First of all, I coach HSers.
This year I have had more kids complaining of groin tightness, hams, quads, and especially sore hip flexors.
What is going on. Could it be too much speed work too early or lack of flexibility?
For example yesterday, we did a 300-250-150. The hip flexors were going crazy. When that much goes wrong at once I blame the coach, Me! What just happened.
What is their abdominal strength like? Much of the forward projection of the swing leg comes from counter rotation of the hips and shoulders via the abdominals. If the abs don’t have sufficient strength endurance they can tire during the longer runs, causing the hip flexors to do more work.
This may or may not be the problem, but it’s a possibility.
Also check out the thread for Myofascial Stretching under the Recovery forum. If there are indeed any flex issues, the article might give you some new ideas.
The amount of time that students spend “sitting” doesn’t help the situation either.
They not only sit in school, the sit in the vehicle on the way to practice and sit as a leisure activity when with friends. If you held your elbow joint in a flexed position as much as they sit, you would never be able to straighten it pain-free. It’s present with youth in all sports.
TNT
http://www.michaelboyle.biz/documents/articles/Understanding_The_Psoas.pdf
I just thought that this might provide more insight into evaluation of hip flexor function.
Good article.
So which hip flexor(s) was it in your kids’ case sonicboom? Or was it the adductors as they often are used to compensate for dysfunctional psoas. And don’t blame yourself, as TNT mentioned the modern life style is to be blaimed if anything.
Could be simply very high volume or intensity, poor recovery, but presuming the programme is sound - Sounds postural, weak core, lumbar lordosis, poor lower body flexibility …
I’ll start with the flexibility. I am seeing a fantastic PhyTher/Chiro who has introduced me to 3-D stretching. I have shown it to the kids and they are really liking it. The hardest part is getting them to commit to stretching at home and icing on their own.
I agree with what many of you are saying. I will read thru the article over the weekend.
I also think I only gave about 5-7min recovery on that day. I look back and report on Monday. thanks for your insight fellas.
What do you mean by 3-D stretching? Are you referring to PNF spiral-diagonal stretches?
Do they complain of any lower back pain?
3-D stretching is set up to hit an injured area in various directions simultaneously.
(eg)- place on foot out in front of the other as if you are preparing to do lunges, turn feet in a pigeon-toe position, reach arms above the head and lean back for two seconds and repeat several times. While feet are in the same position and hands reaching above, lean to the side (this seems to get more in the inner groin where it attaches). There is a large variety of stretches that can go with this. They have really helped me.
Regardless the Boyle Pdf (Sahrmann) i noticed that one of my athlete has got weak psoas even if his running form isn’t bad at all and he is doing much of the medball training for core (and hip flexors)…(off course this doesn’t mean nothing since he is using the synergic tfl,sartorius,quads)
What do you suggest to do then?