Hip Flexor Pain or not??

It may be your periformis muscle - if so you better take care of it now before it gets out of hand.  It can devleop into a syndrome, they call it of course, periformis syndrome.

It is a deep muscle in your glutes, and is about one of the only muscles that comes into direct contact with a major nerve, in this case the siatic nerve.  I once thought I had thrown my back out, was having spasms and couldn't stand up straight, etc ... but come to find out it was the periformis.

When this muscle tightens or inflames, it presses against the siatic nerve and symptoms can be numerous, such as back ache, shooting pains down the leg, tingling, numb or tingling feet, etc ....

A good deep tissue massage can most likely take care of it.  I finally got mine under control and now whenever I go in for a massage I always ask for 4-5 minutes work on my periformis, even if it isn't acting up, but just for good measure.

a good way to tell if it's the periformis is to sit in a chair somewhat like a kitchen table chair or something, toward the edge.

If it's your left hip for example, cross your left foot over to your right knee, like how a man crosses his legs.

Try to form a right angle with your left leg, with your left knee straight out from your torso and your left foot up on your right knee.

Now, bend forward as though you are going to touch the floor (or your toes as if both feet were flat on the floor.)

If where you feel the most stretch is the area of your pain, it is most likely the periformis (or that area anyhow.)

This same stretch is a good stretch to help this, plus something called the Hippy Stretch.

The hippy stretch is just a modified way of bending over and touching your toes.  From a standing position keep your legs as straight as possible.  I am able to lock my knees, some may not be able to.

I bend at the waist and touch my toes or the floor (or go as far as you can.)

Then bend your right knee.  You will naturally lean a little bit toward the right and you will feel a longer, deeper stretch on your left leg and in particular your left hip.  For added stretch I will also walk my fingers along the floor to the right side of my right foot, and then walk them back across and eventually to the left side of my left foot.

Then bend both knees, straighten them both back out, .... now bend the left knee and really feel teh stretch on your right side leg and hip... while in this position I also kind bend a little sideways from the waist to really get as much stretch in the opposite hip of the bent knee.

Hope this helps!

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Based on your explanation it could be a number of things, maybe the psoas, maybe the quadratus, maybe something else (helpful, huh?) I thought this link might be helpful to you.  It will at least provide stretches for various areas for you to experiment with.  I always have to remind myself where the pain is may not be where the problem actually starts:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/muscles/allmuscles.php

^^^

What she said.

A lot of times where you feel the pain is called "referred" pain.  I kept having pain in the side of my neck but found out it was coming form further down, a muscle in my back right around the shoulder blade.

This might be another good reason to see a good massage therapist that specializes in deep tissue massage.  They may be able to pinpoint the exact location of where the pain is actually coming from or what is causing it, and if not you may have to go to a doctor but at least you still got a good massage.   

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oops!  Double post.  Is there no way to delete posts?

Well I'm still doing my research.  It is really hard to explain the location because it is hard to find unless I am pushing on it.  Foam rolling is impossible... it hurts way too much, sleeping on it also hurts bad.  Most days I can run on it, bike on it and it just gets really really tight and doesn't hurt during daily activities.  Today I am feeling it when I move certain ways but again... not all the time.

I looked up some local massage therapy and that is where I am planning on going next.  I also have a friend on here who had hip problems.  I am going to drop her a message.  I WILL figure this out! 

Glut medius or minimis?  These help to abduct the leg when the hip is extended...plus a few other things.  check this out....

http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/GluteusMinimus.html

I would be curious what you come up with.  I have pain in the same area on my left side.  Pain is only when the left leg is weighted.  One of the things I find painful is to place my right hell out in front of me and bend forward.  Puts almost all my weight on my left leg.  If I switch legs and put my left heel out and bend forward I am fine.

This started back in July and I have had 2 x-rays (clear), 3 months of PT 3/wk for an hour each session (no improvement) and the MRI I had 2 weeks ago came back negative.  So now I am looking at a bone scan according to the doc.   Up until 2 weeks ago they had bene letting me continue to bike but have now restricted that in case it is aggrivating the mystery injury.  Wish I could figure it out soon so I coudl get back to running