I guess I’ll give this a try. Last week, I hurt my right upper hamstring/lower glute(I can’t figure out which or both). I think it might be a strain, but I don’t know much about that stuff. I’m pretty sure it was from running on the side of the road where the surface isn’t even. I was doing hills. I didn’t feel it happen at one point, it sort of started gradually. At first I thought it was just a little soreness, but then I realized that it was something more serious. I was expecting it to go away on its own, I iced it some a couple days.
I’ll try to describe it. It hurts when I do things that stretch the hamstring with my leg bent a little(because the stress is higher on the hamstring with a bent leg) such as walking up stairs(especially two at a time), bending over, squatting(especially when keeping the butt back), and obviously running with full knee lift. I feel that stretching doesn’t do any good, but when I do, it feels like stretching a really tight, sore muscle, only isolated in that spot. There is also some sharper pain around the hip flexors when stretching. When I try to run on it, that leg feels really weak and the pain is like it is when stretching, just more intense.
I would appreciate any advice on what to do, if there is anything that I can do to make this better, as it is not getting better as it is.
If you can stretch it right away (without immense pain), it most probably isn’t a serious tear. By the way you describe the pain, it sounds like some sort of sciatic/priformis tightness. Try sitting on a chair; put jour foot straight up at head height or slightly above (use a towel or rubber band). If the pain becomes significantly harder while pushing your cheek towards your chest at the same time and the pain kind of travels through your hamstring to the lower back, it’s probably something related to the sciatic nerve or piriformis muscle.
If you’re sure it’s not a muscle pull or tear, try stretching the area. seated leg cross over is good, but what helped me the most is a variant of this – lying down on my back, crossing over the other leg NOT to ground but keeping the heel at about 30-40cm above the ground against something (like a sofa or big chair). Then just try to relax for 5-10 minutes. It’s easy to adjust the position to hit the target area, try also different foot positions (toes up/left/right). Make sure to stretch the inside of your leg afterwards.
Icing is pretty good, but so is heat. You might wan to try some kind of warm water plastic bags or those reusable hot/cold packs.
It might also be a slight tightening at the h/s insertion under the glute, but a good massge therapist would be able to diagnose and ease it out. I doubt it is a serious pull though.
I would suggest that you do stretching exercises for the quads of your injured ham gluts try not to stretch your hams too much for the mean time. Ice and elevate your leg. If you feel like stretching then only your quads. You said you feel sharper pain around your hip flexors, explain more thoroughly. Use quad stretch exercises that do not cause discomfort to your injured ham. Be tentative when stretching. If you manage to decrease the tone in your quad then you maybe able to relieve some of the discomfort in your injured ham/glut.
Hill work will shorten hip flexors and cause greater muscle tone in those muscles responsible for lifting the knee. Stretch your psoas muscles as well. The knock on effect to the muscles that work in opposite (ham gluts in this case) maybe compensation for this increased tone.
If you are experiencing this, stop stretching since you might just make the problem worse. Find out what going on from a therapist and get an ART treatment. This will free the tissue up so its more responsive to stretching. Sacrotuberous lig. and external rotators of the hip are very likely involved.
Be very careful, the same thing happened to me three months ago, just doing some slight uphill sprints and then could not walk the next day, diagnosed as a strain in the hamstring, three months later I’m told its hamstring tendonitis and not to stretch or stimulate the tendon (load). Now I am looking at getting some needles to get it to settle.
Before I start- I’m not too sure with these terms!
Might this have something to do with the ischial region? I’ve looked up some things and it seems like it could be something to do with the ischial tuberosity(the bone, I think) because sometimes I think there is some pain around a bone, and I guess it’s that bone. That’s the highest point that any pain or tightness would be. Tendonitis or bursitis or avulsion or something, maybe?
I’m probably going to go back to the doctor, though, too. I’m just wondering if this is a legitimate possibility or if it helps decide the best treatment.
I experienced something very similar to this on Tuesday, it came on gradually as I was doing some gentle 150s, to the point on the third rep I stopped. I didn’t train Thursday despite it not really bothering me by that point, and Friday it was fine. I lifted Wednesday also. Then this morning, Saturday, I went to the track, warmed up and felt good. I was going to do blocks but did a couple of aggressive acceleration runs over 15m to complete my warm up and on the second one, I felt it cramp in the same place, but it didn’t feel as intense pain wise as it had on Tuesday. Then I did a couple of gentle strides, the first one felt fine, but on the second one it cramped again, so I stopped and I am still aware of some discomfort. I am just popping ibuprofen and sitting on frozen peas to try and calm it down! I am at my mum’s but will be back at home tomorrow where I can use the foam roller to try and release it. There appear to be a lot of new members since this thread was last active, so just after any further suggestions if anyone has any…
I have hamstring tendonitis at the Ischial Tuberosity and it’s a real pain in the ass (literally!)
I have had it for 2 months now and it doesn’t seem to go away.
If you feel pain really deep in the buttock, located on the rear part of the pelvis and experience a dull pain when sitting for long periods then it could well be the same injury.
I’ve been to a physio and she massaged it (lucky girl), and suggested no stretching, no exercise, just rest and ice.
Sitting doesn’t really aggrevate it. To be honest it feels significantly better after two days of rest, and even then I have done some light jogging. I think it could be a result of a lack of sleep and dehydration in the 24 hours leading upto the initial session, then just coming back to something to aggressive too soon.
Last week, I hurt my right upper hamstring/lower glute(I can’t figure out which or both). I think it might be a strain, but I don’t know much about that stuff. I’m pretty sure it was from running on the side of the road where the surface isn’t even. I was doing hills. I didn’t feel it happen at one point, it sort of started gradually. At first I thought it was just a little soreness, but then I realized that it was something more serious. I was expecting it to go away on its own, I iced it some a couple days.