Hello xJasmine,
& Thanks for posting
I’ve been having a slight snapping problem in my left hip for a few weeks now… When I bend then extend my leg, and then lower it down there is a noticeable pop.
Paschimotanasana? You could always try a cushion like this pic
Or Uttanasana perhaps? See here
I first noticed it while I was on my back, slowly lowering my legs to the floor for core strength.
Can be hard on the lower back.
Then I feel a pressure in my inner left hip (near my groin area) and soon there is the pop. At first is is not painful, but as the snapping continues throughout postures the pain gets worse. Usually I sleep it off and I’m fine the next day, only to start the vicious circle all over again.
I rememeber someone that posts here describing this as a good definition of insanity…lol
You’re not alone howvere as i’ve done it myself.It’s an opportunity to re-evaluate our practice.That is my own experience.You need to listen to the body’s calls and respond appopriattely as these things can build up over time. You might be getting addicted to one style of practice…
I was unwise and didn’t recognize this as a serious problem, and as a result I had a fall and now the snapping occurs more often and is more painful. I have lost a lot of strength in my left hip and can’t lift my leg up without pain. I have searched on the internet and I think my problem is called the Iliopsoas syndrome, where the Iliopsoas muscle gets caught in the pelvis.
Yes very clever.They say it’s the emotional muscle,and the prime mover in locomotion.It initiates movement of the leg and walking.The posas can get tight.
My question is: What caused it to begin with? Could it be overexertion? Due to summer break, I went from 1 studio visit a week to 6. Also, I took up running but since my friends were seasoned runners, I had no chance to build up.
It could be a cumulative thing or a sudden change.
6 days out of seven at a studio sounds like too much to me.And running could conceivably aggravate by tightenening muscles generally over-all such as those hams.All intense physicall excercise can have this effect. Ballet ,hillwalking,cycling etc.It can result in abnormally high muslce tonus that can lead to injury and protective further tighteninig muscle behaviour.Sometimes also when we stretch a muscle irnoically it just goes even tighter. This has been called the stretch or myotatic reflex and therpists can sometimes often see the most extreme cases in the likes of dancers and other movement artists.But don’t worry to much.Certain amount of guesswork here though.
Maybe calming thing down a bit would be sensible. Easing off…
Could it also be that my left quad muscle is weaker than my right? In the beginning of my practice I used to strongly favor the right side, and now I’m trying to strengthen my left. Maybe due to my weak quad muscles, my iliopsoas was being overworked?
Yes,very possible. Remebr that the rectoris femoris is also another hipflexor in addition to the illiopsoas.The rectus femoris connects the knee cap to the hip-socket- i.e it extends the length, in terms of oirigin and attachment points.
[B]Has anyone else ever had this problem or can give suggestions on how to treat it?[/B] I don’t want to stop doing yoga, and I apparently can’t see a doctor since my mom thinks it’s not important enough. She thinks it’ll just get better on its own, but even though the pain has subsided somewhat, the popping still continues and pain comes back after a few pops.
No need to stop yoga,just whatever it is you are doing.Tell a yoga teacher you respect and can bring this up.They should have the time or make the time especially if what they are teaching may have contributed to this, in however small way. I.e if you’re practicing whatever you’re picking up from wherever.
I’ve found a strange stretch that gives me a sensation of a sore pain in the iliopsoas area. Should I keep doing the stretch to strengthen or stop doing it? I don’t know the name of the stretch, since I found it on my own. ):
Which stretch might you be referring to? Runners stretch perhaps? This is so i have heard is not meant to be so good for you.Even though you might see sportsman practice it i tmay well be anatomically unsound and questionable because of the strain on the knees,and the unnatural position.The one where you’re on your knees and the other leg is pointed outwards.There are a number of anatomically questionable stretches in so called ‘sports medicine’.Yoga has had a longer history after all and it’s holistic science.
I am 15 years old, in case this is some puberty issue?
I’ve never really thought about this. But there’s a pretty major growth spurt at this age particularly yours.That s why they say teenagers can walk funny or clunkily because their bodies have grown before all the sensory-motor skills have fully refined.
It could be an issue. Perhaps others can chime in here or what they think, if they’ve observed students through the sudden growth period. I’m not a teacher btw, just a student.It might help yo grow physically. I think an intense yoga practice and physical development.I don’t kknow what the research is . But you might want to ease things off a bit.Also remeber there are other limbs.
You’ve provided alot ofinfo in your post.You could could go into a roughish outline of your yoga practice . 6 X a week might be too much.Also practicing more at home or less might be better.Then you’re in a better position to tailor a practice of your own that suits your own individual needs.It might be that generically your practice is too vigourous.They do say ashtanga is good for folk your age,i.e teenagers… Although it’s not the safest it gives you that vigourous work-out you might be affter. you need a great teacher too.And alignement is’nt really it’s strength.
You might be doing too much of the same thing too often. Snapping is not really desirable but i know what you mean.It is typically i tthink re-adjustment of muscles in & around the hip complex. There are gentle restorative hip opening series that can be done in the supine position. You want to listen to the signals your body might be trying to tell you ,review or re-evaluate your practice and then respond appropriately. You physically active lifestyle,intense practice combined with the teenage growth period might be too much. I have some question marks over this one.I don’t know what the reasearch or data is . But others here may be able to offer their experience and wisdom in this regard.
P.S What i have heard is that changes in the body are easier, if that’s what you’re after, the younger one is possibly because one is more emotionally receptive.Habits have’nt crept in.The older you get,the more stuck in your ways, i am thinking mentally, the more artificial blocks you tend to put up & amass, and less able to change.Though that is obviously no excuse not to,as everything is always in a state of change,dynamic.In yoga philosophy,they say it’s the witness or seer behind it all,behind all this, life, the observed that is the static,stillness itself.Alot of folk become more artificial as they age…lol.
