Hip impingement and band distraction

Hi all,

I've been using the MS series consistently for over half a year now with noticeable small increments in my flexibility with one exception. 

Due to a hip injury 20 years ago I developed a physiotherapist diagnosed impingement in my left hip that makes any end of range movement with my knee flexed very uncomfortable. So I am very limited in pushing the stretch during ones like diamond frog that have the knee bent. My progress in these types of stretches has been minimal.

However, lately I've been looking at Kelly Starrett's work on mobility, especially the deep tissue work and band distraction. I noticed that if I do some lacrosse ball work on my quads and around the hip socket and then do the flexed knee stretches with a band distraction that is pulling the femur posteriorly in the hip capsule I find the impingement is almost gone. 

I'm going to theorize that the injury long ago created muscle imbalances around the joint which pull the femur anteriorly which created the impingement hence why banded distraction to the posterior clears it. 

My question to the coaches is should I use the band distraction during the MS series for all the flexed knee stretches?

I feel I could make better gains from using it while I continue to rebalance the joint with deep tissue work and Foundation training.

Thanks for reading.

I love Kelly Starret's stuff. Sometimes I do the band distraction on my hip(s) too. It feels great. You could do it before the MS stretch so you open up your hip(s) and then do the entire series. It should feel much better and more range of motion. 

15 hours ago, Si Hoang said:

My question to the coaches is should I use the band distraction during the MS series for all the flexed knee stretches?

 

 

I'm not familiar with those movements. By best recommendation is to run it by and physio and see if they have other exercises to help you get ready for the stretch series. 

14 hours ago, Suzanna McGee said:

I love Kelly Starret's stuff. Sometimes I do the band distraction on my hip(s) too. It feels great. You could do it before the MS stretch so you open up your hip(s) and then do the entire series. It should feel much better and more range of motion. 

Thanks Suzanna! I'll give it a whirl to see if it improves the MS series. I never realised how much quality of tissue would hold me back on my flexibility. I'm kicking myself that I didn't really check out Kelly's stuff earlier even though I'd known about it for years. I've spent virtually everyday this month doing at least 20 mins of good quality(but very uncomfortable!) rumble rolling and lacrosse ball work and it has made a very noticeable difference in my mobility and flexibility. Movement just felt so much easier. If anyone is struggling on making gains on their flexibility I highly recommend putting in consistent time on doing body tissue work. Once a week I will spend about 2 hours just going through the whole body and breaking down the tight tissues. Just stick some music on and put the work in.

13 hours ago, Everett Carroll said:

I'm not familiar with those movements. By best recommendation is to run it by and physio and see if they have other exercises to help you get ready for the stretch series. 

Hi Everett,

I went by a physio and he says the best bet is to improve impingement is to strengthen the muscles around the hip and have them balanced to help reposition the femur optimally in the hip socket. I showed him what exercises I am doing in Foundation and he said to keep doing it. He said to maybe add Cossack squats and to do more reps on the weak and impinged side. I'm still on PE4 so do you think it's ok to add a couple of sets of Cossacks at the end of the workout?

6 hours ago, Si Hoang said:

. I've spent virtually everyday this month doing at least 20 mins of good quality(but very uncomfortable!) rumble rolling and lacrosse ball work and it has made a very noticeable difference in my mobility and flexibility

I used to do the body work a lot, every day. Now with all the handstands, and my pole, and foundation training, I have been spending less time with it, but it for sure feels great. I love the RumbleRoller!!!! You should get the SuperNova blue ball at Rogue Fitness website. No lacrosse or baseball can beat that thing. It's truly amazing. I carry it in my purse, always, everywhere I go… LOL  I use it to open up my shoulders before the handstands training, or my hips, or whatever is needed. I think you will like it too. 

Hi Si,

Yes, with the approval of your physio I say go ahead. 

I have always neglected my mobility. I got a foam roller few years back and it had been collecting dust since! Just last week I started foam rolling finally and I don't know if it is a coincidence or not but today I felt a good improvement in my mobility. I am stuck on swivel hips since 5 months but today it felt as if my ROM increased noticeably! Maybe its all coming together at the same time I don't know, but I am excited. I need to get a lacrosse ball next