Hip injury

jen_092

I thought I knew better than to seek medical advice from the Internet. But, my doctor can't see me this week so I'm looking for advice anyway.

On Friday during my squat set at the gym I began to feel tightness and then dull pain around my left hip. I stopped because I wasn't able to complete my sets and it just didn't feel right. I woke up Saturday morning and nearly fell because I couldn't put weight on my left leg (sharp pain). I've been taking ibuprofen and icing it every four hours ever since and have not left my bed besides trips to the kitchen. It seems to be getting better, but not as much as I would expect in three days, I'm still limping and squatting (for example for the toilet) hurts.

So my question is, should I bypass my doc and call a PT? I don't think my insurance requires a referral so it might be an option. Or should I just be more patient, considering it's healing a little maybe I just need to keep doing the ice and rest? Three days seemed to be a good point to evaluate. From my experience with past tweaks and pulls, a couple days of ice was always enough so I'm feeling concerned. Wwyd?

CeeBeeSlim

Hmmm. Can you do both? Schedule a p/t visit, and see what happens with this potentially healing until then (assuming there's a wait for the p/t)? Any idea what you may have done differently? I waited too long to see a prof about an self-internet-diagnosed hip injury and wound up in physical therapy for six weeks and no workouts for close to three months! It may be best tho to see the doc who may want to do some diagnostic tests to determine the issue before the p/t starts tackling things.

jen_092

CeeBeeSlim wrote: »

Hmmm. Can you do both? Schedule a p/t visit, and see what happens with this potentially healing until then (assuming there's a wait for the p/t)? Any idea what you may have done differently? I waited too long to see a prof about an self-internet-diagnosed hip injury and wound up in physical therapy for six weeks and no workouts for close to three months! It may be best tho to see the doc who may want to do some diagnostic tests to determine the issue before the p/t starts tackling things.

Yeah, good idea, thanks. It's hard to say what the issue even is. It might be more like upper leg because I can sit in a pretzel without pain (I'd assume that uses the hips quite a bit). As far as how this happened, I wish I knew. I did warm up but I think proceeding to my work weight while still feeling tight was a bad idea. I felt like I needed one more day of rest and stretching in addition to the one rest day I usually take in between. I'm doing SL 5x5 and maybe I progressed too quickly.

jen_092

PS: I'm having a hard time understanding what my injury is because I can bend at the waist all the way down, I can bend at the knees, but not both together (squat). This led me to think maybe IT band. I know it's up to a doctor and not me to figure it out but I'm really bored sitting here resting lol.

CeeBeeSlim

Haha! That boredom can mess with your head! My eventually diagnosed FAI or hip impingement ranged from my self diagnosed sciatica, fibroids, cancer, ripped up psoas, sacrum, labrum, herniated disc, etc. haha. My pain was in my groin and lower back - a gnawing one - but I knew something was very wrong when it wasn't getting better and I could not do the lotus/cobbler pose - one knee went to floor, the damaged leg stayed upright. It's getting better - albeit slowly - correct?

jen_092

@CeeBeeSlim yes exactly, getting better, slowly

jen_092

I'm reviving my little thread just to see if anyone can provide any personal insight about my diagnosis now that I have one: bursitis. Doctor referred me to a chiropractor for it and she said a steroid injection will be another option.

From what I can tell from doing a search and reading threads, it seems like things could be a lot worse. But I also see people saying that they get "flare ups". That sucks to hear because it makes it sound like this could be a problem for a long time... I'm only 24, normal weight, former athlete, at the gym 3x week and lightly active in daily life. Seems like I'm not the typical bursitis case.

canadianlbs

bursa tend to get pissy when they're being subjected to pressure or friction, in my experience. so that could either be skeletal misalignment or too-tight muscles. if you had a chiro prescribed, sounds like the doctor thinks your bursitis might have a mechanical cause. so there's that, but while you're in there you might ask the chiro for any targeted stretches that might help as well. see what the chiro can tell you about your own whys and wherefores.

cortisone shots into actual joint capsules has to be subject to cost-benefit caution, as the stuff also interferes with your body's natural cartilage repair/maintenance [ i quote my rheumatologist here]. but afaik it's pretty open season for the bursa. i've had it done twice and both times did give significant relief without any recurrence in my own case.

thielke2015

I have had bursitis for 2 years on/off. I had 4 months of physio and a steroid injunction for it 4-5 months ago. I didn't seek medical attention and it got worse and extended all the way down my outer thigh and as a result it caused problems with the IT band and I now also have outer knee pain. The good thing is physio ( 4 months worth) cleared up the bursitis now all I have is the knee pain. I did bridges and the clams everyday for 10 weeks and this really addressed my bursitis. The injection for me didn't really make any difference. It was the physio that fixed it. Now I am on my second round of physio for Labral hip injury caused by FAI hope this helps.

jen_092

@canadianlbs @thielke2015
Thank you both for your helpful responses! My appointment is tomorrow... (pending the incoming snow doesn't cancel it)

not_a_runner

Maybe my chiro has misinformed me, but I thought bursitis was inflammation from repetitive motion/over use? So being an athlete/lifter it's not surprising you would get something like that.

jen_092 wrote: »

I'm reviving my little thread just to see if anyone can provide any personal insight about my diagnosis now that I have one: bursitis. Doctor referred me to a chiropractor for it and she said a steroid injection will be another option.

From what I can tell from doing a search and reading threads, it seems like things could be a lot worse. But I also see people saying that they get "flare ups". That sucks to hear because it makes it sound like this could be a problem for a long time... I'm only 24, normal weight, former athlete, at the gym 3x week and lightly active in daily life. Seems like I'm not the typical bursitis case.

Maybe my chiro has misinformed me, but I thought bursitis was inflammation from repetitive motion/over use? So being an athlete/lifter it's not surprising you could get something like that. (Apparently I have it in my shoulders, but it only bothers on and off so I don't worry about it too much.)

fatblatta

If it's a sharp stabbing pain right where femur hit's your pelvis it could be something called AVN. When I say sharp pain I mean level 7 out of 10. Pretty harsh. If they suspect that you'll get an MRI to confirm it. They will give you pain medication and tell you to stay off it. With mine, the pain subsided and has been low to moderate pain that comes and goes for a long time. I'm too old for one operation and they say I'm not ready for a hip replacement. I gave up high impact stuff. I can still walk pretty well.

Sorry for your discomfort!