Glute pain, Hip?

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hi,

I’m new to the list. My name’s Maya. I hope you can help me with this problem I have. I’d go to a yoga therapist, but live in the middle of nowhere :frowning:

I have this pain, I’m not sure how to localise it (don’t know the muscles well enough) and not sure the cause. It’s in the hip & glute area, right side, and is now moving up my lower back and down my leg. The pain is in the back, outer side.

I would really appreciate any advice you can give (yoga poses, etc.)

Much obliged
Maya
Mei-Tal@wvwc.edu

#2

Sounds like sciatica.
Though I am not a trainer, I do practice yoga, and I suffer of lower back pain, too.

It is often one sided.

I do Virabhadrasana, Ado Mukha Svanasana, and Baddha Konasana, to relax the hip joint. Most of the time, the real cause of low back pain is the shortness of the hip flexor muscles (iliopsoas)

Of course, your description is breef, so it might be something different. If it’s sciatica, you should rest until the pain lessens, than start easy exercises.

Stretching the front thigh muscles, strenghtening the abdominal belt also helps a lot. Do not sit more than 30-40 minutes in one session, stand up, walk with an erect back, try to walk for at least 15-20 minutes daily.

Do not force forward bends.

So if your problem is what I think it is, all the above will help you. But you will know it better … just pay attention to the signals of your body. Do not force anything. Maintain the postures only for 20 seconds, than rest, relax the muscles, massage the streched parts, than try it again. If you feel acute pain, stop at once.

#3

Hubert

Thanks for your kind reply.

Isn’t sciatica supposed to begin in the lower back? This pain I have started in the back hip area, not the lower back. Hmmm.

Thanks
Maya

#4

Usually sciatica affects the lombar spine area, mostly is localized between the 4th and 5th vertebrae. Those are positioned quite low … or in your case it might affect lower vertebrae …

I didn’t said it was sciatica, it’s just what I think it might be.
In fact it’s only called sciatica when the elastic ring of the joint is ruptured and the disk’s protuberance presses the nerves. That usually needs surgery.
There are slighter forms when there is no rupture but only inflamation, what also can press nerves and produce pain. In this second case they call it low back pain instead of sciatica, and it usually gets better by time, without any treatment, but rest.

But of course, you can’t expect much from me, I am not a doctor, nor trainer. May advise only can be to rest, wait, and if it does not disappear … seek out a doctor.

#5

Thank you so much Hubert. I went to a sports therapy person yesterday who agreed with your diagnosis. I got some treatment too. I appreciate your help - the name you put on my pain pushed me to seek help.

Much obliged
Maya