Poor internal rotation of the hip

Hi,

I been doing the FS, MS and TB stretches for the last two and half months, and I am pleased with my progress.

I have a long standing problem with very tight hamstrings and hip flexors, and have very poor internal rotation of both hips. I am almost 40 and played quite a bit of soccer when younger, and did a fair amount of sprint training (including olympic lifting) without adequate mobility work. Over the last 10 years or so I have being working on my flexibility and though it has improved there is a lot more to do! Around 18-24 months ago a started squatting and dead-lifting again. I started with low weights and built up slowly, ensuring my form was correct. The squatting actually seemed to help with my hip mobility and I lot of aches and pains I had- including lower back discomfort- went away. I then started dead-lifting, again starting light and building up. About nine months or so ago I had a second degree tear in a left hip adductor, and a milder tear in a right hip adductor around three months later when playing football. In both instances I was running at a steady speed, and was especially stretching. I think that the deadlifting may be to blame, and I that my hip flexors were too tight. I do struggle to get into a flat-back position when deadlifting from the ground, though can manage more easily with a sumo deadlift. When deadlifting I never lift if I cannot get into the correct starting position and if I lose form, I stop. Since starting the stretch programmes over the last 2-3 months I have not been doing any weight-lifting apart from occasional, low weight conditioning work.

My flexibility has definitely improved, but there are two things that I am struggling with:

1) much of the apparent improvement in my hamstring flexibility has come from an improvement in flexibility in my lower back. I can get just about get the palms of my hands to the floor with my legs straight, which is a significant improvement, but I cannot sit up straight with my legs straight together straight out in front of me- my lower back is curved.

2) My internal hip rotation is still really poor. When lying on my front, my internal rotation does not seem that bad (perhaps 30 degrees on both sides), but when the hips are flexed to 90 degrees my internal rotation is probably only 10 degrees on both sides. I have wondered if some of the poor mobility relates to a deep hip joint (and my mother's family are of Irish decent), but I think it is probably still muscular tightness in ilio-psoas and iliacus.

I appreciate that it is early days, and that I need to continue with the programme, but I would welcome any advice or tips to address the above two points, thanks.

Carlos

HI Carlos, nice progress.

Well about your problem the first thing you need to do it is that when a tear happens it is due to insufficient muscles strength, probably squat it is not the real solution for you.  Specific work for the adductors must be implemented in your routine for the legs.

THe poor internal rotation can be caused by 2 factors:

-a weak external rotator on the standing position like piriformis and glutes

-tight anterior capsule. the front split and especially the deep squat position with legs together and back as straight as possible it is a good position

The ability to sit and hold the legs straight it is something with require much more flexibility than touching the floor with the palms!

Hi Allesandro,

Thanks for replying. Since I have had my injury, I have avoided squatting (with weight) and dead-lifting.

I will persist with the front split programme, and look at getting into a deep squat position with my back straight (without heavy weights!)

Regarding the external rotators, I have the foundations series, and I am starting to re-introduce some strength exercises with this. You are right in that I think my glutes (other than maximus) are weak. Previously, if I stood on one leg and did a quarter squat, the knee used to move in to the midline which I think supports what you are saying about having weak glutes. Following exercises, this has resolved on the left, though is still not perfect on the right leg. The lower body programme seems to include work which hits the piriformis and glutes, and perhaps I should concentrate on this, or are there any other specific exercises you would suggest? People seem to argue about the best exercise, and previously I have tried clam shells, straight leg raises to the side and crab walking with a resistance band or a combination of these.

Thanks again,

Carlos

I highly suggest to perform the beginning exercise of planche progression as all the hips extension work.

OK- Thanks