Right Hamstring, Hip, outer shin

[sherribc1988]

Hi,
I am a marathon runner and I have had right hamstring pain since June 09 and right outer shin pain since December 09. I have been to Physical Therapy twice, each therapist diagnosing back problems and concentration on core exercises and squats with weights which worsened my symptoms, and added pain to my right buttock muscles with running and pinching pain to right hip (trochanter) with running. Stopped running for one month and now resuming again with low milage and stretching. Hamstring is better, but pinching pain to right hip and right shin still present and a cramping pain deep in buttocks when running. No pain with sitting, stiffness in morning with right leg which feels better as I move around, so no pain with walking. Feels better to run up hill. Any ideas or suggestions to get back to pain free running? I am thinking of trying the Nike free shoes.

[Heidi]

Hi
I think what your previous therapists were getting at was that as the pain you experience is widespread, in several areas down the right side, it is probably nerve related. This can indeed come from the lumbar or sacral spine and obviously we can't say if there is a problem there or not.
Core strengthening is always a good idea and shouldn't have any negative effects on your pain, so I would suggest it was the squatting that affected it and with this all in mind, have you considered that the problem may be in your buttocks? Maybe piriformis syndrome?
Have a look at this and see what you think:
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/back/buttocks/piriformis.htm

[Danny24]

It seems to me that you may have a varieity of problems. This maybe due to the way you run (running gate) and overuse. your hip sounds like symptoms of runners knee, this is where the illio tibial tract (IT band) becomes tight and it restricts movement in the hip and impinges on the greater trochanter of the femor and may cause pain and clicking. the IT band runs from the side of the pelvis, where the tensor facia latae muscle is, to the upper anterior aspect of the tibia on the lateral side and it actully merges with the glueus maximus, hence the name illio tibial tract. this can cause lateral hip imbalances affecting your running gate which can create other problems. I cant tell if the the shin pain is due to the runners knee or it maybe shin splints where the tibialis anterior muscle becomes tight and starts to rub against the tibia. I would advice that you stretch all your glute muscles on both sides (gluteus maxims, gluteus medius. gluteus minimus) stretch your IT band and your deep hip rotators your piriformis being the main one. hope that i have been some help to you.