Weak Right Hip Flexor

[Okgal]

Hi,

First post, but as the title suggests this is my nagging nemesis...one of them anyway. Any thoughts on how to improve the strength in this area? I do not have foot drop, fortunately, but my right leg will just feel like it's going whichever direction as I'm taking my walks. It has worsened since DX, but I'm still walking at the same speed/distance. This problem is having an impact on my left hip, which has been ongoing for years. I just didn't know why until I got slammed with the diagnosis.

Thanks in advance!

[Suebee]

Hi, I have been suffering with this problem about a year. I did 3 mos of pt and I was taught various stretches and core strengthening. I would say it helped some. I was also diagnosed with my legs that lengthen after activity because my core was so weak it could not keep legs right in hips and shown way to put back with maneuver. It is obvious when I do maneuver correctly because I go from a lot of pain in hip to none. Unfortunately, walking and stairs causes my imbalance, I assume from one weaker side and odd recruitment of muscles. I then came across suggestion on Internet to use tennis ball to stretch out tight muscles in hip. One dr said she wants patient to try it before blaming bone issues. I used tennis ball similar to the attached video. (I used one smaller dog ball) and eased into a min on each. I was amazed to find it really loosened my hip and reduced pain. It makes sense to me that I would have spasticity or tightness in area because of my weak side. I don't have foot drop and rejected anti spastic drugs. This has helped me. I hope it helps you too. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ynHv8Zx1Rds

[Suebee]

Number 5 is demonstration of how I loosened hip. I haven't tried all the other stretches but they might help too! http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-w...ball-stretches

[Okgal]

I'll look at the videos later today. I, too, use a dog ball to stretch the IT band and hip as well as a foam roller. I also use the dog ball to hit those injection sites that tend to swell. It has been my miracle.

Thanks for the advice. I'm seriously considering asking about PT at my next neuro appointment next month, since we keep finding old damage with every MRI I have. I hate/love radiologists and neurologists. Stop finding stuff!!! Keep me in the dark. I'm fine with being in the dark.

[Suebee]

I have two expressions that have helped me deal with the ambiguity of MRI interrpretations. The first is from the blunt on call neurologist in the hospital who reviewed my MRI at 3 am after a severe MS attack. I asked how the large lesion on the MRI affects me, what exactly did the lesion do? He replied, "the lesion affects you the way it has affected you." At the time, i thought it was an awful glib explantion. But over time, i've come to realize that it was the most complete honest answer i have ever received about my MRIs.

The second is what a surgeon once I know called radiologists.
My apologies in advance to any radiologists offended by this:

"Radiologists are greased up weasels on a fence"

Meaning that they don't want to definitively say anything and will find or not find whatever the prescribing doctor suspects is there, and are likely to CYA with broad findings. It made me understand, its not a perfect science and the radiologists are human and preforming a job.

I also believe new MRI technologies that can see chemical makeup of lesions or functional problems as well as new standards to measure brain atrophy are going to be better at diagnosing MS damage than current MRIs.

There is someone on this forum who has mentioned that their neurologist researching ways to measure the atrophy in MS. This appears to correlate with neuronal loss. I hope this research takes off!

I also call out to any doctors or healthcare professionals out there, please chime in if you can help temper the frustration we MS patients feel about MRI interpretations.


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[Okgal]

I looked through all the information you gave Suebee. I already do all of them, but definitely not consistent enough with them. Consistency is always a problem in life, right? When my left hip reaches it's max pain threshold, I usually take a day off and have a yoga day instead. It's rare as the dog still needs a walk. If I can get that alignment you're talking about, I would be golden. The vertigo hits me when out walking, so that impacts proper placement. It takes a lot of mental power to get through 5 miles, which by the end my right foot is clomping on the ground hard. I'm thinking trekking poles might be helpful for me as well as strengthening my core. It certainly couldn't hurt and would give me a better work-out.

I hear you on the broad brush strokes radiologists give. I have a client that's a radiologist and when he says he needs service, I say "no. I hate you." Then he tells me not to be a hater as he's only doing his job, and then reminds me my neuro would be reading the MRI with his own interpretation anyway, so what's the point of hating. Hate the disease; not the people who find it. Okay, he knows I really don't hate him, and of course grant the service request.

[MissP]

Weak hip

I have just been to my nurse specialist regarding the same thing, right hip won't do what it should, hurts like heck and sometimes feels like it slips out. I have rested it for two days now to see what has happened and it feels a bit better, improved my sitting in front of the tv position with a new upright chair and leg rest at a good height, but mostly as advised been walking slowly without my stick! I was told I had been relying on the right stick and therefore changed the way I walk. I thought it was a load of cobblers but it seems after pottering for a few days without it, she is right. I have also been using my left leg as the strong positioning leg in a hope to strengthen it. Don't know if this helps, but it has made a little difference to me already.