Stretching

[ironmen1987]

My daughter is having problems with her hip. Even when she stretches it seems to tighten up as she runs. The pain and stiffness has really slowed her down and has her discouraged. I considered a chiropractor but I want opinions before I let someone see her. Thanks!

[jumphigh]

Could you be a little more specific about the hip pain that she is suffering from. Specifically where is the the pain and what actions are causing the pain to spike. What type of stretching is she doing to get the area loose.

My first guess with female athlete is the IT band.

If you have access to a foam roller (or a 6 inch piece of PVC pipe) it might do the trick. Have your daugher lie on her side and then place the roller under her leg between the knee and hip and roll back and forth on that area. Try to do a youtube search of foam roller and it band something should come up. I would have her do this both pre and post workout.

Let us know if it works

[Flatulence]

In 100% agreement jumphigh! The IT band causes problems in many athletes - I am guessing but I would say over the years that most of the hip/quad/shin problems are a result of the IT band (iliotibial). A rolling pin, PVC pipe, a round foam roller if possible because when you roll over that sucker it hurts! The goal is to get it to not hurt. The other thing is the arch of the foot - if an athlete cannot stand on a golf ball under each foot - on the arch - then they are not considered flexible enough. Sitting and rolling the arch of the foot over a rolling pin, a baseball, a golf ball, but the most perfect ball is a field hockey ball. This too hurts when the arch is not flexible.

[ironmen1987]

From the area she describes it may be the iliacus muscle? She says it feels like a tightening right under her hip bone (inner part of the leg). She actually ran cross country with the pain but her times were off by several minutes and even ran the league meet in tears most of the race. We have an appointment set up with a sports medicine specialist next week in Chilli. She has never really complained much about any thigh issues but has had some problems with her knees of late.

[ironmen1987]

One of our coaches actually tried something like you described Jumphigh back during xc so he must have been thinking along the same lines. She does seem to have an awkward running style. We were hoping it was just a pulled muscle but since she started running again it has come back to bite her so obviously it's a deeper issue of some sort???

[jumphigh]

Some people believe that most injury issues can be traced back to the way that the foot strikes the ground. When we finally get an inch of snow she could run in the snow. You will be able to see how her foot lands. If you have a tread mill available, you could video her feet hitting the surface of the treat mill from the side and from the back and then play it back in slow motion to see what stresses she is putting on her body. A high quality running store could do the trick as well. She may land on the inside of he foot which could cause the need for change in running style or orthodics. Is there any video of her running on youtube? Watching someone run can be very telling. Flatuence has a much better eye than I have but there is video someone might catch something that goes unnoticed by others.

[wildthingRV]

You can do a similar thing as the snow trick with simply getting her foot wet and letting her run on a floor that will show the prints.

Take her to Huntington to Roberts running store and have them put her on the treadmill. They see everything about a kid's stride. You might have to buy some shoes, but it will address the issue.

Good luck.

[Flatulence]

I am going to suggest one other thing - DEEP tissue massage. I started this last year at age 61 and i wish i had done it much sooner. It hurts like Hades, but the after effects are unbelievable! I am almost as flexible now as I was in high school because of this massage technique. Many, many times I have nearly levitated from the table because of the pain that emits from the muscles that are tight. But, by the end of the session I am nearly asleep from relaxation.

[SPORTJACKSONYMCA]

The technique that several people have suggested with the foam rollers is call myofascial release. This is a great technique, and may be just what your daughter needs.
With going only on what I have read here, and not being able to see your daughter run, I’m going to assume at sometime she has strained a muscle and there is an accumulation of scaring on the muscle now that is resulting in her pain.
They way you describe it however I don’t believe it to be the iliotibial tract( i.t. band) as you described it as (inner part of the leg). To me it sounds most likely to be on the abductors and hip flexor.
Below I’ve attached a link that will show you several myofascial releases including ones for the abductors and hip flexor as well as one for the quadriceps which I believe may also elevate some of her pain.


http://www.painlasercenter.com/uploads/ ... Final2.pdf

Best of luck
Kyle Mitchell
Exercise Physiologist
Speed Performance Oriented Resistance Training clinic
SPORTjacksonymca@yahoo.com

[jumphigh]

Thank you for the web site with pictures. I plan on printing them and putting them up in the weight room. Thank you so very much for the information. Do you have any other sites that show specific stretches for specific parts of the body?

Thanks again

[ironmen1987]

After watching her closely it seems to be her left foot turns in when she runs. I'm no expert so i'll leave the opinions to you guys though..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdxZ371pwKI

[jumphigh]

I watched the video as well and there does seem to be a bit of hitch in her stride. If possible watch the footage in your camera at a slower speed. I think you will see that she does not land squarely on her foot.

Watch it in slow mo and tell me or us what you noticed

[noreply66]

It seems to look like her left leg is over to her right more then the right leg to the left when they are trailing her.
Right leg looks more straight forward and back and the left foot seems to point in at times and then goes in behind the right leg when trailing.

[SPORTJACKSONYMCA]

After watching your video, she seems to have an inner rotation and I believe it to be coming from the hip because I do not see her turning at the ankle. This leads me to believe that most like likely she has a weak hip flexor. It could be due to an injury at sometime and now her rotation is her subconsciously over compensating for this weak muscle.
My recommendations would be to continue with stretches we have discussed, and also add in some butterfly stretches were you are seated with the soles of your feet together pushing down on your inner thigh, and some simple front to back leg swings working on extension and concentrating on keeping her foot in the correct position without rotation.
You can also start to strength the muscle with simple leg raises. Another one that I’m particularly fond of is a strengthening exercise for the hip flexor and quad area. Begin standing with therapy or yoga band around your ankle, and the other end help down tight to the floor by a partner. Bring your knee up till you form 90 degree angles at you knee and at your hip. Then straighten your knee keeping the 90 degree angle at the hip. This is a pretty hard exercise when first starting so go and start with a light resistance or even without any at first.

Hopefully this will help some. Like any exercise though don’t expect results over night.


Best of luck
Kyle Mitchell
Exercise Physiologist
Speed Performance Oriented Resistance Training clinic
SPORTjacksonymca@yahoo.com

[ironmen1987]

The initial diagnosis is...... iliac crest apophysitis. The medical profession has so many interesting yet useless words to an average person haha. Physical therapy and a new pair of running shoes in her future. Now do we go to Roberts or to the one at Polaris to get these shoes???

[ironmen1987]

Come on fellas, you've been helpful so far. Gonna get shoes next Saturday. Should I head north to the big city or roll with the curves down to the big river??