher saying about this point between discomfort and pain where there is a sweet spot, but I dont want to end up damaging my hips, and I dont believe I should be pushing into that too hard that it causes too much pain..

Care to share your opinions?


Namaste

yoginimary

The hip covers a lot of ground. Where exactly are you feeling the cramp?

That said, I know a very well known teacher that says cramps are good - it means your working.

But it's important to think of what kind of cramp? Like foot cramps, Charlie horses, and the like? Those are probably ok. They should stop soon after you stop.

You should worry about pains that linger, move to a part that shouldn't be effected (feeling pain in your foot when you do a hip opener), or have numbness. I'm sure there are other things as well.

There is also a type of cramp that means your out of alignment. It happens to a lot of people in the balance poses: tree, half moon, and warrior 3. It happens in the standing leg. The hip swings out to counter balance the pose and also inwardly rotates. I've experienced it myself. More external rotation is needed in the standing leg, more weight on the big toe side of the foot. The outer hip area has to "suck in". I hope that makes sense. It's really easy to show, harder to describe.

Let me know if it helps.

kaetmarie

I can't offer much help, but just I have a similar situation -- but oddly enough just with my right hip which can be very tight. My left hip is very open, so I just keep pushing and practicing ... hoping that someday they'll match! What's everyone's favorite hip opener? I've been loving pigeon lately ... which I used to hate!

SuperC_sa

Thanks Yoginimary, sorry yes should have been more specific lol. Its inside the groin area, quite a small area, I am not 100% sure but it feels almost like its the joint where the thigh bone connects (damn I need some anatomy classes lol) Its not like a muscle/foot cramp/charlie horse ( i had to google that), more of a pinching intense pain. I am sure its got nothing to do with the muscles but feels deeper...

Thanks for the tips, the suck it rotation does seem to take the pressure off a bit..

SuperC_sa

kaetmarie wrote: »

What's everyone's favorite hip opener? I've been loving pigeon lately ... which I used to hate!

Pigeon is sooo good, so far from getting completely in the pose, but seeing a lot of progress is great.

I like abductor stretches, and supine hip opener where you cross eg right leg and place on knee and one hand between the legs and the other on the outside grasp and stretch.

But so many to chose from

yoginimary

I would take it easy. Could just be your adductors are tight but pinching pain is not the right kind.

SuperC_sa

Thank you Appreciate the advise.

XavierNusum

I would say back off a bit during practice. 3 breaths instead of 5-6 and also not as deep as you're going now. My teacher says go until you feel the "grip" or discomfort then back out slightly. You could also be suffering from inflammation in the joint. Try icing the area or ice baths.

SuperC_sa

Okay so update, its been about 5 months now since I posted this, and I have been continuing with yoga almost everydamnday. Just as an update I still get the pinch in the hips type of pain, now not so much in the hip openers but in other poses, like lifting to headstands.. I have spoken to my teacher and she also just advised me more of the pelvic lift (which does help a lot) and just taking it slowly, I think its just taking me time to work around it and let my body be....

XavierNusum

I'm glad to hear there has been some progress! In the words of Kelly Starret, sounds like you've gotten most of the corners of the joint cleaned out.