double hip pain

[beth2]

hope someone has some insight. I have been having pain in both my hips for several months.
1. Getting up out of a chair, sitting down on a chair can be very painful processes.
2. My hip flexors remain tight regardless of whether I stretch or not.
3. Cannot raise right leg straight out in front without pain in the hip flexor area
4. Sleeping on either side brings excruciating pain which wakes me up several times during the night ( even after taking a sleeping pill )
5. Cannot walk up hill without severe pain, in the back hip area just at the curve of my buttock.
6. cannot bend over, or do anything that strectches the hamstrings for that matter, without pain.
7. Cannot use the toes on one foot to pull off the shoe on the other foot, pain in the same place as #6.
8. Sitting for any lenght of time causes pain in the same areas as well as down the sides of my thighs.
9. Doing lunges, squats etc. makes things worse
10. yes I workout and stretch 5 days a week, resting on weekends.
11. No I do not work my legs every day, usually every two to three days.
12. The only cardio I can do that does not cause pain is walking backwards, uphill on the treadmill.
13. Xrays showed zippo.

My doc says physical therapy and/or steroid shots. I already do all the exercises for strengthing the hip and stretching it. It has not helped. As for the shots, I just don't want to go there. If anyone has any ideas of different conditions could be going on I would really appreciate the input. thanx.

[Heidi]

Hi

Sounds like a possible sciatic problem.
Impingement on the scaitic nerve by either a muscle which is very tight (usually piriformis) or even a disc in the lower back can cause all kinds of symptoms throughout the hip and leg.

My advice is to request an MRI of the back to double chack a disc herniation. Many people think it couldn't be that if the lower back does not hurt. This is not always the case.

If this comes back clear, then look into physical therapy definately. The piriformis muscle can be very troublesome. If it tightens up at all it can impinge on the nerve and cause this type of symptoms which if untreated can cause muscle weakness and further problems.

If this is the case then it can be treated with things such as massage, stretching, strengthening and even acupuncture.

You can find out a bit more here:
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/back/buttocks/piriformis.htm

Try stretching the muscle yourself and see if you can feel it pulling in the buttock: http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/stretching/piriformis_stretch.php

also try this one if you can:
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/stretching/gluteal_stretch.php

Good luck!

[beth2]

thanx for the reply, I will check out all those sites! I