My Hip Hurt. Dynamic Stretching & RumbleRoller
Tuesday January 24, 2012
Long post below BUT worth the read so bookmark or come back later if you don't have time!
A while back my right hip started to give me problems - it was hurting, changing my gait, tender to the touch & more. Let me say that I do have flat feet and I am a major overpronator. The older I get, the worse the feet get AND the pronation.
I still absolutely LOVE my Hoka OneOne shoes & will not go back but up to now, I have not used special inserts in them. I have recently started to do that & will write about that in a different post because I am testing & will be reviewing some inserts! The inserts are for my overpronation, not my fat pad/balls of feet issue SO I STILL WILL NEVER GO BACK FROM WEARING MY HOKA ONEONE RUNNING SHOES!
What I want to write about today is what I did & AM STILL DOING for this hip issue.
I have always done a full stretching routine after my workout when I am fully warm & have not cooled down yet. The one thing in all my years I did not do was dynamic stretching. I had posted about it HERE with an ACE video but had not incorporated it into my routine. Here is another article on dynamic stretching from Runner's World.
***After I had written this post, I saw this great video on strengthening the hips from one of my fellow FitFluential ambassadors. I do a lot of these but I see many more I will incorporate!!!
Just as my hip started to hurt & progressively got worse, I was reading an article in the November/December 2011 issue of Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine. It was a dynamic stretching routine that seemed effective for not only my hip issue but just to add to my routine long term. I have NOT STOPPED DOING IT SINCE THEN!
For me, I knew my feet & overpronation were part of the issue. I also try to work my 54 year old butt & that little area between the butt & hamstrings very hard - age is not nice to that area! 
So I think it was a mixture of things.
So I think it was a mixture of things.I immediately started doing dynamic stretching both in my workouts & at home too. The one thing for me is that I do still warm up a little bit before the dynamic stretching. At the gym, I might be on the treadmill for 5-10 minutes before I start the dynamic stretching. The dynamic stretches that worked the best for me for my hip thing were the leg swings (high kicks) to the front/back, the side leg swings, the spider stretch, the hack-sack (in Runner's World video) and lots of hamstring stretches. For me, I think my issue was a combo of both & I already stretched my hamstrings a lot but I did even more. Google hamstring stretches, IT band stretches & hip stretches & read the REPUTABLE sources on these. Also, check the videos above!
I do more stretches & if I can ever figure out the video for my site, I will do a video.
I will say that adding dynamic stretching has been huge for me along with the roller below!
I also have started to get on & off the treadmill during my intervals & HIIT (instead of slowing down) & doing these leg swings throughout the whole treadmill workout. It really has been a HUGE help! Not only that, the dynamic stretching keeps me breathing heavy so it still is a workout doing that in between the intervals! I am not off the treadmill more than 45 seconds.
Of course, I still do my static stretching at the end of my routine when the bod is warm ALONG with the dynamic stretching. I KNOW, many of you are thinking - I CAN'T DO ONE MORE THING! Well, for me, age has a way & I want to be able to exercise into my very old age! Stretching has been part of my routine for ages & now it is more important. Do it while watching TV or in the kitchen cooking - you can find a way if it means staying healthy long term!
Here is one more article I saw on Twitter about the myths of stretching.
In addition, I started to use the RumbleRoller rather than my regular foam roller. I read about this roller in my ACE newsletter. Read the 5 star review here. Here are some additional images for you. The pic above is the standard roller. The firm roller is black.
I wrote to the company & asked if I could review both their standard size RumbleRoller and their compact/TRAVEL SIZE firm RumbleRoller. Both the standard & the firm come in both sizes. You can see them HERE.
I love this roller because those little bumps on it really get into the areas I need worked... yes, at first, it took some time getting used to the firmer roller & I worked into it - I did not put my whole weight on it at first.. BUT NOW I AM SOLD! You can read more about the comparisons to other tools here and frequently asked questions here. PLUS, a travel size for those that travel a lot & IT WILL fit in a carry on!!!
This roller does not "squish" either. Holds its shape, you can work it to meet your needs & I am loving it!
The RumbleRoller is used for "myofascial release, a type of massage that focuses on correcting restrictions of movement.
"Myo" is Greek for muscle, and "fascia" is the thin sheath
of silvery connective tissue that envelops the outer surface of each of your
muscles. Injuries, repetitive motion, or even prolonged inactivity can lead to the
development of trigger points, which are localized areas of muscle and fascia
with compromised function. Professional massage is the best way to counter this
problem, but few people can afford to employ it as often as it's needed. The
RumbleRoller provides you with a more convenient and economical self-treatment
option.
That link to myofascial release above was sent to me by a dear friend & is packed with very important info that I intend to follow up on soon! It is long but print it or bookmark it & read it later!!! It is not from the RumbleRoller company!
OK, your thoughts on dynamic stretching... do you do it or will you do it now? Anyone tried the RumbleRoller? Thoughts on myofascial release?
Posted by truth2beingfit at 1/23/2012 9:55 PM 
Categories: Health Issues, Product Reviews, Challenges, Stretching, Exercise, Workout/Exercise Gear
Tags: myofacial realease RumbleRoller hips IT band Hip injuries Hoka One One running injuries Muscle and Fitness Hers Runner's World overpronation dynamic stretching stretching ACE American Council on Exercise product reviews
Categories: Health Issues, Product Reviews, Challenges, Stretching, Exercise, Workout/Exercise Gear
Tags: myofacial realease RumbleRoller hips IT band Hip injuries Hoka One One running injuries Muscle and Fitness Hers Runner's World overpronation dynamic stretching stretching ACE American Council on Exercise product reviews
ooooh youre right
my booty would love a rumble!
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I know Carla! Kinda like your tennis ball but more!
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Dynamic stretching now is the only kind of stretching recommended before any strenuous activity. Static stretching BEFORE can apparently cause more problems than solve. Some of us,
Never used a roller - looks like a medieval torture device.
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YUP! I never did static stretching when cold even way back when - always do it after a good ole warm up but mostly after the workout when I am really sweaty!
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I need those rumblerollers on my jeep!
I had a hip flare-up a couple of years ago. I had built up the insert in one shoe more than the other and created a minor leg length difference without realizing it! (If someone has a leg length difference, which is not that uncommon, that will cause it also)
I treated it with ice and not running for a month, then making sure the legs were the same length after I got back on the trail. It has not returned
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Dr. J -
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I'm so happy to hear that the dynamic stretching is working for you-I've been experiencing some of what you mentioned in the hip area, I'm definitely going to try the leg swings before my next workout.
One note to add as a massage therapist, if you are going to go to a MT for myfascial release be sure to inquire about their training, not all massage schools cover this training, the therapist may need to learn these techniques in a series of continuing education classes. Also, rolfing is another form of therapy that works for this issue. Rolfing pros are more difficult to find though.
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Karen, thx for your expertise!!! YES, so important!
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Fortunately, I don't seem to have any issues with various body parts. I'm sure they're coming.
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Cammy - you are too funny!!!
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That rumble roller looks medieval!
I have thigh problems, but that is due to my back and no amount of stretching helps, unfortunately. It even causes me pain if I am not careful, which is sooooo annoying!
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Lori - I know but I ended up loving it!
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Jealous! I would love to try the Rumble Roller. I have the Trigger Point and like it so I can't justify buying another but I think that Rumble Roller would be it.
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You could comment!!!! I think I saw that Trigger Point Cort - have to Google it again!
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My husband has a foam roller thinga-ma-bob that he uses often. I keep meaning to try it for a few body parts but never think to do that. Yep, one more thing.
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Karen, I have a foam one too & did not use it near as much as this one - this just works better for me... my age??
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Hi Jody! Very interesting video about hip joint area strengthening. I bookmarked it for future reference.
One little question: why why why why why are you *not* doing yoga for flexibility and joint issues?!!!! I can promise you that once you start it, your brain will click in a bunch of different ways about why it works wonders.
One such yoga miracle: I used to have a easily injured weak knee all through my 30's. When I did injure it, I used to have to take a few weeks off of it, laying around, for it to quit hurting. I have cured that problem with yoga balancing poses. My knee doesn't bother me anymore!! That's because the tiny muscles surrounding that knee are a *lot* tighter from yoga poses.
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I am pretty flexible Marion - can still do splits & stuff BUT with age, it takes a lot longer. My hip, I believe was from the overpornation - pretty bad! BUT I don want to take yoga but the classes at my gym are not at hours convenient for me. Unless a local place wants to offer them to me for free, I can't afford it.
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I have had myofascial release massage for my "computer neck" and it was amazing, but it is expensive to have regularly. I might have to give the RumbleRoller a try!
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