This Darn Hip!

I can't seem to shake this hip/SI/thigh pain.  And I'm also embarrassed that being a PT doesn't give me magical powers to find out exactly what is going on.  Keep this in mind the next time I have a patient who cannot localize their pain.  Argh! 

I was going to run today.  I ran a loop in the hallway at work to make sure I'd be good to go.  Well, glad I did that before changing and heading outside.  Ouch.  But more alarming was it then hurt to walk for the next hour.  The pain seems to originate from my anterior hip, but shoots down my thigh as well.  A very jarring, "danger danger" type pain.  My fears are that it is 1) labral tear; 2) stress fracture; or 3) that lovely diagnosis that likes to accompany IBD sometimes- ankylosing spondylitis.  Now, 1) is something I've thought off and on for a while, I definitely have had impingement symptoms in the past, but not so much this time.  My movement patterns are abysmal though, and my lack of glutes definitly set me up for issues.  As for 2), I really don't think I've put in the mileage needed to cause that damage (the bright side of slacking), but the pain on impact is alarming.  Still highly doubtful.  Option 3) is definitely being alarmist, just that I've had this pain as well as increasing thoracic pain/stiffness.  Really, it is most likely neither 1-3 but a simple tweaking of something that could probably be fixed with some of those exercises I know so well but don't do myself (oops...). 

So my plan right now is to make a doctor's appointment.  Just for peace of mind to rule out those scary options I listed.  I am also going to start practicing what I preach.  My plan is to start the Myrtl Routine of exercises as well as some yoga.  I also need to have some bonding time with the foam roll, where I will curse and scream at a foam cylinder that non-athletes have no idea of how it could be so brutal. 

My emotions are getting the better of me with this.  I want to commit myself to training, and it is frustrating to not be able to do the runs.  The all or nothing in me hates it, as much as I tell myself it is better to focus on biking and swimming right now instead of eating my feelings.  Control what you can control, right?  I want to get this down on paper because I am sure I have felt like this with past injuries.  But memory is funny, and I don't remember anything seeming this bad in terms of pain or derailing in terms of effects on training.  So this is how I feel today.  I worry that it isn't going to get better.  I worry that my training is going to hell.  That this is ruining my season.  That I am losing control of everything, despite this being a very small thing in the scheme of things.

But really, I am lucky that right now this is my biggest problem.  Mind over matter, come on positivity!