Hip Impingement

Hello, 

I have been training in GST for about a month and LOVE what I am experiencing.  The combination of strength (I am already pretty strong) mixed with flexibility is incredible.  I am 50 y/o and beat up after a full military career, multiple combat tours, and a lifetime of athletics.  As a result, my joints and flexibility have suffered immensely.  I am very much looking forward to restoring these areas as much as possible.  Now then, my specific question.  I am curious as to why my hip joints feel so tight when I am doing middle splits.  My groin is tight, but feels less strained and restricted than my hip joints/sockets.  Why is this?

Thanks,

Phil

Hey Phil,

Welcome to the GB community! The tightness you are feeling in your hips might be caused by a variety of factors. Everything from long treks with a heavy pack to sitting at a desk might play a role. Most likely you've been using your hips in the standard 'forward and backward' plane of movement for most of your life and have had very little experience moving them from side to side; especially in a wide range of motion like a middle split.

Where are you feeling most of your tightness? Inside, outside, front, or back?

20 hours ago, Phil Goldstine said:

Hello, 

 

I have been training in GST for about a month and LOVE what I am experiencing.  The combination of strength (I am already pretty strong) mixed with flexibility is incredible.  I am 50 y/o and beat up after a full military career, multiple combat tours, and a lifetime of athletics.  As a result, my joints and flexibility have suffered immensely.  I am very much looking forward to restoring these areas as much as possible.  Now then, my specific question.  I am curious as to why my hip joints feel so tight when I am doing middle splits.  My groin is tight, but feels less strained and restricted than my hip joints/sockets.  Why is this?

 

Thanks,

Phil

The tight joint has generally the 40-50% of the limitation in the hips capsule. so for the MS, piriformis work should be done daily.

Thank you, Alessandro.  Okay, I will look for piriformis work to incorporate daily.   Maybe there are a few stretches I can do daily as part of my cool down. Any recommendations? 

Phil

 Rushing and trying to answer and comment on my cell phone. I may get my replies out of order.  If so, please forgive me. Thank you, Jeffrey.   I am guilty of both, plenty of time sitting at a desk, but even more time with heavy packs and lots of weight on my back, both walking and running.   I believe you were also exactly correct with regard to linear movement.  If I am kicking I can put my foot at head level in front of me, only to the upper thigh on a round or sidekick.   The restriction simply feels tight,  very tight,  in the hip joint. I’m just curious why I feel it so much in the hip joint as impingement rather than the groin as flexibility.

Thank you,

Phil

9 hours ago, Phil Goldstine said:

Thank you, Alessandro.  Okay, I will look for piriformis work to incorporate daily.   Maybe there are a few stretches I can do daily as part of my cool down. Any recommendations? 

 

Phil

Generally, the problem on the middle split is posterior so it is fine. for an accurate diagnosis you should check a PT.

To add to what Phil has been saying, I have also felt a similar impingement (not tightness of the muscle, but impingement of the joint, bone-on-bone, grinding feeling) - I feel it on the outside of my thigh near the head of the femur on both sides of the body. I feel it particularly in the frog-stretch position in the Middle Split series, but also in the Iso-Middle, and abduction, generally. After completing the MS stretch sequence yesterday, my hip joints still feel aggravated/inflamed today, more so than after having done the sequence previously.

Any recommendations on action to take moving forward, prehab, preparation work for MS perhaps, or just avoid it and focus on the pancake instead?

Thanks in advance, 

Ally 

On 5/19/2020 at 1:44 PM, Ally Gill said:

To add to what Phil has been saying, I have also felt a similar impingement (not tightness of the muscle, but impingement of the joint, bone-on-bone, grinding feeling) - I feel it on the outside of my thigh near the head of the femur on both sides of the body. I feel it particularly in the frog-stretch position in the Middle Split series, but also in the Iso-Middle, and abduction, generally. After completing the MS stretch sequence yesterday, my hip joints still feel aggravated/inflamed today, more so than after having done the sequence previously.

Any recommendations on action to take moving forward, prehab, preparation work for MS perhaps, or just avoid it and focus on the pancake instead?

 

Thanks in advance, 

Ally 

Hi Ally , well before talking about hip impingement syndrome you can try this test:

If you pass it without pain then you do not have hips impingement but only tight hips capsule especially posterior-lateral. and it simply took time to adapt...how much? well, how many years did you pass without exploring this range of motion? 

Hi Alessandro, 

Thanks for the reply.  
I passed this test without pain. However, I did notice that it was pain free with my foot dorsal in the photo like that, but I played around with my foot and rotated it forward 90 degrees to have my toes pointing straightforward and that’s where a bit of pain started to sneak in. 
what are your thoughts? 
thanks in advance. 
Ally 

35 minutes ago, Ally Gill said:

Hi Alessandro, 

Thanks for the reply.  
I passed this test without pain. However, I did notice that it was pain free with my foot dorsal in the photo like that, but I played around with my foot and rotated it forward 90 degrees to have my toes pointing straightforward and that’s where a bit of pain started to sneak in. 
what are your thoughts? 
thanks in advance. 
Ally 

THis test is valid to ensure that there are no structural limitations. so if you pass it, no limitations in the upper leg of the hip socket.

As stated before probably yours are capsule restriction as for the 99,9% of the people.

i got your sensation for many years. the hips capsule takes years to get released. you need patience and not force the movement.

Okay, great, good to know. Ill be practicing patience alongside my stretching  

Thank you very much for your help, Alessandro!