Pain in the Adductors and Hamstrings

This discussion group is for questions about Yin Yoga and other body parts, such as shoulders, feet, wrists, etc.... Also, this is the place to discuss various conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.
Post Reply
Bernie
Posts: 1293
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Pain in the Adductors and Hamstrings

Post by Bernie »

I recently received this email:

Hi Bernie, would appreciate any advice you can give. I overdid things running abt a year ago, between that and aerobics, not stretching, not resting etc... My legs would not let me run anymore without pain. Felt it in the site point area and groin area. I have been foam rolling and doing yoga for abt a year at home and in a yoga class when pssble. I have been getting allot better, but still if attempting dragon pose, although my posture is good and lifted, toes up etc... my legs just don't want to seem to release. I have been really trying to work the stretch called frog and working on the hip flexors and making sure they are released. There just feels like they are steel cables in there in spite of all of the work this past year. I am wondering if incorporating more bolsters would help at all. If u can offer any suggestions for encouraging release of the adductors and/or hamstrings, I would sure appreciate it. Blessings!

Sorry to hear about your running related injuries, but it good to hear that yoga has been helping. You mentioned pain in your groins and hamstring attachment sites. You didn’t describe the nature of the pain, so I am going to have to make an assumption: I assume this was the burning type of pain often accompanying tendon strains and tears.

Tendon injuries do take a long time to heal and sometimes the only way they can heal is to be left alone. Unfortunately that means zero tolerance for any movements or postures that create any pain at all there. I know from personal experience that, for a hamstring tendon tweak, it can take up to a year for the tissue to heal fully, and if you keep stressing it, you may be undoing all the healing that just took place. In my case, I had to avoid flexion at the pelvis for many months before the pain would subside. This may not be what you want to hear, but if nothing else is working, this may be the best medicine for you.

However! I do have some other suggestions before you go to zero tolerance. First - anti-imflammatory work. When the tissues are damaged, they get inflamed, which is great in the short term, to fix up any infections, etc, but not so good in the long term. If your tender areas are inflamed, the internal pressure in the area can keep blood flow away from where it is needed. I am not suggesting you take anti-imflammatories like Advil et al, but rather try Earthing. Read this article to see how simple this is. It does work and has no side-effects, other than making you healthier everywhere else too.

Once the pain is no longer present, now is the time to work on releasing those tight areas. You didn’t get stiff in the adductors or hamstrings overnight, and you are not going to get loose overnight either. Give it time, lots of time. If your goal is increased range of motion in the legs, Yin Yoga is going to provided it more quickly than yang forms of yoga. Start with the Long-legged Butterfly: this will work both the adductors and hamstrings. Don’t just do this for a few minutes, but start to live on your floor at home: sit in Butterfly when you read, when you watch TV, when you eat (eat at your coffee table!). Every five minutes or so, stretch one leg out to the side for Half-Butterfly and stay there for a few minutes before switching sides and going back to the full Butterfly. Be patient and when it becomes too much, take a break and crawl onto the couch. But as soon as you can, get back on the floor.

Sure, use bolsters (maybe under the knees) and make sure you are sitting on a pillow or cushion. Be where you are comfortable enough to stay there for a while, but make sure you do feel something in the legs. Let us know how it goes.

Cheers
Bernie
ann-britt@sternfeldt.se
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2019 2:01 am

Hamstrings

Post by ann-britt@sternfeldt.se »

I read this post on being injured, having an inflammation, and so you gave an example of being hurt in your hamstrings, and that is what I think I am. i am not sure why, what I have done, but my hamstrings are not feeling well. It is in the upper hamstrings into the sitting bones - well I believe it is the hamstrings anayway :-) I have problems to do half butterfly and half shoelace and forward fold, which I have done for years, don't want to be done anymore. So I take your advice of rest and not doing positions where I feel pain. But I wonder about one position, the legs on the wall. When the blood is pouring down I get a bit uncomfortable straining feeling in the upper hamstrings into the sitting bones. So I wonder, is this good or bad for my injured hamstrings?

I have followed your advice and since some time moved onto the floor, I have cusions and a low little table where I eat breakfast and do readings, and I feel really good about that. Will not move up again. My back has started to be stronger and slowly my legs start to cope a bit better.
Bernie
Posts: 1293
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Pain in the hamstrings with legs up the wall

Post by Bernie »

Hi Ann

It does sound like you have a strained hamstring tendon, but to be sure you should ask your health care provider. If so, then any flexion at the hips can create stress there. Thus, legs up the wall, which is 90 degrees of flexion at the hips will stress this area and cause more pain and delay healing.

I have evolved my thinking since 2013 when I wrote the original reply to this question, but in general the advice is still sound. Don't go to where it hurts. But, on the other hand, you do still need to move and flex the hips. So, the challenge is - can you play the edge? Flex just to the point where the pain is about to start and then back off a bit. For legs up the wall, if you have your torso further away from the wall, so that angle of the legs at the hips is not 90 degrees, it may be enough flexion to get the benefits from the pose, but not enough to hurt the hamstrings. You will have to play with this to find the right position for you.

I am happy to hear that living on the floor is making you stronger! Keeping your knees bent should protect your hamstrings while you sit on the floor.

Cheers
Bernie
ann-britt@sternfeldt.se
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2019 2:01 am

Hamstrings isses

Post by ann-britt@sternfeldt.se »

I must say Bernie, you are just incredible! Always repyling so quickley, eager to help out. You are a true yogi!
I have actually done as you said, going to the edge and pull back, thanks to your book which I have tried to read slowly.. and my hamstrings starts to feel a little better, it is mostly in the sitting bones now, but the upper hamstrings have slowly recovered, but I still need time for this, for sure, and thanks for your advice on the legs on the wall, I sometimes have the legs on my bed instead, so that I don't get the full on blood flow happening, and that is fine. And also, I can do the legs on the wall shorter time..I don't have to keep my five minutes :-) It is usually after a few minutes the uncomfortable feeling start to come.
All the best!
Post Reply