nagging injury
 

About three weeks ago I developed a infrequent, stabbing pain deep in my right hip (about three fingers below the dimples on the hip). I figured it may have been related to the long ruck I went on, coupled with some strenuous sports that I had been partaking in. So, I took a two week hiatus from running and any load bearing activities, although I did keep my flexibility exercises going. About Wednesday of last week I started jogging, testing it to see if there was any pain. Nothing hurt, so I started increasing the running (was running on grass and dirt, not pavement). Everything was going well. About yesterday the pain returned after I had taken my dog for a walk. Today it is even worse, it feels like a throbbing in the deep tissue. Palpation does nothing to increase the pain. Went to a chiropractor last week, had an adjustment, supposedly my hips were off kilter, he actually showed me how my right leg was out in consideration to my left. So, all that being said, what do the docs here think?

J

Leg length descrepency of upto an inch is considered fairly normal and is utilized by Chiropractors for an extra $55 snap. The pain you descrip sounds like a hip bursitis and has little to nothing to do with your leg length descrepency. His adjustment probably focused on the SI joint which had nothing to do with your pain.
You should take some decent strength anti-inflammatory medications (naproxen comes to mind) and do passive ROM excercises to moderate some of the inflammation.
If the pain travels down your leg past your knee, you may also have some nerve compression and this deserves a closer examination by a sports medicine bubba or physical therapist.
In uncomplicated cases (as yours SOUNDS to be), tincture of time and appropriate CONSISTANT medications prescribed by your promary care person will usually do the trick. In extreme cases that are unresponsive to therapy, steroid injections into the inflammed area may be necessary.
See your doctor or primary care provider, get some good meds, rest it.

PA

Look, I am no doubt going to piss off a lot of folks here but I have more faith in Zoes than in Chiropractors. I broke my hip years ago from a nasty fall induced by someone trying to crater the hell out of my A-Camp with 122 rockets. I did not realize it was broken and just sort of hobbled around for 6 weeks until it just sort of degenerated to the pain you describe. When the thing healed my leg on that side was a full inch shorter than the other which I never noticed. Of course it seemed easier traversing a hill one way than the other, but it still didn't register. Over the years the leg that took all the shock first was the longer leg. Last September when the quadracep tendons finally broke on the longer leg I still was not aware what was going on. Apparently, according to the physical therapist I have been dealing with relearning how to get back to normal, the reason for the tendons finally giving up the ghost on the longer leg was that they just plumb wore out because they had taken up more of the stress and strain than the other set on the short leg. My point is this, you may have more of a problem starting than you know and some joint manipulator might give you relief, but it will only be temporary.

Jack Moroney-knuckle dragger on the right side only

holy crap sir!
 

Damn sir, I really hope that the situation such as your's an isolated incident. How is the leg faring now? Thanks for the info, I will go see someone to hopefully rule out any totally debilitating injuries.

follow up
 

So, was diagnosed with mild bursitis, put on a 600mg ibuprofen 3x a day for a week, no running or rucking, only fast walking. Was also advised to stretch my hips out, the doc thought that may be a problem. So, off the internet, found a site that covered that very topic (http://www.tacticalathlete.com). Pretty much you should do back bridges (ala Matt Furey), they really loosen up the hips. Makes a world of difference. Just my .02 though...


J