Hip pain

Did you do the stretches as often as prescribed? Did you ever take time off to rest and let things heal?

It could be anything: a torn muscle, stiffness, misalignment, the shoes you wear, your running style, etc. Diagnosing over the internet is pretty much impossible. Personally I would go back to the doctor, I'm sure the stretches were just the first attempt at fixing the problem. Insurances usually require that sort of stuff before doing costly tests. You could also see a specialized doctor. Sports Medicine. Chiropractor. Etc.

My hips are one of my weakest and strongest points. Strong from use, but I really stress them with martial arts. So I've done some work around them and here's what I've learned.

- Your hips are complex from a muscle, tendon, etc. perspective. They all have different functions (move leg in, out, up, down, front, back) and they're all layered in there on top of each other. Weird things are affected and not affected. I tore my uppermost adductor and it kills me to run on it, but I can still kick & jump. Makes no logical sense to me at all, but confirmed with some skilled people I really trust. So it can be kind of hard to figure out what you've done.

- A sports message therapist suggested a simple way to relax and re-align your hips. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and simply rock your hips side to side. So simple, but it's effective. And you can keep reading while you stand up for a few.

- Stretch, stretch, stretch. Push your stretches a little further than you thought you could, use bands to help maximize the stretch, etc.

- Strengthening the various hip muscles might help too. Start slow if you're sore.

- Heat can help as can topical creams like Bengay or Capzasin (which doesn't smell). All of these, though, can get a little tricky in the upper groin area and work better on the outer hip.

- If it keeps up, get it checked out again. I was very surprisingly diagnosed with arthritis when I was 21.

Good luck with figuring it out.

Wow! This is scary stuff! I just googled AVN and WHOA!!!! I wonder if the pain comes from a joint or a muscle or a bursa? Just for your own information before you see a doctor, you might at least be able to determine if the pain comes from trigger points. If you google fibromyalgia trigger points, you should be able to find a map of the body where most of the muscular pain comes from. If you recognize these pain patterns, at least you will have a bit more information before you go the doctor.

Walrozz wrote: »

For about 5 months, I've had pain in my hips - like the pulled muscle pain you get from exercise. I thought it was the muscles/tendons tightening up due to a sedentary lifestyle (I'm a student, so spend a lot of time sitting). Went to the doctor back in December and she gave be a bunch of stretches, which didn't help. For the past week, I've been really active; been to the gym a couple of times, swimming a couple of times, and I've done some yoga. It hasn't improved at all really. Anyone got any ideas what it might be or experienced something similar?

1. Does it hurt more when sitting for long periods, and hurt less while standing or laying down?
2. Does it hurt more during hip rotation in either direction? While the hip is flexed at 90 degrees does the same rotation hurt?
3. While laying prone, does the pain decrease if you have a friend pull minor traction on the leg (note: your friend will have to lift your foot off the ground/bed 3" prior to applying traction.)?
4. While applying traction does the pain decrease, increase or stay the same with abduction or adduction?
5. Does it ever feel like your hip is catching during movement?

I was experiencing the same thing a few months ago. It felt like there was a muscle pull in the back of my leg. I went to the doctor a few times, the first time they gave me some muscle relaxers and pain meds. That didn't really help so I went in again and they did some xrays. Turns out I had arthritis in my hip. They told me the best thing I can do it to lose weight. I carry most of my weight in my middle. I am working on it. Honestly I stopped taking the pain meds and the anti inflammatory/muscle relaxers and I'm now only taking Aleve. I have been trying to get back into walking. I notice when I exercise consistently I do feel better. Good luck to you!!

Find another doctor.

Get a second opinion. There are lots of reasons you can experience pain.

My hip pain is the pinching of the sciatic nerve. Stretching helps with the hips in general, but when it gets pinched it makes no difference. Its a sharp pain that doesn't get better with walking or exercise. It gets better when the inflammation goes down and the nerve is released.

It can be triggered by a sedentary lifestyle-like working an office job and sitting all day. I did a consult on how to adjust my office chair (offered by the facilities dept at my workplace) and that was the thing that has made the biggest difference for me. I do find yoga helps keep my hips open but it doesn't provide emergency relief.