Do You Have Sit Bone Pain?
If you’re suffering from lower buttock or sit bone pain it could be your hamstring tendon. It literally becomes a pain in the ass as it can hang around for months/ years
Your hamstring tendon is normally injured with a sudden change in walking, running or over stretching your hamstring.
Common examples when walking can include a walk where you were walking faster than normal to keep up with someone taller, more walking up hills or just more speed walking
Running follows the above with more running with speed, hills or just way more running thant your used to
Over stretching your hamstring tendon can look like doing a bunch of yoga such as a retreat, loads of weeding in the garden or slipping over and over stretching your hamstring
When your hamstring is sore it usually hurts to sit on. Particularly hard chairs or driving in the car. Sometimes this is the only symptom.
Getting out of bed in the morning is sore and it feels like you want to stretch it but quite often this makes it worse!
Pain is generally localised to your sit bone or very close to it.
Why am I getting pain?
Essentially the hamstring tendon has become enlarged, filled with water and is now compressing against the bone which causes the pain. Any time your tendon pushes against the hamstring bone or it is stretced this causes the pain.
For example things like It doesn’t like cleaning your teeth, gardening and stretching can flare it up so….
How do I get rid of this hamstring tendon pain?
Unfortuntely it can take up to 21 days to get the pain under control followed by an exercise program that lasts up to 12 months. Unfortunately tendons are the slowest healing structure we have. Muscles normally are good to go with the right rehab in 28-36 days. Bones 4- 8 weeks depending on where they are and tendons are generally 12 weeks due to their poor blood supply.
It’s generally a combo of things that help such as reducing stretch on the hamstrng throughout your day combined with specific exercises that need to be progressed and a mechanics assessment. What isn’t working that is causin your hamstring to work so hard.
So try some the below
1.Do not stretch it if it is sore! I know you want to but stretching actually makes it worse. Sit on a pillow or ideally stand when you can until the pain is under control
2. Consider neurofen if it’s really painful as this has been showing to calm tendon cells (please check with your doc or pharmacist first)
3. Sit on something soft or stand to take the pressure of the sensitive tendon
4. Do isometric exercises. I’m going to show you a couple of these below.
It’s also important to know rest doesn’t help tendons heal. Exercise helps settle them down, reduces pain and normalizes tendon function. These exercises need to be challenging and progressed regulalry with your Physio.
We always start with isometric exercises away from where the tendon can be compressed.
Here are 2 options
Hamstring curls (see video below for instructions)
Wall BridgeBridge
So a combination of the above will defintely help reduce your symptoms initially but you should really involve a Physio to properly structure your program. It is also important that you understand what went worng and what areas need rehabbing to stop it coming back.
People can become disillusioned with this injury because it literally can be there for years but… If you get through the initial 3-4 weeks of work it takes to get on top of it you will generally come out on top and get back to what you love.
f you think this might be you but want to make sure click the link HERE for a free 10 minute phone consult or click here to book yourself online