Good idea or not? I figure everybody at some point in doing some kind of exercise or workout or physical activity experiences a pain of some sort that they either battle through and get over or it persists and they just hate the idea of going to a Doctor or don't think its really necessary since its not really dibilitating (yet), especially with the collective knowledge of the Internet at their finger tips and only a mouse click away a lot of self diagnosis goes on. Some good, most bad though. Most people just read symptoms and go "yah I have brain cancer" rather then attempt to communicate with others to figure it out for real and alleviate the paranoia of a new issue.

So why not start a specific Pain Thread where the knowledge present in H&F can post and answer questions about any specific kind of pain or discomfort they have rather then having it buried in another thread that someone might not find who can help. Plus those people who might not otherwise want to create their own thread for their singular question can have a place for it. It doesn't really fit in the beginner thread as thats more specific to, well, beginner fitness/diet questions whereas this thread can be for anyone at any level of fitness (or lack thereof)

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I currently have two "issues" that I'm almost positive I know *why* I have them, but exactly what the pain is coming from and/or best way to treat them short of a RICE combo is another question. Both are a result of something at my local climbing gym.

My left elbow, basically I'm pretty sure its a tendon pull/strain. I distinctly remember hanging onto the grip and not letting go of the grip in order to not actually "fall" and be able to land on my feet in a more controlled manner. The pain only exists when I fully extend my arm and put pressure on the arm as if I'm attempting to hyper-extend it. I'm pretty sure this is both a forearm/tricep strengthen thing as well as the tendons. It may also be I hurt/pulled/pinched the ulnar nerve. My left ring and pinky finger do fall asleep which is a sign of too much pressure on the ulnar nerve (waking up in morning this happens, no other time). Likely just an overuse thing as I'm not prepared/capable for what I'm asking my arm to do. This started two Saturdays ago (28th) and has gradually been decreasing - but likely only because I've still been climbing because it doesn't really "hurt" during climbing, even though climbing is def. not helping.
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My other pain is behind my right knee. Its not the knee itself or even any of the connective tissue surrounding the "knee". I have no pain doing any kind of quad or ham resistance pushing/pulling, no rotation pain, I can manipulate the knee cap without pain - but when I extend my leg using quadricep contraction (e.g. sitting on a chair leg straight out) there is pain on the posterior of my knee joint. I can extend my leg almost fully before the pain occurs. This was a result of dropping off the wall last night actually. I felt I landed weird on my right leg (likely too stiff rather then springy), but felt no pain of any kind last night - until this morning.

I have no pain when I massage the area or poke and prod at it like its a dead animal. I likely landed with a straight leg and pulled it in a hyper-extension which leads me to believe either a lower hamstring pull or a PCL injury http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sp...ain/pcl-injury

Thoughts?

Bump. I'm still having an issue with my hip flexor area - it popped while squatting about 3-4 weeks ago. It hurts when I lift my knee up or out. Things like shifting hurt still.

Is this just a lingering thing, or should I take some more steps? I'm anti-doctor.

I would check you saw's log - he's been having hip problems and maybe received some advice that is applicable to you.

"popping" doesnt sound good though

does it hurt every time you raise your knee? i had an occasional stinging pain in my hip flexor back when i was squatting 3 times a week, and warmups with just the bb hurt like hell. went away when i took a break and started squatting only 1-2 times a week (+stretching&foam roller)

It's actually progressing some, it doesn't hurt until it gets up higher, and the pain is more down an inch or two on my hip.

Yeah, I'll check it out. The popping definitely sucked imo.

Wow great thread idea. Don't think I saw this the first time it was posted. I know nothing about this stuff, but def subbed.

Pertaining to my original issues - they all went away after lifting for a few months. It was strange just one day I realized that the pains were no longer there.

I had a left shoulder issue that was nagging for awhile also until I started doing shoulder specific lifts and it was the same thing, one day I just realized I hadn't had a shoulder issue for awhile.

I noticed something tonight with the hip - I'm getting pain if I put most of my weight on that leg and lean back, it's on the outside, where my glutes start - I'm feeling some pressure point there.

Going to post this link here for people that haven't seen it before: http://triggerpoints.net/

The source of pain is often not in the area where pain is felt, and trigger points are often an effective thing to look for and treat when you've got muscular pain. The great thing is that there's no downside, it takes a matter of minutes to find a trigger point and work on it, and if it doesn't work then there's nothing lost.

udbrky - I'm not sure exactly where your pain is, but I have a recurring pain in the crease of my hip. Working on trigger point 1 in the quadratus lumborum muscle (http://triggerpoints.net/triggerpoints/ql.htm) is the only way I've ever managed to treat the pain, and often just 10 seconds of prodding around in the area fixes it immediately.

http://triggerpoints.net/triggerpoints/pectineus.htm

http://triggerpoints.net/triggerpoints/glut-min.htm

For the last week, upon waking, my finger joints are stiff and sore. All o them. No other pain or discomfort. The stiffness goes away within an hour or so.

Am I gonna die?

I'm sure there are plenty of other explanations but that's very typical of rheumatoid arthritis.

Same thing this morning. I go back to the dr next month, I'll ask. Time to up the fish oil.

I had some patellar tendonitis last fall, due to having my knees past my toes squatting. Ever since then, I go through stretches where I wake up with a stiff right knee for a bit. It's fine as I get going through the day. I foam roll it and lax it some, and it never hurts while squatting, but it's still kind of annoying and I worry that I'm developing something.

Are you by chance sitting or sleeping any different those times?

Not that I know of, but I have 0 clue what happens while I sleep.

I think I just duplicate it with having my legs fully extended sitting down.

My gf has a recurring problem with her right leg. It has generally flared up after some kind of activity, and this occurrence was after she came to watch me race on Sunday. She did a ~1.5m walk up a hill, lots of standing around and then walked back down, as well as lots of general standing around during the rest of the race. Nothing too strenuous, just constant light activity. She didn't feel anything at all on the day, the pain came the morning after. It's a sharp pain on the outside of her thigh, running vertically, approximately following the path of the ITB, from midway up the thigh to around the hip joint. It doesn't feel muscular, definitely not a fatigue or strain type pain, more a sharp shooting pain. It gets worse after sitting or standing still for a time, and gets better after walking again. It generally lasts about two days before disappearing and she's had it several times in the past, all with exactly the same symptoms. Any ideas?

Is she foam rolling it?

No, mainly because we forget all about it in between flare-ups. I should maybe get her to do a bit this week now that the pain's gone, and to do some before any exercise in future. With it not feeling muscular though I'm not sure it'll help, but can't hurt.

I have a pain in the ball of my right foot and from doing a bit of research the closest thing to it that I can find is metatarsalgia. However what doesn't fit in is that the pain seems to randomly come and go. If I'm running or walking the pain might be agony but then a minute later it will have completely gone and no matter what I do with my foot and where I put weight on it, I can't feel a thing. Then a minute later it'll come back.

Doing the drill in the vid below (especially when I move my knee to the inside as I push forward) causes the pain when I release the tension and start to move my knee back...

Sounds right. Reading through that description, I had a similar pain after doing a lot of work on a steep hill, where I was standing sideways on the hill while wearing work boots. The pain would come and go, and sometimes just brushing the wrong part of my foot against something would put me in agony. The pain was very precise, as if someone was stabbing me in the foot with a splinter of steel.

It took a couple of months for the pain to go away, and it has come back mildly on occasion. I try to limit the activity that caused it in the first place, but that doesn't sound like an option for you (assuming it is those mountainous runs you do.) I would go to a foot specialist and get advice on footwear, extra padding, or anything else you can use to prevent a recurrence.

Yeah I'd assume that running on the hills is the main cause of the problem. I really don't want to stop training though as I have an important race coming up in about 3 weeks. I've read that it can be caused by tightness in the calves and ankles so I'm going to try and do regular SMR, stretching and mobility. Did you do anything specific for it or did you just rest it?

Wrapped with voodoo bands and did air squats a couple times and haven't felt this since.

I didn't do anything other than avoid wearing my boots, especially on that hill.