Been dealing with left hip pain for what it seems like forever (~8 years now). I feel like it all started after a relatively minor MVA I was involved in where by left knee was driven into the dashboard. It was minor enough at the time that I didn’t even go to the hospital. I full admit this could all be recall bias however. Regardless, this issue has plagued me for a long time, and prevents me from training regularly.
To be exact, the pain is latent and always kind of there, lifting/exercise is not the culprit, rather training exacerbates the issue. If I just try to train through it it affects my daily living causing a noticeable limp. I tried a number of different treatments, paying through the nose for Graston for some time years ago (temporary relief), and also ART few years later (which I don’t recall giving me any relief, besides my wallet). I’m not proud of my choices but I was desperate to find a solution. Eventually I got an MRI in 2012 fearing it was a labral tear. MRI ruled that out and gave me the diagnosis of “mild bilateral trochanteric bursitis/glute medius tendinopathy. No left labral tear identified on high resolution imaging. Sacroiliac joints are normal.”
Basically squatting is the main provocative movement, mainly the repetitive flexion/extension at the hip. If my training excluded squatting I would probably have no issue. I’ve tried low bar, high, bar, playing with toe angles and stance width. NSAIDs are only temporary, and don’t allow training either. I tried hip abduction exercises focusing on the eccentric portion, I tried icing, I tried heat. None of it seems to matter.
I can also reproduce discomfort over the trochanter if I internally rotate the hip, both with the hip flexed or in neutral position. The discomfort sort of feels like a progressively increasing tightening/pressure over the outside of the hip. If I add adduction to the IR it gets even worse, also causing discomfort in the anterior hip crease feels like its about the location of the iliopsoas.
I have a fairly active job, I became a paramedic/firefighter ~6 months ago. I want to train regularly, not only to be better at my job but also would like to get back to competing (former olympic, but would like to try PL as well). I have a garage gym that has been sporadically used since I built it, partially due to laziness, partially to becoming a father 18 months ago, but I’d be lying if I said that the thought of the hip hasn’t crept into my head numerous times. I used to think that volume of work involving repetitive hip/flexion extension was the problem, but the intensity also plays a part. Sad thing is that over time the intensity that causes cessation of training is decreasing. I tried restarting regular training last week, I’m three training sessions in and the hip feels so uncomfortable and painful that I know if I don’t stop squatting I’ll be limping soon, and that’s not an option. The last high bar squat session was a measly 220x4 @ RPE 8.
I need advice on how to manage and rehab this issue, how to adjust my training, and for someone to tell me I will be able to squat regularly again (I’ve considered never squatting again).