Hip Bursitis

[darclabed]

Anyone have any experience overcoming hip bursitis? It has really cut into my ability to enjoy a good ride. I would love to do a longer tour in the summer but lately I feel fortunate just to be able to ride for an hour and sometimes that's not very fun. The only thing I haven't tried are the steroid injections. Any experiences/ideas???

[FredHiltz]

Worth a try: get your physician to prescribe some physical therapy. Several acquaintances have had real improvement of joint problems with PT. A therapist who knows sports medicine would be a bonus, but any good therapist will know what to do.

Prepare for a few painful sessions on the way to less pain on the bike.

Fred

[DU]

In  January 2006 I was having pain on the side of my hip, not really the joint itself, making it hard to ride. I got a steroid injection, took ten days off and was able to train for and complete the transam.

Last year I was planning on another long tour and developed knee pain and had to cancel the tour. I went to a sports medicine clinic, saw an M.D. and was given a regimen of stretching and strengthening exercises to do with an athletic trainer and at home. I got better and am planning to do the cancelled tour this year. So I agree with Fred that therapy can work wonders. No drugs involved, it just took a lot of work and time.

[WesternFlyer]

Here is my 2 cents.  Get it diagnosed by a specialist like a physiatrist or orthopedic doctor.  Assuming surgery is not required and surgery should always be the very, very last option.  Get as long a referral as you can to a good sports physical therapist, one trained in bicycle problems if possible.  

While you are doing the above get your bicycle professionally fitted at a bike shop with a certified fitter, paying particular attention to the points of body/bike contact.

The following is a diagnostic list taken out of one of my wifes physical therapy manuals specific to bicycle fit, function and pathology.

Hip:
Anterior -- Saddle too low/high  saddle fore/aft  bottom bracket width (triples/tandems)  crank length - saddle-to-bar deferential  saddle shape  force production [how you pedal]

Specific conditions: Hip capsule restriction  muscle imbalance or weakness

Posterior -- Saddle too low  saddle fore/aft  crank length  saddle-to-bar differential  saddle shape.

Specific conditions: Hip capsule, piriformis tight  SI Joint, referral patterns ie: groin pain

I had some hip, knee and foot issues last summer (not anything serious like bursitis) and she had me do a few stretches and adjust my saddle and cleats and things got better.

Remember Floyd Landis, legally or illegally, road and won the Tour de France needing a complete hip replacement so there is hope!



Western Flyer

My hip hurts when I move my chin, . . .
and my heart is--what?
What's that? What's that you say?
You say today is. . .Saturday?
G'bye, I'm going out to play!
   Shel Silverstein

[driftlessregion]

Ditto to the professional fit. Do it. Get someone who doesn't just use the jig but looks at your body and how it sits on the bike. You won't be sorry you spent the money!