Deep aching in hips

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karenm
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2018 1:44 am

Deep aching in hips

Post by karenm »

I have been enjoying doing yin yoga for about 9 months now. I generally do it for about 30 mins per evening.

For the last few weeks, I've been experiencing a deep aching in my hips overnight. Through the process of elimination, I've been able to narrow it down to the evenings I do square pose. I enjoy this pose, and don't feel like I'm straining too hard/at too much of an edge when I'm in it, but am puzzled as to why the aching throughout the night.

Obviously, I can just eliminate doing that pose, but am interested/curious as to why I may be suddenly experiencing this. I have had no previous hip pain/injury/achiness, and am 40 years old.

Thanks in advance for any ideas/suggestions.
Bernie
Posts: 1293
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Post by Bernie »

Hi Karen

I am not sure why you are getting the deep aching in your hips, but it is a good idea to try to narrow down some things that may be contributing to it. Square pose can be a strong external rotation in the hips for many people, and perhaps your are overdoing it. Have you tried leaving it out for a few weeks and/or doing different external hip rotation postures, like Shoelace or Butterfly?

It is interesting to note that these 3 poses are very similar to each other, differing only in the amount of abduction they have: Butterfly is flexion, external rotation and abduction of the hips; Shoelace is flexion, external rotation and adduction of the hips; while Square is flexion and external rotation with neither abduction or adduction. Why not try Butterfly and Shoelace and see if they do not cause the achiness?

At some point external rotation is stopped when the neck of the femur comes into contact with the rim of the hip socket (this is called compression) or when the ligaments wrapping the joint (called the capsular ligaments) are taut (this is called tension). If we overdo either stress it can result in pain, but the location of the pain for tension will be in a different place (to the front of the hip socket) than for compression (which is more to the back of the hip socket). It is very difficult to discern where these sensations are, but if you could hone your perception to that fine degree, that may tell you what is happening. Of course, it could be something else entirely, like inflammation. If you really want to know, you may have to go see your doctor or therapist.

Good luck!
Bernie
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