Hip,knee AND buttock pain

Here is a quick synopsis of my injury?, has anyone suffered this before and how was it fixed.
The symptoms come on when I have been sitting, esp. driving, right buttock gets very localised pain on the tuberosity and the hip feels very tight, eventually the lateral aspect of the knee begins to hurt.
I have no problems when I run until about 1.5 hours into a hill run but I get the pain almost immediately when I cycle.
Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

I posted this message a while ago to someone with similar pain, and it may be relevant:

"From your symptoms, it sounds like piriformis. One easy way to tell - get someone to push their thumb as hard as they can into the middle (usually the softest part) of the affected buttock. If you don't hit the roof in excrutiating pain, the chances are it's NOT piriformis syndrome!

The piriformis muscle is intertwined with the gluteus maximus, and the sciatic nerve runs through or around the same area. If you have a biomechanical problem, the muscle can become compacted, which causes the buttock, back and leg to stiffen and become sore. Simply stretching the area is not the best way to start treating it, as stretching will pull the edge of the muscle only, weakening that part and causing the central part to compact further to compensate.

My chiropractor used to loosen off the core of the muscle by leaning all his weight on his elbow on the area, and moving it around. At first I thought he just didn't like me, but eventually (after about 3 sessions) I could feel a difference, and he then gave me some stretches to do, which, when I am diligent about doing them, really help keep it at bay.

The same effect can be had by sitting the sore area on a tennis ball and gradually rolling it around the buttock. Just as painful as the elbow, but at £1.50 for 3 tennis balls compared to £25/half hour for the chiro, much less painful on the wallet. Once you have done this a few times, lie on the floor with the affected leg bent and the other one straight. Pull the knee of the affected leg towards the opposite shoulder, gently stretching out the buttock. The chiro had me doing 3 x 30 seconds 3 times a day for the first month, then 3 x 20 sec x 2, then 3 x 20 once a day for maintenance.

I still get the odd twinge, but I'm sure if I kept up the stretches, I wouldn't."

I have most of the symptons but whilst my buttock does hurt after I have been sitting in the car for 2 hours or more it is not sore to the touch. A physio suggested the tennis ball routine but that does not hurt at all.
I have been to 2 physio but neither suggested anything definite whilst the pain is getting worse all the time and now spreading into my lower back.

Boxfish's other 1/2:
I had somewhat similar symptoms when recovering from a knee injury a while back. My physio diagnosed a misaligned pelvis and pulled it back into place, telling me to stretch my lower back, glutes and hams, and strengthen my quads. Its worked pretty well, although I do have to go back every couple of months for a further pelvis adjustment. I still find it good to stretch my glutes and hams before going to bed, as they tend to tighten up overnight and are painful in the morning.
Hope this helps!
Jason

Thanks Jason, that sounds really relevant to my symptons. I have been boring everyone recently saying that my hip feels out of joint. Whe I start off running it is very sore and stiff but then it eases after a few minutes. I have not been running for 5 days now and it feels worse than ever

John

Just a thought. Your nerves from your spinal chord travel this route and it is always possible that you have a back problem. The back is very good at confusing us by 'referring' pain to other areas of the body. If the areas that you are feeling the pain do not fell sore, especially when manipulated, it is a possibility.

Just been talking to an osteopath acquantance. He suggested that in circumstances like mine I would be better advised to see an osteopath rather than a physio and that it was most often the case that symptons like mine were caused by lower back problems.

I will see an osteopath next week and let you know the outcome

John

Visited an osteopath (in Newbury if anybody wants a recommendation).
He diagnosed tight muscles in the lower back and a very tight band of muscle running from l/h hip diagonally down to inner top of thigh.(possibly extension of the piriformis?).
Did some serious manipulation that was not particularly enjoyable and gave me stretches.
2 days later I could tell the difference. After being seated for 30 minutes or more when I got up my hip felt almost out of joint and I was definitely limping.
Now it feels easier. I am definitely looking forward to next weeks treatment.
Not run as yet although I may try a jog tomorrow. I suspect the back tightness has arisen from all the touching toes I have been doing trying to stretch the hamstrings, which were the original problem