VERY tight hams/groin

[vice69]

i think this is the right section to post.  quick history:

i've worked out with kettlebells for the majority of the last year or so and hadn't been doing any distance running, or really any running at all.  one of the stretchs after working out is the 'seated groin stretch', sitting upright, legs spread out open as far as i can and leaning forward as far as i can trying to touch chest to floor.  i was able to almost get my chest to floor.

currently:
after a couple months of running in vffs and hiking 10-12 miles one day a week and still doing kettlebells, though not as much, i have to have someone push lightly on my back when doing the seated groin in order for me to even come close to stretching like i used to.  i am incredibly tight in what feels like the muscles or tendons from my groin/flexors to the back just under my butt.  before i started increasing my running and hiking i was fine in that area, and now it kills me, but feels so good after i do stretch it.

it doesn't hurt at all walking, running, hiking or doing anything except that stretch and similar stretches.  why are they like that???  the last time i had anything this tight was hip flexors when i started kettlebells and that went away once they got stronger.  could that be it?? i just need to get those muscle stronger??

[delucio]

Do you warm up before any of your activities? Warming up is just as important as strectching before and after your activity. 

[vice69]

most definitely. half hour at least of joint mobility, from neck to ankles, before any work out. half hour at least of stretches after.

i made a mistake though, it's not called the 'seated groin', which i guess is when you put the bottoms of your feet together in the 'butterfly' type position.

this is like 'seated splits' or something.  i have someone push on my back so i can even get far enough down to stretch whatever muscle it is under my butt thats tight.  i can't willingly do it because it hurts so much. i know that sounds like i'm going to tear something but it turns out fine.  i just can't figure out why they are that tight, even after warming up before working out and stretching after.  all the kettlebell stuff i've done this past year and it's never been bad like this.  the only thing i can attribute the tightness to is the running and hiking because those are the only two activites i've recently added to my life.  if i can't get them 'loose-er' in the next couple weeks i'll have to go in, which i don't think will help but...

[Horse Rider]

Just FYI it's hips extensors in this case, the flexors are in the front. Hiking does a number on the extensors, it could just be it.

[vice69]

yeah i just about died from flexor pain when beginning kettlebells b/c they get worked out so much.

the tightness is in the region of the semitendinosus, adductor magnus, and maybe biceps femoris.

[PatrickGSR94]

I had a muscle spasm in my lower back a few weeks ago, and when I went to the doc, she raised each of my legs up so they stuck out straight while I was seated on the exam table.  She commented that my hamstrings seemed REALLY tight and could be partially to blame for the muscle spasms.  I told her how I had been going barefoot and even walking and running barefoot, and how much the muscle mass in my legs and feet have increased in past months.

The doc suggested I stretch the hamstrings by laying on the floor and have someone raise my leg up straight so that it's vertical, and hold it for 20 seconds.  Or, if someone wasn't available, I could lay down in an open door frame and raise my leg up so it points vertical up the side of the door frame.  Pretty easy to do and it seemed to help.

[JustinB]

The more you workout and stronger you get, the more you have to stretch to keep flexibility.  Each year during baseball season I cut down on my workouts and notice that it becomes easier for me to get loose.   I play first base and am able to do splits.  They come much easier when I start losing some muscle mass towards the end of the season.

Patrick, you can also achieve the same results by sitting and putting your legt straight out and trying to put your chest to your quads.  Reach straight forward with both hands and reach for your heel not your toes.  Eventually you will be able to clasp your fingers together behind your heel.

[vice69]

it's weird though because even though my hams or whatever feel tight i'm still extremely flexible.  i almost kick my face doing high kicks for warming up, i can reach way past my toes either standing or sitting with legs out and i can get close to touching my chest to the ground doing the splits but it just hurts to do this one. it's confusing me. i think i'm going to have a nervous break down. hahah.

[Litening]

Could it be that you're actually pretty flexible, but the tightness comes from soreness immediately following an activity. Since you're using new muscle groups for the hiking and running, you'll need to ease into the stretch as compared to before?

Maybe stretch more than you used to? I'm super inflexible and saw myself getting more and mroe flexible when I did P90X and yoga. Now that I've stopped that and have focused on ellipticals and running, I notice all my muscles in the lower half are tighter, because I strenuously work them out and don't stretch as much as I used to.

[vice69]

that very well could be it.  i am very flexible and now that i've been running and hiking that may be what it is.

[meverett172000]

My hamstrings get tight from sitting too much.  Too much driving and too much time at a desk. 

My groin go tight after running, but I think it was because I lacked hip internal rotation which is a key part of running.  I can work out without noticing it, but it get sore from running.  I had tight ITB and poor internal rotation so I think the groin was working too hard against the tight ITB.  The inner hamstring can have a similar role. 

Ar your feet externally rotated?  When you stand up do your feet point out or straight ahead?

[vice69]

mostly straight i guess. i dunno because when i stand i adjust to one side or the other so. working out my feet are forward.

[noelbodwell]

Ever thought of adding yoga to your schedule? It's so good for so many reasons!

[vice69]

yeah i've heard. well, i pretty much do yoga with joint mobility and stretching.

but i just had a mile run and strained something in my left lower back. bleh. oh well, i'll deal.