Suggestions wanted for bad hips

Hello all,

I've had inflexible/painful hips since I was a boy. They cramp when I'm riding (yes, even on the VFR). Chiropractors have only managed to make them a bit less easily aggravated, physio's have either done nothing or have made my hips angry. A doctor has x-rayed my hips and found nothing wrong with my bones, so it seems like it's a soft tissue problem. The next thing to do is get an MRI scan, but I'm not keen on the expense...

The muscle that goes from near my nuts along the inside of my thigh is always very tight. This stops me from splaying my legs further than about 60 degrees (ie: 30 deg outward for each leg). Needless to say, when I go to the track, I'm missing out on "knee down" bragging rights (not that it's the be-all and end-all). More importantly, at the end of the day, I'm very sore!

Has anyone here had similar issues and somehow found a way to fix their hips? If anyone has any ideas, I'd like to hear them.

Cheers,
Danny

 

Maybe getting into a Yoga class to increase your flexibility would be beneficial to you.
John

 

I agree. I think that you need to do more stretching exercises. Check out Mobility Wod. It might be able to help you a lot. Also, try getting a gel seat pad and seeing if that helps with the soreness at all.

 

Thanks guys. It seems I'm going to have to join a yoga class... My wife will be pleased... Until she realises that I'll have less time to help with keeping the house clean... ;-)

 

Just a thought Danny. If your not inseam (height) challenged like I am (5'8") maybe changing the profile of your seat, making it a little taller, and then getting those lowering blocks for your pegs would relax your riding position enough to help those achy hip joints, or maybe even a more standard style bike? (Did I say that out loud?) oops!
:smile: John

 

It's interesting that you say about getting another bike, John... I had a sh!t day at work today, so I was more careful going home than normal, but I still failed to see a plank of wood half way through a turn... I'm bruised and sore, but the bike will probably be assessed as a write-off... :-(

 

Danny
Did you crash...? I hope this is not the case

 

:welcome: to our forum
Nice Avatar :love:

 

Regrettably, yes. It also means that I probably won't get to finish the dual-stage fan modification thread, because I'm likely to go for a lighter bike for the replacement... But oh, the V4 howl! I'm gonna miss that bike so much! :frown:

Maybe I should try to cut a deal with the insurance to get Chinese fairings and other second-hand replacement parts... I don't want my baby to die! :frown:

 

If just cosmetic I suggest to take the time and replace them. I saw someone post a new set of fairing at very reasonable price from Florida and they are guaranty to fit like OEM. Sorry for your mishaps, hope nothing serious

 

Unfortunately, a guard rail stopped it from sliding... The back hit first, smashing the rack, lights, rear fairing. The front then spun around and tried, unsuccessfully, going under the beam...

I'll be alright once the bruises heal, but I have to be realistic... I think the bike's a gonner... :sad:

 

The good thing is that she served me faithfully, and got me home (but she didn't feel quite right in the front end). Bless her V4 soul! I thought maybe I should turn her into a track bike, or a streetfighter... Perhaps I'm just trying to hold onto a lost cause...

The senior constable who came along to see if things were OK was a fellow rider (he said he rides a street triple). When I saw a piece of metal on the side of the road, I said "maybe I hit this". I picked it up, and saw that it had been sitting on the road verge for some time (no scratches, just dirt), and he said, "no, I think it was this bit of wood over here". In my area of Australia, the cops are known for giving people tickets for spills like this. When I said "I guess this means I'm going to get booked for something," he said "no, you're alright. That will teach you for working back late." He was a good bloke for trying to get me to laugh.

Anyway, I'm yabbering... Perhaps it's the grieving process... Despite her faults, I love my viffer... :frown:

 

This is bringing back some not pleasent memories :sad:

 

When the hell did he do that?!

As far as the stiff hips. I was blessed with being born flexibly challenged myself. I have never been able to touch my toes....ever. After my last back surgery, I went to see a kinesioloigist who specialized in Sports Medicine Rehab. Saw him for an hour, three times a week for a year. Was expensive. $90.00 per visit back in 2002-3. But the taxpayer was responsible for that and I am not ashamed of that. But he had me more flexible than I have ever been at any time in my life. A lot of what he was doing with me was yoga type exercise, but also really hitting the core muscles for the back re-hab. I only wished I had stayed with his maintenance program he set up for me because I have gone back to where I was. Suppose I could go back though knowing it worked. So yes, yoga maybe the the answer.

You need to get yourself some tight yoga pants though. :jaw:

 

I couldn't subject another human to the spectacle of seeing me in tight yoga pants... ;-)

I intend to have a detailed look at the bike today to see if it's able to be resurrected for less than the out of pocket expenses I'd have by going through insurance. Never know... She might rise like a pheonix yet again...

 

I have suffered from chronic low back pain for more years than I care to count now and I have some really good success of late with my physiotherapist doing a combination of yoga style exercises and a process called IMS (Intra-Muscular Stimulation). The IMS is very much like accupuncture but with a slight difference. The accupuncture style needles are inserted deeper in to the tissue at the trigger points, twisted and immediately removed. The first treatment was moderately uncomfortable (not painful as per se just uncomfortable) and I did experience some bruising the day after. During my first treatment the doctor inserted and removed about 60 or so accupuncture needles, for what seemed like an eternity, and afterwards it felt sort of like I had worked out really hard at the gym about 4 to 5 hours previously. Immediately after the treatment the doctor had me lie on my back on a couple of hot packs for about 20 minutes and then we did some range of motion exercises that we had done prior to the treatment. My range of motion after the first IMS treatment increased enormously and the discomfort I experienced during the first treatment subsided considerably with each consecutive treatment.

If there is a physiotherapist near you somewhere that performs this kind of treatment it might be worth considering.

Very sorry to hear about your fallen comrade in arms (Your beloved VFR). She may be down but she will never be forgotten. Maybe the insurance company would let you settle for cash and then you could rebuild the bike on your own. Not sure how the insurance works in Australia compared to Canada but I hope it all works out for you in the long run.