Pain in thigh when stretching

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by Nachi, Mar 19, 2015.

  1. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Hi,
    I've always been rather unflexible and when I started karate over a year ago I noticed my flexibility improved greatly in a rather short time even without me trying too hard. My goal now for a while has been to do a full side split. I'm just about a couple of inches from there, but about two months ago, I suddenly started feeling pain (only) in my right thigh when stretching for a side split or when I bend my body to the right knee while sitting with legs far apart. Or when doing high kicks (but still only one side hurts).
    I'm not sure what exactly hurts there. It is not a hip, the place is on the backside of my right thigh, more outward than inward...
    It doesn't hurt normally or after stetching. Also when I warm up and/or stretch past the pain, it gets better and I can still put my face on the knee as before or generally get to my max positions, even have a partner help me stretch without a problem. And then it usually doesn't hurt anymore during training (maybe because we don't do high kicks too often). The biggest problem are sudden fast movements resulting in a split or anything involving stretching unless I stretch thoroughly first.

    Therefore I think it's nothing major and I applied my philosophy to simply wait and let the time heal whatever part of my body hurts (which is usually enough - unless it feels serious).
    But it's been around two months since it suddenly happened for the first time and nothing changed so far. That's why I would like to ask if anyone here has a similar experience or any advise to give. It is a minor problem, and probably not too serious to visit a doctor, but it starts to get a little annoying so I thought asking won't hurt :)

    Any help appreciated :)
     
  2. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    one thing you could try is trying to consolidate your flexibilite just at/before the point where it hurts before trying to push for a greater total stretch.

    also, squat :p
     
  3. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Alright, I'll try, thanks! :)

    Yeah, there's never enough squats, I guess :D
    Just curious, you think it can be because the muscles are weak? I didn't think of that because my right leg is the stronger one... Or would it help stretch the muscles?
    ...but sure, I wouldn't know until I try :)
     
  4. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    could be, yeah. if it's outside of the back of he thigh it sounds like hamstrings (biceps femoris), so actually deadlifts and rdls may be a tad more useful, as may leg curls (B.fem. short head is a knee flexor). how does knee angle affect the pain, btw?
     
  5. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Alright, I'll try it. :) I don't have any weights and haven't been to a gym in... well... a really long time :D It never helped me build much muscle compared to the karate trainings anyway... I suppose I can improvise with the equipment, though.

    About the knee angle... So far I haven't found any pattern. It hurts when doing side splits with toes up, I think even with toes forward, it also hurts when swinging my leg as high as possible both to the front, side and back too - while attempting ushiro-geri too high, etc...
    I can try testing it tomorrow, today I'm already stretched and also sore from the training and can't figure it out :D
     
  6. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    but if you don't lift weights you'll never be as awesome as morio higaonna or kazuo terauchi :p
     
  7. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    But they certainly got that physique through hojo undo! :p So I'm following their path and only lifting the traditional equipment. :) Working with the kongoken in a dojo is surely more fun than lifting weights in some gym while feeling like an idiot among all the bodybuilders there :D
     
  8. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    still weight training, though :p
     
  9. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Call it what you will. I only said I don't have weights at home :p Well, now that I scroll back, maybe I didn't say it exactly like that, but I certainly meant it that way... and the thought counts :D
     
  10. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    shhhh... go lift :D

    rdls will still probably help though, and you can pretty much do them with anything halfway heavy that you can hold with both hands.
     
  11. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Don't "shhhh" me! :D

    Ok, I'll find out what those are about. Is the key to put some more pressure on the muscles? Would something like one-leg squats help? - no equipment needed for those and I'm sure I'm heavy enough by myself :D
     
  12. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    partly strengthening them so they don't derp so badly when stretched, and with rdls partly stretching them under load as well.

    this is an rdl (romanian deadlift):
    [ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0zyv1wiwFkk[/ame]
     
  13. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    one leg squats will probably help, but one leg deadlifts or rdls will likely help more (they are pure EEEEEEVIL, but in the good sense)
     
  14. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Yup, that looks evil indeed :D

    Thanks for the explanation. As you might have guessed I know close to nothing about how to work out properly or strenghten specific muscles :D
     
  15. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    well, that's what the forum's here for. one of many small islands of sanity in the sea of misinformstion that is the internet :p
     
  16. Van Zandt

    Van Zandt Mr. High Kick

    If the same spot is still sore, I recommend booking yourself in to see a physiotherapist.
     
  17. Nachi

    Nachi Valued Member Supporter

    Thank you, I was thinking about that, if it didn't disappear by itself.

    As a little update, I haven't had much time and energy for extra exercising lately (shame on me! :( ), since I have trainings from Monday to Thursday and I'm away on Fridays and weekends (in the field, busy with research for my diploma thesis).
    However, the soreness seems to be indeed fading away by itself! :) Yes, I'm that lucky. I can attempt to kick high without stretching first. And nothing! Looks like all the trouble is about to disappear as suddenly and as silently as it appeared :)
     

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