Hey Merrida...

[CF-OC_gal]

Since you are back, do you remember this post of yours?

Originally Posted by Merrida

Worked with a young man yesterday (22 y/o). I won't "be working with him" because his doc chose physical therapy for him, then a cortisone shot! (Don't get me started). Doc took XRays of his lumbar spine (not enough to see femur/hip joint, only low enough to barely fit in illiac crest). This must have been exclusively lumbar and no sacral.

NO further tests. He's complained of "hip pain" for going on 5 years and this recent XRay is the ONLY test his doctor has and is willing to perform on him. He refused this man's request for XRays of his hip to r/o possible hairline fractures, bone spurs....or an MRI to see if there's any ligamental involvement.

Anyway, he's working with a physical therapist, and is out of my bounds/hands.

He came to visit yesterday and all I did was some basic "muscle testing" type of work with him to see where his tightness was and weakness was and it's really evident his left hip flexor is shortened and tight (based on my "assessments and tests") and his left glute very weak and his left piriformis is very tight. (Note: He complains of radiating pain from his hip down his leg, the lumbar XRays r/o lumbar disk involvement or nerve impingement).

I'm still thinking his piriformis is encroaching his sciatic nerve (possibly) -- again based on stretches we did to see how tight he was and what could reproduce stimulation.

Question: Any kind of stretch he does (on his own, in PT, or with me)...."most" of them just create a tight/pinch in his left hip flexor. A hamstring stretch, a piriformis stretch, adductor/groin stretch, and hip flexor stretch (of the varities of hip flexor stretches I tried with him, in a number of positions, most of the time creates a radiating "pain" medially down his inner thigh, originating from his hip flexor region).

Even BARELY doing a hamstring stretch (meaning I lift his leg maybe 45 degrees from the ground) -- he says it "pinches" his hip flexor. (This prevents us from further stretches).

Any ideas what may cause this repeated/duplicated "bunching" or "pinching" of his hip flexor (region) even with the least amount of movement?

What became of that guy?

I have pretty much similar symptoms except my pain is in the outer lower quad and my kneecap feels like it is going to explode if I walk and short distance.

Physio and ART have done a lot but I am considering cortisone for the pain as a last resort (since I am in pain with any upright movement). It is an overuse not underuse issue as suggested in one of the replies.

Just wondering if you saw improvement from this kid.

[Merrida]

Man, I so do not remember that guy. Wow, now you'll have me searching my data banks to try and remember who he is and what ever became of him.

Kind of reminds me of the time one potential client was told not to exercise to help his blood pressure (which was not particularly high but on the elevated side only), but to instead take two HBP medications and do no activity. Yu-huh. So then he was sent off to PT as his body started to freeze up and feel stiff. Well shee-yeah.

I'll think about this guy and see what happened to him. I am curious....

[CF-OC_gal]

Thanks for thinking about it.

Frustrations have of way of leading to healing it seems. Last week was a really good week for me and my exploding knee has subsided to intermittent low grade swelling with an ache. If this continues I will get better without a "shot". I complained a little louder to Mr. A.R.T. and he gave me a leg extension to do.