Extremely tight hips, anyone experience anything similar?

[likeke34]

Here's a little background info on my situation...

started Karate about 21yrs ago (when I was 8yrs old), and I always worked on static stretching and getting really flexible... I could easily drop down into a full split, even cold...

fast forward 11yrs, i'm 19yrs old, still extremely flexible... I take 1 yr off of karate and played a lot of basketball... I come back to karate, try to stretch and the farthest I can spread my feet apart is about 3 ft lol... not exaggerating either... and it's not my groin, it's my hips that i feel the extreme tightness...

so i focused most of my kumite on footwork, sweeps and punches, avoiding high kicks because it seemed that no matter how i tried to work on lateral stretches, it didn't help...

anyways, i went to a physical therapist finally and they have no idea what's up... i was told that i have no inward hip mobility though, and that's very strange... after 3 sessions, there have been 0 improvement...

so i was just wondering if there's anyone out there w/something similar... the tightness is along the outside of my upper leg (equal on both sides)

[Dobbersky]

I'm not a Doctor so this is my opinion only.

If you are inpatient to wait for the flexibility to return if at all then, I would try Yoga/Pillates to help you get those stretches back.

Get a Stretching Bar from any Sportshop for around £20 to help you at home.

[phoenixfire]

I agree with Dobbersky. I would try some light yoga to get yourself started. If you can't get a stretching bar try using a railing around your porch or stair railings in your house. I know people who make fun of dancers, but their flexibility is unbelievable. My mom got me started in karate when I was 14 and she did it too so I wouldn't be the only girl in the class. She had some issues, but working slowly and patiently she regained her flexibility.

[honoluludesktop]

I read elaewhere that splitting is a functuion of pushing the stretch muscles, and the correct angle of the limbs. I don't think your flexibility can be so bad in a year. Try this.

[phoenixfire]

Thanks honolulu, that could be beneficial to us all.

[likeke34]

thanks for the replies, and that seems interesting, stretching when the muscles contracting, i can see how it would work

[Jay]

Its unlikely that you have lost so much flexability in a year. I quit karate for about a year and had pretty much the same level of flexability when I came back.

However flexability is a function of the strength of your muscles, especially the split. So its probably the strength you have lost also maybe a little flexability if you sit down all day.

Basically suppliment your stretching with strength building exercises for the muscles you are stretching.

[likeke34]

Its unlikely that you have lost so much flexability in a year. I quit karate for about a year and had pretty much the same level of flexability when I came back.

However flexability is a function of the strength of your muscles, especially the split. So its probably the strength you have lost also maybe a little flexability if you sit down all day.

Basically suppliment your stretching with strength building exercises for the muscles you are stretching.

thanks, i started doing strength training for my outer hip muscles (where the pain is)... i can see now that all of my problems w/flexibility come from internal hip rotation... i have almost none lol, and i have no idea how that happened

[likeke34]

UPDATE: if anyone is interested, or just in case someone experiences something similar, I went to see a sports medicine specialist the other day and apparently I have hip bursitis...

I got a cortisone shot directly into my right hip (he only did one side to diagnose), and today, about 36hrs later, my flexibilty is back! Not exactly like it was over 10 years ago, but the limits I had in my hips are gone now... i was told that i shouldn't be stopped by my hips when i try to do the splits, but rather my groin should feel it... but with me that was never the case and it's because of my bursa

What's weird is he said only my right side should get better since that's where the shot was, but both sides are better... there was also this lump on the outer upper thighs (where it hurt) that i thought was muscle, but they're gone now...

[bushido_man96]

Good to hear you got it figured out. Hopefully soon, you'll be back at it.