[mrjonathanr]

The physio seems to think I have femoracetabular impingememnt, pincer variety. Symptoms all make sense. However, Google does not make uplifting reading.

Has anybody had this, or known anyone who has? Thanks.

[Scouse D]

Yes, I have struggled with this in the past. I got on youtube and theres LOADS of useful videos on how to fix it with exercise.  This guy proper nice guy, replies to comments with advice. He does sell a programme but his free content worked for me. Also 'upright health' make nice vids for 'fai fix'. Worked for me and I am now much more mobile in the hips. Dont despair!

[mrjonathanr]

Thanks Scouse D! That sounds encouraging, I wasn’t enjoying all the surgery and secondary osteoarthritis references on t’internet. I’ll have a good look through that 

How long did it take you to get it asymptomatic, if you don’t mind me asking?

If you do the job I think you do, you’ll appreciate the timing of this. After an arduous year, but where I maintained a good training habit, this appeared 3 days before the end of term. 

[Scouse D]

That timing really sucks! I found that I got relief fairly quickly with the exercises like within weeks- some of the deep tissue massage relieved pain instantly and freed up motion but it was temporary. The key for me was consistency and getting strength into the hips once I had massaged. My understanding of it was that I wasnt suddenly injured with fai, just that weakness in the hips and poor postural awareness had got me into bad habits. Watching the video back, I ended up taking a slightly different tack to this guy and focused on lots of glute strength (including glute medius) and hamstring strength. This had the effect of relaxing my chronically tight quads. I did tons of glute bridges/ single leg bridges/ single leg good mornings. Not only did the hip get better but I also got much stronger legs and more mobility.

[Scouse D]

Lots of positive vids

[mrjonathanr]

Thank you. That’s the morning workout sorted then!

[Scouse D]

Try to keep a record of what exercises help and which ones piss it off.

[mrjonathanr]

Yes, that seems really good advice. I want to look after this joint.

Strange the way it happened. High step up onto a hold on a route and the hip didn’t allow the movement, then suddenly it did, with a feeling of something giving way. Maybe a labral tear, maybe just some other mobility issue. Physio believes my hip joints are ´retroverted’ - more externally rotated than they should be, hence the impingement developing. I look forward to strengthening the area and seeing if that improves things. My first thought is what would you do with the rotator cuff for shoulder impingement, except there are a different set of structures around a load bearing joint.  I’ll be cautious with that as it’s impossible to deload the supporting structures in normal daily life, so overloading them might be a possibility with over enthusiastic exercise.

[SA Chris]

May or may not be useful (not seen vid) but at partner's suggestion following hip injury, I started using a theraband loop around my thighs for session every day when sitting down and working or watching telly. Just pulling legs apart and holding in position. Seems to have improved overall strength in hips and glutes

[mrjonathanr]

Thanks Chris, I’ll run that by the physio.

[SA Chris]

probably wise, but managing 16-21 km training runs without pain now (aware of correlation  / causation).

[mrjonathanr]

Glad you’re fixed. Was it FAI Chris?

[SA Chris]

Never had an official diagnosis, but some similar symptoms to those described.