Gluteal tendinopathy

[Poppytime]

Not sure if this is the right place but as it's come from exercise (i think!) it seemed appropriate!

Took up running during last lockdown, fine for a few months then noticed lower bone/one sided hip ache after runs. Pushed through it (why oh why) and eventually has got so bad even walking a few mins starts a horrible burning pain in the top of my hip and glute. Had Mri to rule out and sciatic and lumbar issues, and pelvis and hip scan. Came back with slight bursitis in hip but I feel that was a secondary issue. Had a steroid injection for that which felt in wrong place for the original pain, and hasn't helped :(. Gp throws painkillers at me which don't help. I haven't run since June. I've tried Pilates, cycling etc, I'm finding it so hard to find the balance between what aggravated it and doing nothing, which doesn't help either. I've been seeing a phsyio who is lovely but the exercises don't seem to help and not much hands on atm due to current issues. I feel like I need to massage it constantly which is hard to achieve. Diagnosis seems to be as in title.

Basically has anyone had experience of this? I'm getting very depressed not even being able to walk a few mins without pain, not being able to exercise having previously being very active and also have 2 very active children! Any tips/positive stories are welcome. Feel about 85 and not even 40 yet thank you

Back not bone in first para!

How about seeing an osteopath? I had lower back pain, hobbled to the osteo, he worked some kind of strange magic and I floated out of his office. For me I need to really stretch out a small deep-set muscle in my bum (the name of which escapes me), doing pigeon pose is effective.

I'm having agonizing pain in my right side at waist level and occasional pain in my right bum cheek. I've had it for months and eventually dragged myself off to see a physio. He says it's deep muscle spasms and has given me massages and yoga postures to do at home but it's not really helping. So I sympathise, OP but can't offer any advice.

Pigeon pose is excellent for stretching out the piriformis.

Have you been to see a sports physio? They are some kind of magician, in my experience.

IME, they just chuck painkillers and standard physio worksheets at sports injury. DH had a persistent ITB friction injury and a similarly persistent trapped nerve in his shoulder and I damaged my achilles through running and they just didn't have the resources to treat or investigate. DH paid for sports physio and sessions with an osteopath and it turned out that what the NHS erroneously treated as one thing was actually something else entirely.

It almost feels like they see it as self inflicted sometimes. Our GP told DH to just give up trying to exercise which undoubtedly would have helped but would neither address the root issue nor protect his ongoing physical or mental health.

@LunaNorth

Pigeon pose is excellent for stretching out the piriformis.

Have you been to see a sports physio? They are some kind of magician, in my experience.

PIRIFORMIS!! That's the one 😀

Hi OP

I was diagnosed with Gluteal Tendinopathy and Pirformis Syndome. It's bloody painful isn't?

I stopped running and switched to cycling which has helped. I've been doing specific physio exercise for 6 months which also helped.

Last month I got fed up with it not resolving and had a course of Shockwave Therapy. That seemed to really make a difference and I'd say I'm now 90% of the way there.

Hang on in there - apparently tendinopathies can take a bugger of a long time to get better but eventually it should settle.

Thanks so much for all the replies! It's weirdly reassuring that others have had the same although you all have my huge sympathies as it massively sucks. Yes to sports phsyio, I'm seeing a new guy again on weds and am hopeful he can help, as my last physio was lovely but it all seemed very generic in terms of exercises and I never really felt she knew what it was.

Piriformis - I suspect that's involved too. Amazing how much you learn when something Chronic gets so you doing your own research isn't it?!

I just feel I am on this downward spiral with it and I really want to make a change and see some progress. I've stopped running and have been cycling but I think standing up and doing it for too long has aggravated it and I need to try and dial it back. I just feel so sluggish and losing fitness and tbh a bit depressed. I couldn't even walk 2 mins round the corner yesterday without the burning pain and I've given myself bruises again from massaging and prodding it so much. Sigh.

Oh and yes I have tried osteo but unfortunately without much success yet. I'll see him again (willing to try anything!) but I suspect physio will be the way to go and finding the right type and load of exercises if that makes sense. Does anyone have any that have really helped? I love the pigeon pose PP who suggested that! Really feels good and gives temporary relief.

Here are the ones my physio gave me OP.

Hi @Poppytime

I've had a milder version of this - things that helped me:

Gluteal activation exercises prior to running (one legged 'dead lift', bridges, clamshells)
Increasing glute activation generally (switch to a standing desk, hourly breaks from sitting when sitting required )
Strength training to activate and strengthen back, glutes and hamstrings - squats and deadlifts
Sleeping with a pillow between your knees if you side sleep- otherwise your top knee slides forward and pulls on your right hip throughout the night.
Hip flexor opening and stretching

Basically if you do any kind of sitting for long periods (tv watching, office work) your glutes will be weak and inactive and your hip flexors right which will pull your pelvis/hips out of line.

Focus on strengthening your glutes and hamstrings and stretch/opening your hip flexors. Avoid excessive straining of hips whilst asleep on your side

@Poppytime

Oh and yes I have tried osteo but unfortunately without much success yet. I'll see him again (willing to try anything!) but I suspect physio will be the way to go and finding the right type and load of exercises if that makes sense. Does anyone have any that have really helped? I love the pigeon pose PP who suggested that! Really feels good and gives temporary relief.

It was my osteo who suggested pigeon pose, and really getting into it and breathing into the glutes to stretch them further.

Another suggestion was to lie flat on the floor, and get a tennis ball under your bum so that it digs into the piriformis too, you should be able to feel it when you get it in the right place. Then just try to let the muscle melt over the shape of the ball.

I also try to ensure I'm doing plenty of flute activation exercises etc before running as suggested upthread. And yoga!

another thing: women tend to walk with feet too close together in relation to the width of their hips which can cause issues all the way down to the ankle.
strong glutes definitely help.

going down stairs in slow motion (until it burns) is a good exercise that my physio recommended in addition to the clams in 3 angles (90, 135, 180 degrees)

This is interesting! I have (mainly) overnight hip pain. When I lie in bed, the ache deep deep in my hips just builds and builds. Keeps me awake, wakes me up.

I've tried gluteal release with tennis balls, but that doesn't seem quite the thing.

I've realised recent that I may over use my glutes and under use my quads. When I stand I lock everything together for stability. I'm trying to stop doing that in the hope it relieves the tension in my hips.

@JenaWren

Here are the ones my physio gave me OP.

Thank you

Thanks Emma, I have one of those lacrosse ball things and I am using it more regularly. I think it really helps although can be bloody painful!

@pinkbalconyrailing

another thing: women tend to walk with feet too close together in relation to the width of their hips which can cause issues all the way down to the ankle. strong glutes definitely help.

going down stairs in slow motion (until it burns) is a good exercise that my physio recommended in addition to the clams in 3 angles (90, 135, 180 degrees)

Will try that stair thing thanks. Yes I think I really need to strengthen my glutes, I feel maybe it's instability that's lead to this?

@Veterinari

Hi *@Poppytime*

I've had a milder version of this - things that helped me:

Gluteal activation exercises prior to running (one legged 'dead lift', bridges, clamshells)
Increasing glute activation generally (switch to a standing desk, hourly breaks from sitting when sitting required )
Strength training to activate and strengthen back, glutes and hamstrings - squats and deadlifts
Sleeping with a pillow between your knees if you side sleep- otherwise your top knee slides forward and pulls on your right hip throughout the night.
Hip flexor opening and stretching

Basically if you do any kind of sitting for long periods (tv watching, office work) your glutes will be weak and inactive and your hip flexors right which will pull your pelvis/hips out of line.

Focus on strengthening your glutes and hamstrings and stretch/opening your hip flexors. Avoid excessive straining of hips whilst asleep on your side

Thanks x all good advice. I think I also need patience, but it's been going on for so many months now I can't remember what it's like not to have it

Mine took about 6 months to resolve. Whilst the tennis ball tip did help, actually stretching my glutes wasn't helpful as I'd been overstretching them during the night causing chronic irritation and pain. They actually needed strength and contraction. It was my hip flexors that needed stretching

Yep I had this, took about a year for the pain to go...sorry , it was a long haul with physio, exercises and graduating to the gym . Did loads of yoga. Early on I was unable to walk for more than 45 mins due to the pain. I started running in the summer ( had to stop as that aggravated it a bit and back ) but hoping to start again . What @Veterinari said is all good advice . I can't do any exercise now without stretching massively before and after .

@girlofthenorth

Yep I had this, took about a year for the pain to go...sorry , it was a long haul with physio, exercises and graduating to the gym . Did loads of yoga. Early on I was unable to walk for more than 45 mins due to the pain. I started running in the summer ( had to stop as that aggravated it a bit and back ) but hoping to start again . What *@Veterinari* said is all good advice . I can't do any exercise now without stretching massively before and after .

Yes I struggle with the stretch or not to stretch dilemma...

A few months ago I would have baulked at the idea of it taking a year to go. 7 months in I'm resigned ...

I have this i think. It came on during an uphill run two years ago and never went away. Sorry!

It's manageable - I have actually stopped doing targeted stretching, I don't think it has helped at all. What I am doing more of now is strength work and I have days now where I don't feel it at all, even after a run.

Long periods of sitting bring the pain on, it's worse now as I'm back in the office and due to covid am not moving around as much as I used to.

@TeaAndHobnob

I have this i think. It came on during an uphill run two years ago and never went away. Sorry!

It's manageable - I have actually stopped doing targeted stretching, I don't think it has helped at all. What I am doing more of now is strength work and I have days now where I don't feel it at all, even after a run.

Long periods of sitting bring the pain on, it's worse now as I'm back in the office and due to covid am not moving around as much as I used to.

Management sounds realistic Tea, id like to achieve that! When did you get the confidence to try running again? As I'm finding walking quite painful I think I'm a way off. I'll have to work on my glute strength. Annoying how I've spent years, decades! Not worrying about it and merrily exercising away and now I feel I'm starting from basics

weirdly my hip is fine with running, but hurts after walking a lot, especially in cold weather.