The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › Injuries, Restrictions, Ailments, Pose Modifications › Injuries › Labral tear (hip)
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I wasn’t aware of SAMe as an inflammatory. I will give it a try. Thanks!
Hi,
I know this is an old thread but I have suffered through so much guesswork and uncertainty, I registered just to comment on it. I’m in the Boston area as well and 4 weeks out of arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn labrum. The surgeon reattached it with four anchors and shaved the bone impingement. I have mild hip dysplasia, but it never presented any problems before this (and I didn’t know about it).I actually know exactly how the tear happened — NOT in yoga. I was in a flexibility class and felt my hip pop (audibly too) while rolling forward through straddle splits. I didn’t know what the problem was, and massage therapists and yoga teachers suggested weak glutes, a groin strain, tendonitis … meanwhile anything that required external rotation became increasingly painful. I rested, I stretched, I iced, I took NSAIDs, nothing helped. I kept teaching and working out … when warmed up I could dance and practice and could sometimes achieve split positions, but afterward I would pay for it. Eventually I started developing a limp and everyday walking hurt. I finally saw a doctor who diagnosed me in 5 minutes and within a month I had xrays, an MRI arthrogram, and was in surgery. I guess my hip deformation made me prone to labral tears and my intense flexibility exercises weren’t helping. Considering the dysplasia is bilateral, I now doubt I will ever achieve the straddle splits (even if it were physically possible … fear would probably hold me back!)
My yoga practice was 3-4 times a week, mostly a mixture of “advanced vinyasa” and Bikram yoga, although I tried Baptiste in Cambridge too. I continued to try to do yoga before the surgery, mostly Bikram (with the injury, but without knowing the exact problem) … I couldn’t do triangle on the bad side, lying back in fixed firm was impossible, no twists on the bad side, no seated head to knee stretching bad side. My hip was usually sore afterward but I felt so much better overall I kept coming. I found I had to mention explicitly to the teacher that I had an injury, otherwise I would get singled out in class for not doing the pose because I otherwise have a very strong practice. I found that sitting or standing in the starting position or an intermediate position was OK with the instructor, but it was very frustrating mentally.
Did anyone return to their full practice after labral repair — specifically a demanding practice like Bikram? My doctor is not very communicative about the recovery process, and I don’t know any other yogis or dancers who have had this surgery. My doctor does not even advocate PT, and won’t give me more information other than that I’m currently banned from exercising. He has said later he may allow a stationary bike or elliptical. I can’t see safely transitioning from that level of restriction to the extremely active life I used to lead. And I seriously fear for my flexibility. 🙁
Anyway, I’m currently still on crutches and in quite a bit of pain. I’m not sure what is more depressing: the uncertainty, the pain, or the absence of my yoga practice.
lisawray – sorry to hear of your trouble, but glad to hear you’re on the mend. The body is so resilient, so while I don’t have a lot of advice or knowledge to offer, I do believe that all wounds heal with time, and that if you’re careful, you will eventually return to the things you love. hang in there!
as for me, I was notified by lisawray’s post so I thought I’d post an update.
After writing, I visited a number of other doctors, namely a surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery here in NYC. this doctor took one look at my imaging and told me that the tears the other doctors were seeing were ‘normal wear and tear’ – and that I was not in fact a candidate for surgery. He said he thought my pain was coming from a super tight IT band, and that I had intense inflammation/bursitis as a result. He gave me steroid injections on both sides and sent me on my way.
Since that time, the pain has died down, and through a ton of experimentation, I’ve figured out that the pain is coming from my Piriformis. Why the Piriformis is upset I have no idea, I’m still working on that. I know it seems like a totally different part of the body – but when things are on fire, the pain is referred all over – and it took a bit of putting out the fire to identify the source. I treat it with (1) trigger point therapy with a foam roller – squashing out the knots in the muscle, (2) Stretching, via yoga, and (3) I found that for me, strengthening my inner thighs really helps alleviate the pain – so I do squats.
I am still trying to figure out the imbalance that causes this – but it feels more clear that it wasn’t a dual labral tear after all – no matter how many (two) doctors thought it was…
Hi Lisa and mzassenhaus
Lisa, it sounds like such an ordeal. I wish you a speedy recovery and return to exercise in a way that will be satisfying to you. People can really strain their hips and cause tears in extreme stretches such as the straddle splits and other yoga poses where they go beyond their physical constraints.
I cannot see why you couldn’t eventually get back to a bikram yoga or hot yoga practice. You may have to avoid or adapt those troublesome poses. I have input for you when the time is ready.
A static hot yoga practice imho shouldn’t strain the hips (as long as proper technique is adhered to – again, when you’re ready send me an email or PM).
Patience during healing is called for. I cannot say one way or the other but if your specialist is not clear about how recovery will take place and with what exercise you should be ok then perhaps you need to use your intuition and increase the movement and intensity in a very graded fashion.
Has your medical team recommended any stretching at all? Any massage? What movement? While you want to get stability in your hip again you have to balance that with the need to avoid it seizing up with scar tissue which forms quickly.
mzassenhaus thanks for your helpful insights.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hello,
I wanted to thank yogawithdaba for your article about labral tears – it was very helpful. I have a labral tear (MRI confirmed) caused by doing the pigeon pose and being hyper mobile :(. I’m hoping to avoid surgery and my doctor told me not to do any hip flexion (knee to chest) on the hurt side. I don’t usually post on forums, but wanted to share a recent article in the New York Times about yoga and injuries. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/magazine/how-yoga-can-wreck-your-body.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hpw;
Like all good things (yoga has been wonderful in my life!), I guess it’s important to do yoga in moderation and listen to our bodies, have a good teacher who can recognize if we go too far, and know about our own limitations, and the dangers of certain poses for certain people. Thank you to everyone who shared their experience with hip surgery and yoga …. it has been very helpful 🙂 .Hi Rw
It’s very odd that the very morning that you posted – before I read your post – I was doing yoga and wondering just that. How is that people can damage themselves in a yoga class? What pain are they ‘pushing through’ in the name of ‘becoming more flexible’? What signs are they ignoring in order to go beyond their own flexibility and cause permanent damage?
We are all naturally flexible enough to do many things, but bony limitations such as the structure of one’s hips may be (and for many definitely is) a limiting factor. What is the thought behind feeling a need to break through that?
I am really humbled by and thrilled by the reputation and success of this Hot Yoga Forum (it’s the most popular in the world). It is created for people like you and me who just love hot yoga, indeed yoga in general and want to share our knowledge and experience (or just ask a question!). It’s a rich world out there. Thank YOU
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂I stumbled on this forum today and thought I would post an update in case anyone else is searching for info on labral tear surgery. I got off crutches after 2 months but never recovered — I could still barely walk and was always in pain. The turning point came after 5 months when I moved to NYC and saw a new surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery. He diagnosed me with severe bursitis, muscle spasms and atrophy (caused by the strict rest my last doctor prescribed) gave me a cortisone shot and sent me packing to physical therapy.
One month later (6mo after surgery) … I hobbled back into my first Bikram class! In the beginning I couldn’t even kneel so I would sit with my legs out straight. I could only stand on the operated leg for a few seconds and there were handfuls of poses I couldn’t even attempt.
Now, I’ve been doing Bikram (and other activities) for 1.5 months and I am doing EVERY pose with only small modifications. My bad leg still shakes in balancing poses and of course my practice is nowhere near what it used to be … but weirdly some poses (like Cobra and Camel) have never been so strong! Most importantly … I have almost no pain. I feel like a new person and I’m so grateful that I’ve been going more consistently than I ever did before I hurt myself. I feel like I have a new lease on life.
Moral of the story: There is hope!! But if you have this surgery, make sure to INSIST ON PHYSICAL THERAPY as soon as you can (with or without surgery)! And if anyone has questions about this surgery, please feel free to message me.
Good for you! I’m glad you posted your story. Very inspirational and educational. I know, as I sit here in pain, that there is hope! I’m glad you are doing so much better and you are back in that hot room.
Hi Cristy
I just wanted to check in with you and find out if that inspiration transformed your experience, that you’re feeling better and that you’re keeping up the hot yoga!
I would love to know what you’re experiencing now
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂I hope everyone in this thread is doing well. I did my first ever 30 day Bikram challenge this January! (13 months post op). I still have low level pain in the operated hip, especially after working out, but it’s nothing compared to what I felt before. I’m so happy to be back, it’s more of a constant reminder how lucky I am. I owe my life back to my physical therapist. Again if anyone has questions about the whole process, please feel free to message me! I know I felt very alone at the time.
I would love to hear how everyone else has recovered and whether you have returned to your practice.
Hi Rw
It’s very odd that the very morning that you posted – before I read your post – I was doing yoga and wondering just that. How is that people can damage themselves in a yoga class? What pain are they ‘pushing through’ in the name of ‘becoming more flexible’? What signs are they ignoring in order to go beyond their own flexibility and cause permanent damage?
We are all naturally flexible enough to do many things, but bony limitations such as the structure of one’s hips may be (and for many definitely is) a limiting factor. What is the thought behind feeling a need to break through that?
Gabrielle,
After a google search on labral tears and yoga, I found this thread. After reading the comment I quoted above, I felt compelled to join the forum and comment.I have not practiced yoga for several years, because of a labral tear in my left hip that was caused by continuously trying to open my very tight hips via yoga poses. As it turns out, my hips weren’t tight. I have some kind of hip dysplasia that I was unaware of. While I thought I was stretching very tight muscles and tendons, I was really forcing an impingement. Eventually, I had a tear. I stopped doing vigorous yoga (like hot yoga) because so many seemingly simple poses (even child’s pose) are painful to me. Fortunately, I have been able to continue doing exercises that don’t externally rotate the joint, so I can hike and even do some crossfit. I am currently trying to find a restorative yoga class, just for my mental health and to try to keep the rest of my body flexible.
What made me want to comment was your question about what would motivate someone to push so hard that they would cause physical damage? That’s easy. I never knew anything different. The tilt of my hip joints, and the resulting inability of my hips to release is congenital. It ALWAYS felt extremely tight and uncomfortable. I never experienced anything else. I thought that must be normal. In all the years I took yoga classes (many), I was told over and over that if you just relax, push, cajole, use heat, use props, etc., eventually your hips will magically open. So I kept striving, and eventually ripped my labrum. Silly me for not realizing that would never happen for me. However, I do wish that more yoga instructors would recognize that when a pose isn’t happening for someone, there might be another underlying reason than just that they are tight.
It reminds me a little of some joking advice my mom used to give us as kids. When we would complain to her “Mom, it hurts when I do this”, her response would be “Well, then stop doing that.” We’re all built differently.
Anyway, my intent here is not to sow negativity. Since you are a yoga professional, I thought maybe it would be useful for you to understand what might be going through the head of a practitioner who is pushing through pain to the point of injury.
In health,
LoriHi Lori
Yes, I agree with you. The decision to push through must be to attain what appears to be normal. I am sure that most people would think that everyone can get to ‘that’ state. I don’t think what you say is negative at all. I think it’s important to acknowledge and then on act on the fact that there is another part of the process that’s being missed by teachers and students. Each one believing that one MUST be able to do it simply because most others can. That is clearly an approach that does not work with hips (etc).
Just cultivating the belief that every body is different and not just make it lip service could move both parties to a better more effective place to manage ‘stubborn and tight’ hips.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂 -
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