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| i started practicing 3 months ago, because at 50 i could not tough it out anymore when my back locked up. i lucked into a great studio, shut up and did what i was told, and my back feels great- but my hip is killing me!
it especially hurts in tadasana, of all things, and warrior I and II are pure agony. lunges too. triangle feels great, though. i spoke with my primary instructor, who suggested taking a shorter stance in warrior. it helps, in a lesser-circle-of-hell kinda way. my home practice is focused on hip-openers, and i wonder if i am overdoing these. they feel good though.
i get some relief day-to-day when i remember to engage my lower abs and breathe. my instructor says piriformis, i am thinking psoas. doesn't really matter, i just want to stop hurting.
my question is this- do i avoid warrior I and II until this clears up? what can i do? what should i not do? my job, which i love, is quite physical and very stressful. this is potentially a career ender. i gotta fix it.
tonite it is beer and advil. yaaaargh! |
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| it does matter whether it's piriformis or psoas, because by figuring out which one it is, you can start to work with it more specifically. on the other hand, very often these two are implicated together. it's hard to know what to tell you without knowing exactly where you're hurting. Try and describe your pain in a very precise way (like, on my butt, two inches to the right of the sacrum and down an inch, or wherever it is) also a massage therapist who knows structural or myofascial work could help Best, |
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| shiva- thanks for asking- the pain is twofold, maybe two problems? the underlying, near-constant pain is concentrated between the superior, posterior femur and the inside of the pelvis, a little to the right of the sacrum, down low. in warrior, lunges and bridge a second pain kicks in, wrapping around from the top outside of the femur across the lower buttock, pulling on the sacrum. this secondary pain triggers an apparently defensive spasm, and the area around the head of the femur starts barking hard.
when i am working i can get relief by dropping into a squat. on the mat it feels great to lie on my back with knees bent, left foot on floor, place right ankle on left thigh, and concetrate on lengthening out from the right hip while rotating the thigh outward.
thanks again... |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| Hi Dave - that is a very precise description! Now one more question - what form do you practice? That may make a difference as well.
I have some similar issues although not as intense. What I am discovering in my practice is that it sometimes helps to ditch all the "hip opening" stuff, at least for awhile. It may simply be aggravating the situation. I have found that what seems to be happening for me is that I have overstretched my lower back area without the corresponding strengthening necessary to keep it stable. So currently I am working with locust (salabhasana), cobra (bhujangasana) etc to try to build that area up again. Working upward facing versions of seated forward bends and supta padangustasana (yes, using a strap even if you can reach your feet easily) will help lengthen the hamstrings without overstretching the low back. This is me and you may be entirely different, but it is some food for thought.
Hmmm - time for breakfast  |
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| my question is this- do i avoid warrior I and II until this clears up?
===> Yes, you must avoid anything which flares the pain until it clears up.
what can i do?
===> Take Rest and Eat Less.
what should i not do?
===> NOT Take Rest and Eat too much.
my job, which i love, is quite physical and very stressful. this is potentially a career ender. i gotta fix it.
===> Nothing can end your career if you are determined. It can end it in a short time, but not long time. So, do not worry. If you live in Fear, you can NEVER do Yoga properly.
tonite it is beer and advil. yaaaargh!
===> Best Luck.
Neel Kulkarni
www.authenticyoga.org
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| great description! if everyone could use anatomical words like yours we'd be able to give a lot more help on these boards. it sounds like one of your lower hip rotators. piriformis is higher than that, but the pain wrapping around the front of the femur is interesting. is it referred pain? one of the best tricks i know for this (hip pain) is to lay on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor, and put a tennis ball under your hip, wherever the pain is. then use your feet to push yourself around on the ball until you get the good spot(s). Do it every day at least once, if not twice. and yes, i would avoid doing anything that causes that hell pain your talking about, even the lesser hell pain. if you can work the poses in a way that you feel only that good deep stretch pain, then do that. and the strengthen glenda mentioned, and rest neel mentioned both sound like good ideas. Do you have any injuries that may be bringing this on, or is this pain new to you with yoga? Best, |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Shiva - how could I forget the tennis ball??? It is one of the cheapest, simplest therapies ever and feels heavenly on locked up butt muscles. My Hellerworker also has me using a smaller, firmer ball, which gets into the deep knots very well. Shoulder, too. Good call! Thank goodness (or the Flying Spagetti Monster...   ) we tag team this board. Go team!  |
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| AND I use a larger sand filled ball, about 6 inches diameter, one of those danskin freeweight thingies, for a broader, more swedish type approach on my hips, because sometimes when I'm feeling particularly tender, a tennis ball is just too painful for me! or sometimes i'll use the sand-ball to warm up the area, and then go in with the tennis ball. shoulder! what a great idea. never thought of putting it up there....i guess i have done upper back (and lower back! awesome!) but shoulder would probably be great too. Thank pirates for tag teaming!  |
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| Davedog,
I concurr with neel regarding rest period. You also might want to check out Yamuna Zake work.
http://www.yamunastudio.com/home.php. Her Body rolling work might be just what you are looking. Try one of the videos and buy her products. For the work she does they really are the best.
Do you have any existing injuries prior to starting yoga?
How is your low back? How strong are your lower abs? Any upper shoulder pain?
You mentioned having a physical job, what motions are you doing a lot of at work?
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| wow, lots of helpful stuff. thanks, y'all.
kulkarnn- your advice makes sense. i would miss my class time though... remember the old gag? "doc, it hurts when i do this." "stop doing that."
tourist, shiva- thanks for your suggestions. i will buy some tennis balls today. my practice has been mostly basic, gentle and restorative classes with teachers from an anusara backgroud. the problems, now that i reflect, really started when i bought baron b's intro to power tape. maybe the sun salutations/lunges are too much for me now.
brien-i have numerous old traumas, the result of an intemperate life. maybe i will learn from this. low back feels good after 2 months of classes. still weak abs, crunchy shoulders. i am about 40 lbs overweight, may be trying too hard to fix this too.
the job (paramedic) involves lifting, bending, reaching... standing in an ambulance going fast, starting iv's... waking from a dead sleep and going into full alert; this is where the problems really show up, no time to stretch and warm up.
thanks again to all of you. i will try your suggestions and report results as i can. |
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| Dave dog,
Well your hip Hurting makes alot of sense then! 1 last thing, pick up Paul Chek's book Eat, move and be healthy. Some great info I think will help you a great deal. I believe you can get it on amazon.com
Brian |
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| hey y'all. i have been out of work for a month, cleared to return tomorrow. 2 weeks rest followed by physical therapy. my therapist says i am doing everything wrong- sitting, standing, bending, squatting.... i am still forbidden to do forward bends. managed bridge for the first time today since the injury. used to be easy, not so much now.
the final diagnosis was sacroiliac strain with lumbar radiculopathy. not sure what that is but i don't want it again. my therapist is helping, so i will stick with her program for now. still dig the tennis ball trick. also took your advice, kulkarnn, did not eat too much, so i gained no weight.
thanks for your help, and this forum. i lurk and learn, though i rarely have more to say than "thanks again."
dave |
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| Hi Dave,
I'm glad you are making progress on these issues. I noticed you said "might be trying too hard to lose 40 pounds". With such a stressful job, let me suggest you be careful to eat ENOUGH of the right things as well as following Neel's advice not to eat too much ... in other words pay a good deal of attention to your nutrition as you are watching your weight. Your body is very stressed, malnutrition could be quite harmful.
Namaste |
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| Hey Davedog:
Since you did so good with Eating Less, and Taking Rest, let me give you next Advanced Instruction: Find some peaceful time each day (I mean do not have war with yourself!) and see how you can turn your job into a less stressful one, I mean work less.
Keep it up man, I mean dog. And, hey, be careful with the bridge and downward or upward dogs.
neel kulkarni
www.authenticyoga. |
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| laura- thanks, you have a good point. i figured i did not get fat by gorging on kale and lentils, so i cut down on beer, pizza, and other staples. i am eating more greens and beans, lean meats and fish, a little fruit, and rationing the other stuff.
kulkarnn- i don't know if i can give up the war with myself; can't let my previous sacrifices be in vain! maybe we can negotiate an honorable peace...
bridge is part of therapist's orders; i am being careful. down and up dog are forbidden by she (who must be obeyed.) also banned from forward bends for now. she did just clear me to return to my restorative class, with the above limits. yay!
it is great to be back at work; i found sitting at home going broke more stressful. am trying to find the balance here, too.
shalom- dave
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hip hurtin'
