Hip Flexor help?

Justin Keane · 02-22-2010, 11:54 AM

So, I've got some newly persistent pain in my left hip flexor/groin area. If this makes any sense, it feels like it's more of a joint/bone issue than a muscle soreness. Wider squats don't feel super; butterfly stretch (even as much as butterflying the feet on an abmat situp) doesn't feel super either.

A little background: hamstrings are tight but have been working on it. Have been doing 5/3/1 until recently when I switched to some Afterburn type stuff to coincide with a V-Diet--so I've been squatting high-bar once a week for about 3 months. Pain really came on when I tried switching to low-bar, though maybe that's more an indication of the change instance rather than the cause.

Anyhow, I've started some hip mobility stuff but am wondering if this sounds familiar to anyone out there and if so, what they've done for it. thanks!

Justin Keane · 02-22-2010, 11:57 AM

change in stance rather than "change instance"

Ben Moskowitz · 02-22-2010, 02:35 PM

Soft tissue work a la Joe Defranco?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHss4GvP4Fs
You can also use a lacrosse/tennis ball up against the wall or face down on the floor.

Maybe this has to do with adductor/groin muscle quality or flexibility since low-bar recruits those more. Also could be hip capsule tightness. Just some ideas and guesses. Maybe get it checked out?

Garrett Smith · 02-22-2010, 02:38 PM

What movements bother you? Where exactly is the pain?

Ferreting out whether it is the groin or hip flexor should be the first part.

Justin Keane · 02-22-2010, 05:00 PM

Just found this, from Rip's forum--this poster gives a pretty good description of what I'm feeling and experiencing:

"My problem is that over the past couple of weeks I've been getting a more intense pain in my groin area of my left leg. It feels like it?s almost right where my femur joins the trunk of my body. When I was squatting the pain would be the greatest right at the bottom when my knees were all the way out and right on my ascent from the bottom. I took a week off because the pain was starting to really hinder my consistent gains on the squat. It?s been about two weeks since I've squatted, but the pain has not gotten any better and even when doing body squats I feel it at the bottom (the pain feels like a pulling pain). I also get it when if im sitting or standing and I try to adduct my leg."

My pain is not as significant or intense as it is for this guy (unfortunately for me in one respect, because the gist of Rip's response there is limited to getting it checked out if the pain is that intense), I think, but it's definitely there, and is definitely related to adduction. Best way I can describe it is that it sort of feels like my shoulders do when I try to move them through a full range of motion the day after a 50 or 75 kipping pullup wod.

The other response in that thread suggested squatting w/a narrow stance until it gets better.

Garrett Smith · 02-22-2010, 05:11 PM

Do DeFranco's "Agile 8" before any leg day. Go back to narrow squatting.

Wide stance low bar squats gave me some nasty piriformis and TFL issues that I'm still working out, I'm done with wide squatting for good.

Justin Keane · 02-22-2010, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

Do DeFranco's "Agile 8" before any leg day. Go back to narrow squatting.

Wide stance low bar squats gave me some nasty piriformis and TFL issues that I'm still working out, I'm done with wide squatting for good.

thanks Doc, I'm on the Agile 8 already--great stuff. thought this might be the answer, it really did come on with the low bars.

Steven Low · 02-22-2010, 06:47 PM

Do all the soft tissue work in part 4 here and see what hurts/sore/tender/etc.

http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2009/1...-dysfunctions/

Figuring out whats sore/tight/etc. will help determine what you need to work on especially if there's some mobility impediments.

Justin Keane · 02-22-2010, 07:13 PM

wow--dynamite resource, Steven! thanks for pointing me that way as well.

Justin Keane · 03-04-2010, 08:30 AM

update on this, had an MRI...no labrum tear but Gluteus Medius Tendonitis. A quick google reveals that often couples with Trochanteric Bursitis, which would maybe explain the adductor-area pain if I am reading the anatomy right.

Anyhow, given this diagnosis, any additional recommendations to what's been offered up top? Doc just gave me the standard "go see a PT" speech.