hamstring, glutes, and s.i.joint

[dbrinkmeier1]

#1811

I am a runner for the past 10 years and have recently discovered hot yoga. Unfortunately for me, I probably should have discovered it a long time ago.
I am now at the point where I am no longer running my usual 3x/week (avg mileage is about 20 miles), and I have been told to stop the hot yoga indefinitely. I have always been a very active individual but I have never been very good at cross-training. Two years ago, due to orthodontic appliances,braces and jaw issues, I was down to 7% body fat but still continued to run/exercise which is when all of my injuries/issues began to surface.
It began in my S.I joint in my lower back, progressed through my glutes and it seems to have settled in the insertion points between my glutes and hamstrings and at times shoots down my hamstrings to the back of my knees.
I have been obtaining regular massages, chiropractor when my SI joint has bothered me, and am now onto acupuncture and hot yoga. In the meantime, I have stopped running altogether.
My question is this….the chiropractor that also does my acupuncture has advised me that there is a possibility of me having a small tear in my hamstring that continues to re-surface and that perhaps I need to stop hot yoga. AAARGH!!!
I, however, have to say that since I started hot yoga 2 months ago (I am going 3 times a week, sometimes 4) I have seen allot of improvement in my mobility and have even had days/periods of time when my hams/glutes feel pain free…and it has been a long time since that has happened. I actually feel my lower spine, hamstrings and glutes release while I am in the class, which I think has contributed substantially to my ‘pain free’ days.
Ultimately I want to fix what is broken and my goal is to be able to be active once again…but if I stop hot yoga will I end up back where I was before ??? Or can I still proceed with modifications ???

[phred7]

#7045

I have a horrible (to me at least) hamstring problem…years of running in the Marines have really caused a problem. I was also advised by the doctor to “stop yoga”

I practice Bikram at home every day. It has not cured the problem…but it has made it a bit better…and overall it keeps me fit and happy.

I say know your limits and keep on practicing.

Also, and MRI can often tell if you have a tear (I have what appears to be a small one…but if sure feels big!)

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#7050

Hi Dawn and phred

It would be very remiss of me NOT to ask questions about your technique! There is often quite a bit of hidden length in hamstrings and backs that can be uncovered when the poses are approached in the right way.

MANY, many thousands of students practice the Paschimottanasana and other poses yanking on their muscles and ligaments… and causing damage in low backs. And even exacerbating damage in torn muscles.

So, here’s what I would like you to do: Please go and read Opening Up Your Hamstrings With Hot Yoga. Apply this technique through your practice.

Also, take a look around at posts about hamstrings. There has been a significant number of students (ME included) who have had slight to moderate injuries in leg muscles that have NOT been fixed by the yoga.

It is possible that a torn muscle belly means that many of the poses create a tugging action. For me, I had a weakness from an injury in my left hamstrings. I self-medicated with yoga. However, the poses, the stretching, the gravity stretching that I was sure would fix it, actually made it all worse. It didn’t actually feel constantly bad at the site of injury. At times it hurt me in the lower back and the attachment of the muscle into the butt!!! Sometimes I felt a strain behind the knee too. So it may be very prudent to go to a physical therapist to see if there are exercises you can do to strengthen the weakened muscles … or even just to exclude this scenario completely, which would at least get you on the right track.

If any of these seems to resonate, then come back and tell me which poses you feel your body aching in (or after) and maybe we can piece a little more of the story together.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[dbrinkmeier1]

#7052

Thankyou for your responses, but I do have a few more questions/concerns/comments:

I have read the post on opening up hamstrings referred to above and it is possible that I could have been extending/straightening my legs too soon and not necessarily using the correct form. I will make the adjustments in my class tomorrow and will report back if it makes any difference.

The pose where I seem to be feeling the most discomfort does not necessarily include the hands to feet pose as I actually feel a very nice stretch all the way down the back of my hamstrings. The pose where I feel the most discomfort is the standing separate leg head to knee pose in particular. Also, anytime I try to do a lunge or even floor bow, I feel like my muscle traveling down my hamstring from the insertion point in my glutes is extremely tight and uncomfortable…almost like a clothesline with a knot on the end. This happens in my leg that is directly behind me (not in front) in the lunge and is in both legs when I do the floor bow, with my right leg worse than the left.

This same soreness is also present when I am sitting (though not at the same level) and almost takes my breath away if I break into a light jog. Could this be simply that I need to continue to stretch, but with moderation and within a certain level of discomfort? And further to that, how do I know how far is too far as it is always tight and any amount of stretching results in some discomfort for ?

As far as after class, it all feels much looser and the discomfort is almost gone compared to before I went to class. I do also experience a localized ‘coldness/coolness’ in different areas within the muscles that were very tight prior to class, though I had assumed that was a good thing???

FYI…I have also booked an appointment with a physical therapist, but it is not for another 2 1/2 weeks…

[Shona]

#7068

I was a runner for many years – running between 8km to 16km 5 or 6 days per week – and my body told me about it when I started yoga about 18 months ago. I have noticed big improvements in the opening of my hamstrings and glutes. My lower back is slowly starting to ‘release’ as well.

I have taken on board the advice from Gabrielle about bending knees where appropriate. I have also been going to a remedial massage therapist. Plus this year I started supplementing the Bikram series practice with Power / Vinyasa practice which has really helped to open up some of the tightness.

Sometimes the body just needs time to heal – it has been damaged over many years, so it will definitely take time to rehabilitate.

[dbrinkmeier1]

#7071

Have you gone back to running at all at this point ? I would really like to be able to do so, but at a much more moderate pace…Or maybe I am just being unrealistic…

I have now gone to two classes and have started to use bent knees in a number of poses and will continue to do so as I believe I may have been going too far into the poses with straight legs and then using improper technique to boot. I have also been trying to pay more attention to my body when it is telling me ‘whoa..that’s far enough’.

My two toughest poses yesterday were actually standing head to knee pose where I raise my left leg and then tried to grab my heel, but the pain in my standing right leg at the base of the glute and top few inches of my hamstring was preventing me from bending forward And in locust pose where our progression is to lay on our hands and lift/stretch one leg at a time, but the same pain was present when I tried to extend and lift my right leg. Is there an adjustment I can make in these two poses as well? Or is there something else I should/could be doing to help loosen it up ??

[lindain8]

#7078

I am a chiropractor AND I have had almost exactly the same injury you are describing. I am also a runner – like to cover about 20 kms a week so not quite as far but ran a lot further before doing Bikram – just found now the yoga provides such great strength, flexibility and cardio training I don’t need to run as much. I practice Bikram yoga 4-6 times a week.
I have had other injuries surface during my Bikram journey – some that concerned me but I have held a philosophy that if I just practice the postures that challenge the injuries in perfect form but without going as deep the body will continue to get full benefits and continue to heal. All have healed in their own time.
I feel now, after 3 months that I am nearing the end of my left ischeal tuberosity/SI joint syndrome. I am getting stronger and almost able to go into full postures again now. So, be compassionate with yourself. Work to where your body feels safe and hold the posture in stillness. As you breathe, you’ll find you’ll slowly be able to open up and go deeper but don’t push it beyond where your body feels OK. I do not believe staying out of the hot room will help you. When we start a healing process in the body, we often will start to ‘unravel’ fascia and other tissues which have previously been stressed. Sometimes we recognise them as old injuries. Sometimes not. But this retracing is vital to achieve optimal health in the long run. The only way out is through. but go through slowly and be patient with your body. This is a lifelong process and well worth being patient.
Good Luck!

[Shona]

#7096

I haven’t started running consistently yet! I generally do some intervals/hill work once or twice a week just to keep my cardio fitness up. This has not seemed to adversely impact anything (and hopefully I haven’t spoken too soon!).

As for standing head to knee – one modification is to not do a forward bend and grab your knee instead. I’m not sure if this is an accepted mod in a purist Bikram stuido, but my teacher has suggested this modification where students are having issues with this pose until they build up the required strength and/or opening.

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#7108

Hi Shona

Yes, you’ll notice elsewhere on the forum particularly in the Standing Head to Knee posts that I recommend a modification to that pose which helps open up the area while building strength. It involves a grip around the knee. It definitely helps the student focus on the basics of leg locking, balance, and resolving pain and tension in the hip/pelvic/gluteal area.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[fraseram]

#7118

this mod IS very helpful and one that I have used in recovery from hip surgery. NOT acceptable in a purist studio but encouraged in others.

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