Hip Flexor pain & plates under heels
alisaglem
Posts: 36 Member
Two random questions:
1. So I'm at almost the same weight for my bench and squats. It is really low and weird because my lower body should be stronger etc. The reason I'm really hesitating to increase my squats each time by 5 lbs because my hip flexors are killing me. I was diagnosed a while back when I had insurance with a torn labrum in my hip joint (supposedly - I don't trust or believe everything the doctors say). I never had the operation but I do have extremely stiff hip flexors and doing deep squats is making them super sore, and I'm not sure if I should continue increasing and hope that this soreness is good like the muscles are getting stronger or is this pain I should be worried about? The side that has the possible tear is slightly worse than the other side but both are painful. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
2. I saw a girl in my gym doing deep squats correctly and she was putting 2.5lbs under each of her heels. Is that in order to not lean back and fall down? Should I also do that?
Side note: the same girl above was bullied by a macho guy into doing 115lb squats (and she was doing like 10 sets) because he told her she was just being "weak" and she's in the gym to "not play around." I watched him spot her and she was losing form because of the weight, but she pushed herself and thanked him at the end. It really pissed me off. Perhaps he's right we, as women, are afraid of the higher weights sometimes because we might fail, but just observing that interaction made me groan inside.
1. So I'm at almost the same weight for my bench and squats. It is really low and weird because my lower body should be stronger etc. The reason I'm really hesitating to increase my squats each time by 5 lbs because my hip flexors are killing me. I was diagnosed a while back when I had insurance with a torn labrum in my hip joint (supposedly - I don't trust or believe everything the doctors say). I never had the operation but I do have extremely stiff hip flexors and doing deep squats is making them super sore, and I'm not sure if I should continue increasing and hope that this soreness is good like the muscles are getting stronger or is this pain I should be worried about? The side that has the possible tear is slightly worse than the other side but both are painful. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
2. I saw a girl in my gym doing deep squats correctly and she was putting 2.5lbs under each of her heels. Is that in order to not lean back and fall down? Should I also do that?
Side note: the same girl above was bullied by a macho guy into doing 115lb squats (and she was doing like 10 sets) because he told her she was just being "weak" and she's in the gym to "not play around." I watched him spot her and she was losing form because of the weight, but she pushed herself and thanked him at the end. It really pissed me off. Perhaps he's right we, as women, are afraid of the higher weights sometimes because we might fail, but just observing that interaction made me groan inside.
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My hipflexor is known to act up as well. I've had to take a slightly different progression with squats so they usually look a little bit farther "behind" my other numbers. We will all have our weakest lift. I have found relief from focusing on form and doing a progressive lift where I start out lower, add 10 lbs each set, and have the last set be my target weight. For example, today's target is 125. I will be doing 3 working sets and will start at 105, then 115, then 125. I find it gives me the work, but without the extra stress of the heavy weights for 3-5 sets.
Foam rolling and stretching also help. You can find a lot of good stretches just by doing a good search on "hipflexor stretches."
The plates bring the heel up and decrease the angle the ankle has to hit to achieve during a deep squat. Ankle flexibility is just as important to depth as hamstring flexibility. You can try using them to see if they help with your depth and hipflexor.
If that guy was just a random gym guy and not someone she was training with, then he was all sorts of wrong. It is one thing to push someone you know, it is another thing to try to get someone you don't know to do a weight you don't really know they can handle. This goes for men and women. It can be very dangerous to push too far, but at the same time, I think everyone needs to be pushed a little. Really is a double edge sword.0 -
How long ago did the injury happen, and what did you do to recover from it then? How much rest do you get between your lifting days? How are you warming up before the lift, and do you do anything special for the side that hurts?
Regardless of the answers to these questions, remember that increasing the weight by a certain increment each time you lift is the kind of advice that is given "all other things being equal". In your case, with an old injury, all other things are not equal, so you should be careful and increase only when you are ready to lift more with good form. Do too much too fast and you're bound to re-injure yourself.0 -
Thanks ladies. You're fantabulous!
jstout - that's a good idea with progressive lifts. I also haven't been stretching is sufficiently and I probably should invest in a rolling foam.
bumble - yeah, I completely agree and that's why my squats are still at 70. I'm taking it extra slow, but I could do what jstout suggests and perhaps at least do one set at an extra weight. I've never done anything about the injury because there's nothing you can do except strengthen the muscles around it or a surgery.0 -
bumble - yeah, I completely agree and that's why my squats are still at 70. I'm taking it extra slow, but I could do what jstout suggests and perhaps at least do one set at an extra weight. I've never done anything about the injury because there's nothing you can do except strengthen the muscles around it or a surgery.
Well, the reason I asked my questions was because the nature of the injury largely determines how you treat it and what you can hope for. If you have a ligament or a tendon tear, even a partial one, it takes up to a year to recover. If you do not rehab correctly, you end up with scar tissue, which is inflexible and easy to reinjure. Stretching is absolutely the worst idea for a tear, but it might be fine and even indicated for certain other kinds of injuries. How you strengthen an injured area also depends on where the injury is--for some types of soft tissue injuries, eccentric contractions are the best way to strengthen and align muscle fibers, and concentric ones are not a good idea. For others, it might be the other way around. Etc., etc.0 -
What about lifting shoes? That Oly Lifters wear...it might help you squat deeper (with less pain?) as it does have a slight heel in the back. You could use plates as well but, with the shoes you might get better balance. Don't know if that's a good idea or not maybe, more experienced women can chime in
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bumble - yeah, I completely agree and that's why my squats are still at 70. I'm taking it extra slow, but I could do what jstout suggests and perhaps at least do one set at an extra weight. I've never done anything about the injury because there's nothing you can do except strengthen the muscles around it or a surgery.
Well, the reason I asked my questions was because the nature of the injury largely determines how you treat it and what you can hope for. If you have a ligament or a tendon tear, even a partial one, it takes up to a year to recover. If you do not rehab correctly, you end up with scar tissue, which is inflexible and easy to reinjure. Stretching is absolutely the worst idea for a tear, but it might be fine and even indicated for certain other kinds of injuries. How you strengthen an injured area also depends on where the injury is--for some types of soft tissue injuries, eccentric contractions are the best way to strengthen and align muscle fibers, and concentric ones are not a good idea. For others, it might be the other way around. Etc., etc.
Yep, Bumblebums is correct. I would only suggest moving up in weight when you have NO pain. Personally, I would deload back to the bar (don't let your ego get in the way) and see where your pain level is. If you have problems with the bar, drop to body weight or stop squatting if the pain is still there and get it checked out by a doctor for all the reasons that they would be able to determine the best rehab plan if there is an injury.
I had great improvement with rest and modification of activity, but that is me. You may have a different issue than I had. I do not believe my issues are related to a tear, but more overuse/compression. At one point I was finding it difficult to even use the bar during squats. I had to lay off of squats for a few weeks (as well as other activities that aggravated it) before I could slowly make progress back up and implement some form changes.0 -
bumble - yeah, I completely agree and that's why my squats are still at 70. I'm taking it extra slow, but I could do what jstout suggests and perhaps at least do one set at an extra weight. I've never done anything about the injury because there's nothing you can do except strengthen the muscles around it or a surgery.
Well, the reason I asked my questions was because the nature of the injury largely determines how you treat it and what you can hope for. If you have a ligament or a tendon tear, even a partial one, it takes up to a year to recover. If you do not rehab correctly, you end up with scar tissue, which is inflexible and easy to reinjure. Stretching is absolutely the worst idea for a tear, but it might be fine and even indicated for certain other kinds of injuries. How you strengthen an injured area also depends on where the injury is--for some types of soft tissue injuries, eccentric contractions are the best way to strengthen and align muscle fibers, and concentric ones are not a good idea. For others, it might be the other way around. Etc., etc.
Hmm, I've never thought of it. Labrum tear is the tear in the ring of soft elastic tissue, called the labrum, that follows the outside rim of the socket of the hip joint. The labrum acts like a socket to hold the ball at the top of your thighbone (femur) in place. I've had it for years and again I'm not 100% sure I have it. One thing to do is physical therapy which I did for a while but then also a surgery which I didn't do as some of the physical therapists told me that it doesn't always go well and rehab time is at least 6-9 months. As a preventative measure, I have to modify activities as to not do any jarring movements, like high kicks or dance moves.0 -
Yep, Bumblebums is correct. I would only suggest moving up in weight when you have NO pain. Personally, I would deload back to the bar (don't let your ego get in the way) and see where your pain level is. If you have problems with the bar, drop to body weight or stop squatting if the pain is still there and get it checked out by a doctor for all the reasons that they would be able to determine the best rehab plan if there is an injury.
I had great improvement with rest and modification of activity, but that is me. You may have a different issue than I had. I do not believe my issues are related to a tear, but more overuse/compression. At one point I was finding it difficult to even use the bar during squats. I had to lay off of squats for a few weeks (as well as other activities that aggravated it) before I could slowly make progress back up and implement some form changes.
I noticed that when I start warming up with just the bar the discomfort in the hip flexors is there, but then when I add weight it gets easier. So maybe I need longer warm up? I'll try watching my pain level vs soreness and see if I need to deload to just the bar. I'll aslo try the plates under heels.
Pintobean - thanks for the suggestion! I'm not at the level of getting proper shoes just yet. Maybe when I squat 300! :bigsmile:0 -
So it's a self-diagnosed injury, right?
I don't know much about this apart from a quick read here:
https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hip-labral-tear/DS00920/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
It's a cartilage tear, and those do not heal--cartilage cannot repair itself and you would need to have arthroscopic surgery to remove the torn parts (if it's a partial tear) or get something more serious done if it's a full tear. I had a partial meniscus tear in my knee years ago, and that was the treatment. Until I got the surgery, I couldn't straighten the knee, and it would give out when I put weight on it at the most inconvenient times, like walking down the stairs. I do not relish the memory of tumbling down the stairs after my knee failed. But anyway, I had the surgery, and my knee is fine now--I've been practicing yoga for ages, running, and now lifting. Only after very careful rehab, though.
I recommend going to the doctor and biting the bullet and doing the surgery if you confirm that you have a tear. You're going to get arthritis in that hip anyway, but if you cannot exercise it with a full range of motion now, it's going to happen even sooner.0 -
Oh no no, I was diagnosed and had an MRI but from looking at the scan results it could also be something else. I mean the Dr. glossed over it briefly and from talking to physical therapists and researching it arthroscopic surgery isn't always successful for labral tears in the hip. Unfortunately, I also don't have insurance right now so doing anything about it is out of the question. However, since starting SL I haven't experienced much pain on the left side of the hip where I usually feel discomfort. The pain I feel is right in front where the hip flexors are. I hear you on taking care of it since it's going to go worse anyway, but I guess my hope is that with sufficient strength and not overly abusing it, it will somehow miraculously not bother me. :blushing: Yes, I know, I can be naive.
Ouch at the tumbling down the stairs. :sad:0 -
Oh no no, I was diagnosed and had an MRI but from looking at the scan results it could also be something else. I mean the Dr. glossed over it briefly and from talking to physical therapists and researching it arthroscopic surgery isn't always successful for labral tears in the hip. Unfortunately, I also don't have insurance right now so doing anything about it is out of the question. However, since starting SL I haven't experienced much pain on the left side of the hip where I usually feel discomfort. The pain I feel is right in front where the hip flexors are. I hear you on taking care of it since it's going to go worse anyway, but I guess my hope is that with sufficient strength and not overly abusing it, it will somehow miraculously not bother me. :blushing: Yes, I know, I can be naive.
Ouch at the tumbling down the stairs. :sad:
Ah. You know, you could actually just have a mild form of arthritis in that hip already. That happens after an injury--my doctor said it's basically a guarantee that I would get arthritis in my knee. So far so good, but my knee does bother me sometimes.
Anyway, I get sore in my hips from squats just about every time. At least some of what you are experiencing is probably normal.0 -
Good to know cause yesterday was spent in finding ways I don't have hip flexor pain. I did squats on Wed with puny weight but still apparently they didn't like it. I noticed crossing legs is a big no no as it totally aggravates the pain. Thanks for the feedback! :happy:0
