L BHR Mr Treacy Part2

[Dannywayoflife]

Also since my last running episode several weeks ago I've had a lot more clunking sifting moving sensations from the hip.

[morph]

I am not saying this is your problem. But when I had OA and my glutes max could not be used (or very little). I had what sounds like pretty much the same symptoms as what you are describing. Pain in the flexors, It band/TFL, glute min and med.  A inflamation burning aching pain and a sharp pain outside the greater trochanter. Everything was hurting except for the glute max, which is THE major muscle for standing and walking. What was happening with me was that all these other muscles were being recruited and overused instead of the glute and on long walks or standing for some time they would hurt, big time. More so than the OA pain. In fact this was the main issue with me. Try testing your glute strength with the one legged "bridge" excercise. Walking backwards is good for glute activation and I think the cross trainer is good concentrating on using those glutes. Try checking the pelvis flexibility with some Pilates pelvis tilting and pelvis drops. In walking gait, the swing leg pelvis should not drop with gravity, the glute med on the weighted side should be strengthened to prevent this (otherwise a limp/swagger can occur). On heel strike (with slight pronation) the glute max should activate. Of course overall posture is critical too. Tight Psoas and hip flexors can lead to bad posture and incorrect use of hip muscles, hip flexors etc activate instead of the glute. Do you have pelvic tilt? They are doing a job they are not designed for and eventually will tire and complain. Good supportive boots with maybe a cushioned insole is a good idea too, go to a good running shop and see what type of supportive trainers or insoles for boots they recommend for you.

I hope I don't sound like a know it all and you probably know all this already, if not it's probably worth checking. But over 12 yrs of similar pain I did oodles of research on this stuff.

[Dannywayoflife]

Some good points there Morph that I will look into. The insole gait thing is a bit of a non starter though as I am a massive pronator (have been all my life) and wear custom made orthotics to try and correct that but obviously there's only so much they can correct. Ill get my oppo to observe me walking and see what he thinks as he's a real pro when it comes to muscle issues after all he earns a living from it.
Thanks mate it's appreciated.
Danny

[hernanu]

Hi Danny, really sorry you're still having pain in the psoas / IT / TFL area.

To morph's point, there's some good stuff on line about stretches for that area. It seems like there's some agreement that improving gait, in some respects by increasing the responsibility of the glutes when walking / running lifts some of the stress on these muscles helps to relieve the stress on the area.

I've had good experience with PT and with trainers, but one things that I also did was to ask one of the trainers at my gym (not a physical therapist) to look at me while walking on the treadmill about 1.5 years along. She spotted definite issues - one leg was walking much more stiffly than the other, one foot was also coming down much heavier; I was also hitting the ground very hard with my heels. This caused me to change my stride a bit, has helped in lowering some pain that I had in my left foot and some weakness in my right leg.

That was just for me, but maybe getting someone you trust and who knows exercise, may help you to get some things under control. I also had a good amount of massage on the legs, which I think helped.

[bilateralbliss]

Many thanks Morph, all very helpful, my right one is way behind the other.

[Anna]

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint on the clouds of doubt,
And you can never tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar.
So, stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit
It’s when things go wrong that you mustn’t quit.

[Dannywayoflife]

Thanks Anna xxx
Morph i think that you might be on to something. ive just got back from my mate and he tested my glutes and they were not firing AT ALL! ??? The operated side is also significantly atrophied so im going to try to resolve that and hopefully it might help my symptoms.

[Spanielsal]

Excellent! A way forward, I'm so pleased. Go Danny Go! Xx

[Dannywayoflife]

I hope its just that simple!

[Spanielsal]

Worth checking out, Danny, fingers crossed it'll help a lot, time will heal the rest. Your new hip was installed by the very best, have faith. We are all rooting for you, we just need to re-find your mojo xx

[Dannywayoflife]

Thanks sal xxx

[morph]

It sounds like that might be your problem. It's great you have some one to help. I know how you feel with the pain. All your flexors, ITB etc could be tight and over used and probably no amount of stretching of these will help with their flexibilty at this point. This may cause your pelvis to tilt forward which will exasperate the problem. All problems I had and still do a bit. The following helped me, but everyone is different:

When walking: toe off and plenty of dorisflexion (upward) in the ankle with heel strike will help with glute activation whilst maintaining an upright posture, head up shoulders in line with pelvis. All of this kind of encourages the forces to transmit up your leg to your glute. When standing: use lower abs to maintain neutral pelvis and clench glutes standing more on the ball of your foot maintaining good posture. Meanwhile strengthen glutes and activation then eventually improve flexibilty of all pelvis and hip area. Honestly, it may not be manly but Pilates type core excercises are good.

If you put most the weight on one leg then relax and drop the other hip (don't force) you should be able to feel the glute max working. If not then there may be some flexibilty issues in the hip which eventually need sorting.

If you over pronate it may help to wear shoes with as little heel as possible (probably including trainers). The higher the heel the foot hits the floor earlier in the stride cycle making over pronation worse and host of other problems. This is what I think is giving me problems with my achilles.

BTW in running there should be virtually no heel strike first.

[bilateralbliss]

Danny, am sure morp is spot on here xx
Thanks again, makes so much sense

[Jason0411]

I find standing behind the missus is the best Glute work out. Trouble is she doesn't let me do my work out as much as I would like. I have tried to point out my urgent medical needs but she won't buy it. ;)

[Dannywayoflife]

Ha like it Jason! ;D

[rubyred]

I have the same trouble Jason, only I have no willing participants!!

[Jason0411]

I would offer to come and help you with your work out but not sure the missus would approve and it might work out a tad expensive on the petrol side.

[rubyred]

Naughty! LOL But thank you for the offer!

[morph]

Jason...LOL. That's why it is has the title of best form of excercise. No muscle goes untouched.

With new born twins, well I just going to have to make do with butt clenching for the time being.

[Anna]

Steady on guys!!!!  ;D