Hip trouble

[neveryield]

I've posted this both at AirborneRanger.Com and ArmyRanger.Com, but I'm trying to get as much input on the issue as possible, and because my aspirations are that of Special Forces, in retrospect it doesn't make much sense to ask anyone else. Thanks in advance for any help that can be shot my direction.

In a sort of debacle. Shipping on 20060706 and I think I've developed a bit of an overtraining injury in my upper hips (both legs). I've been rucking regularly with 55-60lb rucks roughly 10 miles on average two to three times a week and running considerably on roads when not lifting, doing ab work, etc. (including lower ab work that drives hip flexors considerably). For a few weeks now, I've backed off from alot of those activities due to a doctor's reccomendation, have gone through a cycle of taking anti-inflammatories for 2 weeks and icing regularly, have layed off running almost entirely, and have even had an X-ray and MRI taken of the effective area, both returned to say that absolutely nothing appeared wrong whatsoever. But that's little solace to me.

I can run, and even ruck, but I can feel something wrong within my hip and it does cause some pain (not excruciating) while walking about normally on occasion, but then sometimes it's alright. I've been visiting a physical therapist who is a friend of the family to gain his opinion on the matter, but me appears to be just as confused as the rest of us.

I'm glad that I can still train with minimal pain, but I'm obviously interested in figuring out what the hell is going on, so to prevent further injury. The reason I'm coming here instead of another doctor is just because AR has never steered me wrong, and I have a feeling that what I'm experiencing is not uncommon to those who also do substantial rucking, running, etc.

I've done quite a bit of research on the possibilities and the number one issues that come to mind include:

ITBS - which I'm doubting, since I have no pain on the outsides of my knees. The pain is primarily in the Tensor facia-latae, the out side of my upper hip, deep in the gluteal muscle, and in a semi half-circle encompassing those three elements in different areas on an episotic fashion.

Bursitis - which I'm also doubting, considering the fact that I don't have joint pain to speak of, and all the doctors I've talked to claim that my symptoms are different than that of bursitis (the PT also informed me while probing my hip with his hand that certain areas would be painful to touch if bursitis was the problem, but these areas did not cause any pain for me)

Overall, I'm stumped. I've been stretching regularly and continuing to ice and take anti-inflammatories regularly, and of course I'm not going to let this stop me or even slow me down from my goals, but I'd like to take some intelligent steps, and I could think of no better place to go for those intelligent steps than here.

Thanks again to the SF and Ranger comunity here, and I hope I didn't leave any important information out.




Thanks so much again. I am of the opinion that it is not a serious problem due to the fact that I can sitll operate with very minimal pain, though I am somewhat concerned about it developing into a larger problem if I don't learn how to handle it properly now.

(My apologies for using a medical post as my first thread after my introduction here, but I find that by perusing the thread archives on my own I learn considerably more than I could simply posting at every whim I get. I hope I have not overstepped any bounds by appealing for medical reccomendation.)

[Eagle5US]

Your description of "hip pain" is very vague...and while that is absolutely fine for an internet BBS-understand that this is not the place to receive a diagnosis.

A couple of points to consider...
1. A single 2 week course of NSAIDS is a minimalist approach in the extreme when talking about overtraining injuries. There are many different NSAIDS to consider and a 4-6 week regimen in conjuntion with regular physical therapy would be much more appropriate.
2. While X-Rays and an MRI can indeed be normal for the major processes - in almost all cases where someone is consistantly training with an axial load and presenting with unexplainable joint or bone pain I consider getting a bone scan. It may indicate stress reactions or fractures in the bone cortices themselves that take considerably longer to heal than you may realize (4-6 months). "Pelvic Pain" in training males can represent femoral neck stress reactions/fractures that can have serious and significant repurcussions if not diagnosed and properly treated.

Again-not a diagnosis...simply other things for you to consider.

Good luck in your endeavors and welcome to PS.com

Eagle

[moobob]

You don't want to mess around with pelvic/hip injuries. You could end up like I was, or worse.

I stress fractured my pelvis in basic training in 2003. I believe the term was a Right IPR stress fracture. It took over a year, and constant physical therapy to get back to 100%. The fracture caused a bad hamstring strain and, I couldn't lift my right leg without lifting it up with my hands. When I thought I was in the clear, I ended up stress fracturing my right tibia. I was in pretty bad condition for a while, and I'm sure my injuries could have been prevented. I consider myself lucky to still be in the Army.

Not every test (X-ray, bone scan, MRI) came up positive.