Local Runner Injures Himself While Doing Something That Should Not Cause an Injury

I’ve been running for 30+ years, and I just discovered where my hip flexor muscles are because I recently injured one of them.

“Did you hurt it running on one of those gnarly trails with all the rocks?”

Great question, and I wish I could say yes, but sadly, I injured this important leg-moving muscle while I was stretching. Yup, a guy in his mid-fifties hurt himself while preparing to run, not actually running.

A hip flexor muscle is a muscle that flexes the hip and brings the knee closer to the chest. There are a few of them. The one I strained is called the pectineus muscle. It is a flat, rectangular muscle located in the upper, medial thigh. Its main job is to flex and adduct the thigh at the hip joint. It is currently very sore, and my entire right leg feels unstable when I first get up and start hobbling around.

“Dude, please tell me the stretch you were attempting because I don’t want to do that.”

I only do three basic stretches before my runs, and they have worked well for me for many years. My favorite stretch is the front-to-back leg swing or simply called a “leg swing.” It’s fun, and it feels really good. Think classic David Lee Roth performing “Unchained.” You can actually feel your leg muscles loosen up while doing it. The other two stretches are more performative, and I’m not sure they do anything.

The new stretch I added to my repertoire over the past two weeks was the “side-to-side leg swing.” I saw one of my favorite trail runners, Dan Green, doing them before the start of a race, and I said to myself, “If an extremely fit, twenty-something, professional athlete is doing these, why not me?”

You plant one foot, place your hands against a wall, and swing your other leg side to side, across your body, trying to bring it up as high as possible. The swings felt weird from the get-go, but I decided to keep doing them, thinking they would eventually click in and open up a new world of flexibility for my ancient legs.

Here is a visual example of the two leg swings.

“Jeff, these side-to-side swings do not look dangerous. In fact, this PT guy makes them look pretty easy peasy.”

I know, right? But, I forgot I am an extremely not flexible fella.

I did a few of more of these swings before a 7-miler last Wednesday night. I felt a bit of an “ouch” near my hip during the last swing and said to myself, “I think that’s it with these bad boys, no mas.” I still headed out. It was hot, and my legs were tired. A bad run all around.

I awoke the next morning with a little stabby pain right where the pectineus lives, and my leg immediately buckled when I put weight on it. Damn, it really hurt. I was worried.

For the next few days, I tip-toed around, and after some light stretching and slow movement, it felt better. I was able to walk and put some pressure on my bum right leg. The soreness persisted, though, and would hurt again after a few hours of sleep.

This muscle does not want to lay around and get stiff. It wants to move and stretch out and get strong and repair itself. Good job, little buddy. I’m here to help.

I am now doing some PT and taking some short walks around the neighborhood. I have traded in running for puttering around my yard and micromanaging the bird feeder and the invasive weeds on the trail path next to my house. I’m guessing I have about two to three weeks of no running ahead. I have not taken more than ten days off from running in the past six years. I miss it already.

Running is fun and very therapeutic, especially in April and May on the trails, where all things brown and barren turn to green and great. I was excited to run my eighth 50K in May and was just about to register for it. As an older gent, I’ve learned not to register for a race more than a month before because injuries happen (sorry, race directors, I know this is bad form).

Spring path — This is a photo of a lovely trail I will be on soon.

My promise to you: I will not complain about this injury (okay, I can still curse while walking up and down stairs) because I have been fortunate to have had only a few minor bumps and bruises over the past few years, and none of them have kept me from training for more than a few days.

Getting sidelined makes me appreciate how lucky I am to still be able to get out and jog around the neighborhood and visit my favorite trails and see some good dogs and happy people milling about and enjoying the beauty of the outside world.

See you out there soon. Stay flexible. Happy Earth Day!