Hip Pain: Why and What is it?

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tracymarie2012
tracymarie2012 Posts: 161 Member
in Motivation and Support
Im wondering if any of you have or have had pain in your hip area, but its not your hip joint/bones. Its a pain that Ive had for months now, and has gotten worse over time. I'm not able to run or hike anymore... or do a whole lot of anything... resting really hurts too.. I started physio... she seems stumped... seen the Dr too... Im waiting to see a sports medicine Dr. Just thought Id ask... I dont really recall actually hurting it either... I take advil, and put ice and or heat on it... doesnt help much...

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  • tpittsley77
    tpittsley77 Posts: 607 Member
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    Is it to the side or towards your back? If it's towards the back, Could be sacroiliac joint pain. Chiropractor is the fix for that (for me!).
  • san0322
    san0322 Posts: 58 Member
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    Have you gotten an X-Ray or MRI on it yet?
  • 123dmc
    123dmc Posts: 13
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    Oh, hip pain is the worst. Mine used to even wake me up in the night throbbing. Both hips. I was having such pain after running that I was hobbling around for two days afterwards. Orthotics didn't help, new shoes didn't help, stretching didn't help...

    What helped me tremendously -- in fact, I don't have hip soreness any more -- is foam rolling. There are lots of how-to videos on youtube or you can have a PT show you how.

    It seems such an "easy" fix but it worked for me. It breaks down the adhesions and does what a deep tissue massage would.

    I do it before and after every time I exercise for about 5-10 minutes. Don't get a soft-ish foam roller -- you need the super dense kind. Mine is black, smooth and I found it on amazon. It's one of those "hurts so good" exercises. Good luck!
  • DistantJ
    DistantJ Posts: 155 Member
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    My dad and I both have pretty severe sciatic pain. I'm not sure how his was diagnosed, but with mine the doctor just knew what it was because it was originally brought on by pregnancy.
  • jonikeffer
    jonikeffer Posts: 218 Member
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    Could it be bursitis?

    Put the heel of your palm at the juncture where your leg and torso come together, on your outside (hip) side, pointing your fingers down toward your knee. Now roughly where your fingertips end up, is that where it hurts? Maybe 6-8 inches down on the outside of your thigh? We have things called "bursae" that can become inflamed. I have had trouble with mine for 15+ yrs, since I was not at all overweight, and for me, always at night, sleeping. They get painful, wake me up, I have to change positions, it calms down again, and then I can get back to sleep. I can't tell you how to treat it, but if I can help you ID the possible problem, that may lead you to a solution? :)
  • danger_kitteh
    danger_kitteh Posts: 301 Member
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    It could be your hip flexor, IT band, piriformis or a combination of all three. Lots of stretching, foam rolling and exercises to strengthen that area. like 123dmc said, the foam roller needs to be dense and firm - it's gonna hurt but in the end you'll feel so much better.
  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,416 Member
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    I have a really stabby one on the outside of my hip, right over bony point of my femur. Turns out it's neuropathy from b12 deficiency. Hopefully mine will go away with treatment.
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
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    I started having hip pain on my left side, just above and behind my hip bone. I discovered it was due to my running form. I was looking down rather than looking ahead, as well as my calf muscles on my left side weren't as flexible as my right side so my foot was falling more flat on that side. Once I got my form corrected the pain has subsided. It's not completely gone yet but it's improving daily.
  • nycoleyrides
    nycoleyrides Posts: 29 Member
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    I have pain in my right hip - front and back. It is caused by tight hip flexors on the front. I sit 8-10 hours a day. And the back is right at my lower back/butt area. I am not a doctor forget exact name. It hurts all the time. The back pain from my joint on that side is tight for a couple reasons. The hip flexor makes it worse, tight hamstrings, and my natural sleep position -because I lean right, sleep on my left side and thus are always in a position that makes it tight. I try and stretch but its never enough to make the pain go away. I think changing jobs and more exercise is my only solution.

    I have tried looking online for advice to help me because it hurts really bad. It goes all the way through my leg and It makes my fused right ankle hurt.

    All I find is the lunge type stretch. I can only do that so many times. I am considering acupuncture and re-reading book I got part of the way through about managing pain. It discussed open focus and how to control the mind into not letting pain control us.

    oh just saw someone's comment - sacroiliac - http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/sacroiliac-joint-dysfunction/sacroiliac-joint-dysfunction-si-joint-pain - that is my pain! and the hipflexor thing.

    I hope you find comfort and a solution.
  • mathersb
    mathersb Posts: 9 Member
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    I also vouch for the foam rolling, although my tight IT band hurt more on the band itself (side of leg) and on my knee. I think my hip pain was usualy due to tightness in my piriformis. This link shows three common hip trigger points - http://www.painwhisperer.com/ptpath/ptpath/ptpath/hippain.html. The 'spots' are where the knot can be, and the blotchy area shows where the referred pain is.
  • drog2323
    drog2323 Posts: 1,386 Member
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    do you have weak glutes? weak glutes could be putting more strain/use on your front hips. and/or maybe tight hamstrings.

    I had something similiar and after I started doing squats (no weights) but good form, it slowly went away.

    just a thought
  • tracymarie2012
    tracymarie2012 Posts: 161 Member
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    Thanks everyone for your imput. Really appreciate it... My actual hip is fine, I have great motion, so its not bone. I've heard it could be maybe tendon that connects on the outside or maybe muscle that connects..It is mostly on the hip / pelvic rim, right on top of the hip, a little towards the back. Had a xray, no results or heard anything yet. I will try that foam roller thing... I just hate being/feeling out of commission. Just dont know if it will hurt it more to excercise or not...> I know i hurt like hell after excercising... feel dammed if I do and dammed if I dont..
  • oliversparky
    oliversparky Posts: 1
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    what will the treament be?? I am having this as well.
  • mathersb
    mathersb Posts: 9 Member
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    It really sounds like it could be a knot in your quadratus lumborum. I know 'trigger points' ( = knots) may sound kooky, but learning about them has really done me a world of good. Unless your psyio has already officially ruled them out (I've found many don't know as much about them as you'd expect!), I'd poke around your lower back muscles betwen your ribs and your hip bones and see if there are any spots that are extra-sensitive or that reproduce the hip pain when you push on them. If there are, just massage a bit and see if you can loosen them up. It might need to be repeated. "The Trigger Point Therapy Workboook" by Davies is my pain Bible right now. If you google 'trigger point quadratus lumborum' you might be able to see some pages (minus pictures) in Google Books. That book and a TheraCane to help work the knots have saved me several visits to the physical therapist. I swear I'm not affiliated with either product! :)
  • bunnymum150
    bunnymum150 Posts: 311
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    hip pain as well. Last year I fell down the stairs and ended up with 2 labrum tears. With continued issues, the MRI with arthrogram revealed bone on bone - now I am told that a hip replacement is in my future. My plan is much later...............
    Good luck determining what is causing your issues:smile:
  • eep223
    eep223 Posts: 624 Member
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    It could be sciatica too. The. Worst.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
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