Forums » Health & Wellness » Injury Prevention

1. Brad Hefta-Gaub
   Administrator

   I just got back from the Physical Therapist this afternoon. I was in there mostly for an adjustment on my orthotics... but in the process my PT decided to do a "hip strength" test on me. She was almost too happy to tell me that I had relatively (extremely!) weak interior hip muscles.

   She gave me a couple of exercises and some new stretches to work on, and I'll make a point of writing this up in my blog. But I'm curious if anyone else has ever had this diagnosis and how they worked toward addressing it?

   Posted 5 years ago #

2. Lisa Sabin
   Administrator

   I am curious to hear what she recommends. I imagine working on the adductors, inner thigh and internal hip rotators which include: glute minimus, glute medius, tensor fascia latae, rectus femoris, adductor magnus, piriformis, semitendinosis/semimembranosus.

   Posted 5 years ago #

3. Brad Hefta-Gaub
   Administrator

   She indicated the my weak muscles were my: piriformis, superior gemellus, obturator internus, inferior gemells and quadratus femorus; which are all "smaller muscles under the gluteus max/min.

   She basically said that my quads, hamstrings, and calves, which are all much larger muscle groups are taking most all of the work from these smaller muscles and as a result the places where I do need these muscles (mostly related to hip stabalization) I don't have the support I need and the result is that my IT band and muscles are rubbing across the bursa sac as my hips "wiggle" more than they should.

   The exercises she recommended were clam shells and lateral walking with a band around my ankles; and finally "functional reaching" which is a toe tap with one leg while balancing on the other leg. While in her office I did a couple sets of each of these exercises (about 25 reps each) and my butt was sore!

   Apparently my wife's pilates class did these exact same exercises today... crazy eh?

   Posted 5 years ago #

4. clukasik
   Member

   Seems somewhat common as I had essentially the same diagnosis from my PT during marathon training last year. Got a very similar set of exercises, as well, and have found them to be very helpful. I also switched shoes (from Brooks to Mizuno) and *shock* ditched my orthotics entirely at his reco. I have to say I've done a lot better without them. My PT is pretty hard core about minimal gear, though, including barefoot running. I'm sure he's right about the benefits of building up all the tiny stabilazation muscles but I'm just not ready to take that one!

   Posted 5 years ago #

5. kimayars
   Member

   I just got done with 3 months of PT for a similar problem and was given the clam shell exercise and the rubber band thing too (plus a few others as I progressed). I went from barely able to walk across a field without limping to pain free and running again. One thing that my PT encouraged was to not stop the exercises even though you feel better. So even after being without pain for 2 months, I still regularly do all my exercises to keep it from coming back, especially since my hobby encourages a weakness in that area.

   Posted 5 years ago #

6. Brad Hefta-Gaub
   Administrator

   Kim, I think your advice is good for almost all PT recommendations... I can't imagine a time when I'll never need to do the stretches I was assigned for my strained hip flexor a year ago, or the calf stretches for my Plantar Fasciitis.

   Posted 5 years ago #

7. Phil Sabin
   

   Your exercises are some of the things that Lisa makes me do when I train with her. I call these kinds of exercises the dead bug exercises because they remind me of bugs lying on the floor and moving their arms and legs.

   It's amazing how sore you can get when you think you're barely moving.

   Posted 5 years ago #

8. Lisa Sabin
   Administrator

   Clam shells, lateral walking with a band, balance work....All good stuff. Most of us need to incorporate these movements into our work outs every week. Helps keep muscles in balance and prevent injury.

   Posted 5 years ago #

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