The reason for this post....what does my hip "feel like" at this point? The bottom line is that it is normal, however, my definition of normal is not the same as it was four years ago.
I want to be careful here. I'll admit from the get-go that I've been very fortunate. (I also want to think that I was uber conservative in my healing, which I do believe contributed enormously to my recovery). Still...I'd be a fool if I didn't humbly accept my recovery for what it has been.
My "normal" is that I occasionally have an ache in the front of my hip, over the point (inside) where my illiopsoas tendon and/or hip flexor (one and the same?) resides. This soreness only occurs on the formerly injured side. It typically happens after ramping up the miles and/or after having sat (i.e. been seated) for an extended period of time (e.g., a long car ride). Why? Well, frankly I'll probably never know....but I think that the prolonged NWB period simply and profoundly changed my biomechanics. Perhaps the illiopsoas tendon shortened or changed the normal "groove" where it would otherwise glide. (Speculating here). The soreness is dull, very dull, and it NEVER throbs. Throbbing is bad, I'm to understand. My feeling is the same as when you have that slight soreness (almost a pressure feeling) in a joint (like a finger), and you know that you have to crack it...to relieve something.
I've gotten to the point that I can almost always do this gentle lift and rotation of my affected hip and "snap" the tendon across....whatever(?) - maybe some atypical place on the greater trochanter. Who knows? When it snaps...it's audible - mostly subtle, but sometimes it's a little loud - like a finger knuckle that cracks. Then.....pressure is relieved...and soreness dissipates. I've tried stretching and stretching and stretching to see if I can lengthen the tendon. This hasn't worked. I've simply learned to live with it.
A few of you have mentioned that your pain throbs. Again...I'm not a medical physician, so take my comments for what they are worth. My view is that throbbing is bad. My original fracture throbbed. Why? Not sure...perhaps the combination of inflammation and blood flow (pressure) in a combined attempt of my body to deal with the injury. If you are throbbing, it is likely one or the other or both! I'm not sure if a pinched tendon would do that (cause throbbing). Mine never did - but perhaps others have experience with this....feel free to comment, please!
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ReplyDeleteEric - Thank you for the follow up post! Very informative and helpful as I am coming to realize my normal is no longer my past normal. Acceptance is hard. BUT, I am grateful I did not end up in less favorable position. I had x-rays this morning as a precursor to the MRI. I am hoping to wrap that up this week - hard to get an appointment in a timely fashion. Please keep this blog! It's been a rock! It's been a year and here I am...still reading! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI had an FNSF in March 2015. I trained for my first marathon this year and successfully ran it Sunday without issue or pain. However, I was feeling that sore inner thigh pain/hip soreness again about a week before the marathon although no pain while running. It's the same soreness I'd feel while healing from my sf and after longer runs during the first year after my sf. I am still feeling the same pain on and off--typically while sitting. I am hoping it's just soreness again from all the mileage, but I will be going to the doc if it doesn't stop soon. Normal or not?? I have only had one sf but sadly it was the worst possible kind, as you know.
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this blog, it’s so far been the only one I can find from someone who’s actually experienced a fnsf. I’m currently on my 6th week on crutches and have been partially weight bearing for the last 2. I’ve been biking every other day for around 30 minutes with light strength workouts that my pt is having me do. After biking it doesn’t get a little sore but my pt thinks it’s more muscular than the bone. Anyways, when did you know you were ready to try running again?
Hi Paige - checking in ... how is your recovery?
DeleteThank you for this blog! You're right there isn't much out there for FNSF! I started having pain after a 13.1 PR Oct 13, 2018, took a month off running, felt better, tried a short run, and pain came back. I really believed it was all muscular so I was seeing PT instead of ortho, but finally got FNSR/F on Dec. 11. Now I'm 7 weeks and 2 days (but who's counting?) it's 8 weeks of non-weight bearing crutches. I haven't been allowed to even swim or anything and I'm going out of my mind. Follow up with the ortho tomorrow and while I wouldn't wish this injury on anyone, I do wish there were more resources out there for those of us going through it. Please keep the updates coming - just starting to understand that this is going to impact my whole run/tri career. Already pulled out of this year's Boston and afraid I'll have to abandon my plans for IM Lake Placid in July too. Heart and bones are broken.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to learn of your injury. I can certainly sympathize. Again - take the long view, which I know is difficult when you are in the midst. Do you have any improvement?
DeleteThank you sooo much for taking the time to write this! Dignosed in Jan and going insane. I've been told I'm healing (didn't require surgery) and was given the ok to slowly start working my way back up. Im so paranoid with each step. I feel achey for lack of better description which is what let me to a good ol google search of "pain after a healed femoral neck stress fracture" not a lot out there so thank you for this!
ReplyDeleteHi - you are nearly two months "out." How are you feeling?
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