Hip Alignment and Leg Pain

Discussion in 'Rider Down' started by joytron, Aug 12, 2011.

  1. joytron

    joytron New Member

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    Recently went to the chiripractor for a back injury, and did the typical massage, eletrodes muscle business and back cracking. One thing she commented on was how my issues with alignment shifted my hip bones causing one leg to be longer than the other. A week or so later I started having pain in my hip that radiated throughout my leg. Went back in and I am out of alignment again. She thinks its some muscle in my hip that is causing the issues. Was wondering if anyone had any good stretch advice or just general thoughts on how I can get the pain to go away, as it really eliminates any enjoyment. Trying to get a appt. with a physical therapist for a second opinion.


    thanks,


    Jess
     
  2. genusmtbkr5

    genusmtbkr5 STR Moderator

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    What is she basing her opinion on? Did you get x-rays done? At least with x-rays, she can show you.
     
  3. cattledog04

    cattledog04 New Member

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    All chiro's say our hips are out, creating on leg longer. Stretch your piriformis, hip flexors, and hamstings, as well as doing some upper thoracic mobility work. That should help.
     
  4. matty_P

    matty_P New Member

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    there are a lot of things that can cause a shorter leg. most people have one leg slightly shorter than the other, but usually not enough to cause any problems. if it's a new issue for you, you can get shear of the pelvis or rotation that can be treated. as cattledog said, all those stretches help keep things mobile. i would also suggest seeing a physical therapist or a PMR physician as they will have specific exercises and stretches for your issues.
     
  5. damnilocano

    damnilocano New Member

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    Don't forget the psoas muscles. I've done work (lomi lomi) and seen leg length even out.

    You can also check out the mobility wods site.
     
  6. blindman_22

    blindman_22 HAB Crew President

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    put a peg on the shorter leg.

    sorry i'm bored at work.
     
  7. strobe

    strobe resident noob

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    Physical Therapist is a good idea. They can help you do the correct stretches and strengthening to balance yourself out. A strong quad with a weak hamstring can cause issues for example. Equalizing it all "could" cause the discomfort to cease. If that doesn't work, you may have even more issues.

    BTW, i feel your pain. I'm currently suffering from issues similar to sciatica. After about 6 miles i have to stretch a bit or the pain just radiates too badly to continue. Unfortunately, i don't have time to dedicate to a physical therapist right now. I'm lucky if i get a single ride in each week.
     
  8. denmother

    denmother Gone riding....

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    You just never know what might be causing the problems........I have similar issues and just found out that I have Convergence Inconsistency which causes the center of my vision to be 5 degrees to the right (using my nose as the center). This causes my body to be out of alignment (my pelvis to rotate, my shoulders to be uneven and my head to tilt up). I am getting new glasses made with prisms which should help. I spent years going to the Chiropractor and my body would never stay adjusted for very long. I also did PT, stretching, etc. which definitely helps but never solved the true "underlying" problem!!!

    +1000

    Great resource!!!! http://www.mobilitywod.com/
     
  9. MojoCP

    MojoCP New Member

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    Just do some regular bend stretching, slow core twisting, and leg stretches. Then skip the chiro.

    PS - NEVER let a chiro anywhere near your neck. Beware x2 if they want to "pop" anything above your shoulder blades.
     
  10. denmother

    denmother Gone riding....

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    Chiropractor's have their place and for some people Chiropractic works!
     
  11. MojoCP

    MojoCP New Member

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    No, I'm talking about vertebral and cervicocerebral artery dissection caused by chiropractic manipulation. In layman's terms, it's where the lining of your artery splits open along a crease and you bleed internally very rapidly. There are also increased instances of stroke, thought to be from clots forming and sticking along the trauma/creases left behind on the walls of the vessels, then breaking off and traveling on up into the brain.

    This is not about it "working," it's about avoiding a potentially fatal complication of the treatment. I've spoken at length with a physician who treats the aftermath of these arterial dissections and he swears he will never let anyone in his family go to a chiro for anything above the shoulder.

    It's not a joke.

    In 1992, researchers at the Stanford Stroke Center asked 486 California members of the American Academy of Neurology how many patients they had seen during the previous two years who had suffered a stroke within 24 hours of neck manipulation by a chiropractor. The survey was sponsored by the American Heart Association. A total of 177 neurologists reported treating 56 such patients, all of whom were between the ages of 21 and 60. One patient had died, and 48 were left with permanent neurologic deficits such as slurred speech, inability to arrange words properly, and vertigo (dizziness). The usual cause of the strokes was thought to be a tear between the inner and outer walls of the vertebral arteries, which caused the arterial walls to balloon and block the flow of blood to the brain. Three of the strokes involved tears of the carotid arteries

    http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/chirostroke.html
     
  12. denmother

    denmother Gone riding....

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    Thanks for your opinion, I will keep mine. ;)
     
  13. Campy

    Campy New Member

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    I had leg pain originating from hip down to my knee and it turned out to be my IT Band. What we determined was that my cleats were out of whack and caused my hip to rotate abnormally. I did feel some weirdness while pedaling but didn't adjust it for a few weeks, big mistake. I went for physical therapy for 10 weeks, there they noticed my hips were actually out of alignment too. The PT sessions fixed me all up. I still have some pain after rides in that leg however some good stretching usually works it out again. I bought a foam roller to roll out my IT Band after rides.
     
  14. Jslow

    Jslow stipend of maltliquor

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    .Really if one leg structurally is longer, then its longer. Stretching won't change the bones, and weak core/poor flexibility will throw your hips off causeing one to be shorter, go back to chiro ask for stuff to do at home and if they measured your legs and one is longer look into a shim between cleat and shoe approx the same width. Stretching will help if its just your hips but sleeping on your side with a weak core will throw your out easier...

    It sounds like you are on to a good approach to fixing you problem, go back and ask more questions it isn't something an adult should have to guess about. Hips out means unequal leg legnth, but legs of unequal legnth are just unequal and you might try the shim under the short leg as an easy fix. Let us know what you find out, and if they don't check your flexibility then ask and have them check your progress on a regular basis.
     
  15. nomadFF

    nomadFF Member

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    A few years back I was out of work for about 3 months from a back injury. No acute injury, just started as a hot spot in my lower back. The next morning I was having shooting pain in my Right leg, could not walk on it at all was in the hospital for 3 days. FF a month or so, after going to an ortho that was supposed to be one of the best, and starting PT in limited doses of course, I was seeing very slow healing. One day at PT the therapist decided my muscles were loose enough to re align my hips. I limped in there and practically skipped out. No joke. Last year I felt it coming back, had my hips re aligned, within hours I was pain free. I now do regular core exercises and stretches 2-3 times a week, and I got an inversion table. I know there are people for and against those things, but for me and my back, it was the best money I have spent. Hanging from my feet apparently straightens me out good. Get a good ice pack as well, when the pain flares up.
     
  16. Lottel

    Lottel New Member

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    leg length discrepancy is at times caused by some disturbances in the pelvis which at times are caused by muscle imbalances. the problem with chiropractors is that they "align" you but then never really teaches you to do anything to maintain it. that is why they want you to go back to get "re-adjusted". if a chiro manipulated you and "re-aligned" you, chances are it could come back easily if the muscles imbalances are not corrected. i would stay away and go to good old and trusted methods of physical therapy.
     
  17. Jman

    Jman Live Free, Ride Hard

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    Is there anything from the bike fitting side of things that could help?
     
  18. kioti

    kioti Active Member

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    ^^
    There used to be a guy in Mammoth who made custom cranksets for differences in leg length. Not sure if he's still at it.

    Here ya go.. Tom Slocum has been doing this for a long time..

    http://www.hscycle.com/
     
  19. bing!

    bing! Active Member

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    Ive heard that longer leg chiro thing one too many times. Depending on how youre lying down, how your hip is resting on table and how strong the chiro pulls your legs, one leg will extend further than the other.

    Legs are not loaded lying down. Ask to be shown the longer leg, standing up :)

    I have had my share of chiro work. The hot and cold packs helps injured or tired muscles. The electric muscle stimulation helps healing. Back cracking, I am dubious. Ive been very impressed with PT. I think you should go and get that second opinion.

    Also try and find what youve changed in your life. Personally, I found that some deep tissue massage can mess up your tendons and hips really bad. Age and plain randomness can also cause muscle and tendon tears/ruptures.

    You might also want to see a doctor.
     

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