Side of hips pain

I have a problem with my hips.

I'm trying to learn side learn splits, and whenever I start trying them or even just straddling my legs I feel pain on the side and in the back of my hips, like they ache or something... after I do them for awhile they don't hurt as much and I can get pretty low , but I know it's not normal streatching pain.

My little brother doesn't practice any streaching and when he first trys to split, he can do it a lot lower than me.

Any advice besides going to a Dr? did that already.

Start foam rolling the IT band and then start working on stretches for your hamstrings and gastrocniemius. Might as well roll your quads as well.

I like doing leg swings front and back, side to side with leg swinging in front of the body as you stand on the other to start loosening up the hips and lower back. It's in our warmup.

Blairbob said:

Start foam rolling the IT band and then start working on stretches for your hamstrings and gastrocniemius. Might as well roll your quads as well.

I like doing leg swings front and back, side to side with leg swinging in front of the body as you stand on the other to start loosening up the hips and lower back. It's in our warmup.

I've never heard of foam rolling before, it sounds like a good thing to try.

The thing that really irritates me with my hips is that, when I start trying to lower to even a mild straddle, my hips feel pain.

The only way that pain stops, is if I keep holding the straddle and lower little by little.

You are stretching too aggressively. Take at least one week off from the middle split training and then resume your stretching in a more controlled and patient manner. Flexibility gains, especially after the initial improvements, are usually measured in months rather than weeks.

It will greatly extend your athletic career to always remember that stretching is not the same as conditioning. While you may be physically able to condition to the point of pain and exhaustion, doing so with your flexibility training (ESPECIALLY as a beginner) is a certain recipe for injury.

As a side note, increasing your intake of Vitamin C and fish oil will help to alleviate the discomfort and soreness.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Thank you for the advice.

I've been practicing the side splits for 2 or 3 months,and have been trying to do them carefully, but I'll take a week of from them.

All this pain started when I was at the beach almost a year ago. I tried to catch a big wave on a cheap bodyboard. my board dug into the water, and the wave pushed my chest into the bodyboard and curled my legs and butt over my head. My body made a U shape(this was before I did any flexibillitie training). It hurt a lot, and I've had this hip pain since.

For prehab and rehab of the hips, I think very highly of hip extensions. Following Geoge's excellent overview, scroll done for some specific recommendations of my own regarding this movement.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Thank you.

I will now work on hip extensions.

I've heard that pain on the side of the hips and butt can also be from a back injury, and my lower back hurts sometimes too, should I be doing any spacific back streatches and strengthening exercises, maybe wall hand walks?

Thank you for your time.

At this time I would prefer for your primary focus to be on the basic lower back, oblique and straight body exercises; with the bridge wall walks receiving periodic attention until your back feels more stable.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Alright, thank you for all your help Coach!

I haven't been able to buy a foam roller yet,(Do they even sell them in stores?) but I've taken a week of the side split training, but the pain is still there. I've realized That when I lay on my stomach and try to straddle my legs I can't even get them to open 90 degrees. I'm starting to think my hips will never be back to normal.

Atleast I don't feel any pain when doing front splits.

sasquatch said:

I haven't been able to buy a foam roller yet,(Do they even sell them in stores?) but I've taken a week of the side split training, but the pain is still there. I've realized That when I lay on my stomach and try to straddle my legs I can't even get them to open 90 degrees. I'm starting to think my hips will never be back to normal.

Atleast I don't feel any pain when doing front splits.

If you cannot find one local, PM me and I will sell you one and can ship it immediately. Right now I have five 12X6" in stock at my store.

Thank you all for your help!

The side hip extensions are making a major improvement in my hips.

I'm able to straddle way wider before I start feeling discomfort.

I thought I would be stuck with this pain forever.

That is great to hear!

This is often the case. In America the primary emphasis is usually on passive stretching alone which can lead to instable and painful joints. A correctly designed flexibility program should include dynamic flexibility and static strength in addition to passive flexbility.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Coach Sommer said:

That is great to hear!

This is often the case. In America the primary emphasis is usually on passive stretching alone which can lead to instable and painful joints. A correctly designed flexibility program should include dynamic flexibility and static strength in addition to passive flexbility.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Before I would just do passive stretches, now I'm doing a lot of static stretching too. I need to start doing dynamic stretching though, I never really do much of that.

Thanks again!