I have a client who feels discomfort in her hip when she tries to go into the position for doing the 4-sign exercise on one side (I have tried sitting and lying). Should we be avoiding this exercise?
Not necessarily. It depends upon whats causing it and where the discomfort is exactly. In the first instance though try lifting the knee a few inches higher and get them to go the exercise in that position. it should reduce the dicomfort. if that doesnt work please come back with the answers to the 2 questions re cause and site of pain and lets look closer.
Just being in the position before she starts the exercise causes the discomfort. She feels it on the lateral side of her hip. I am guessing a bit on location but she says she feels it deep and around the greater trochanter area. When I lift her knee up higher as you suggest she says it lessens there but then it moves up her back.
Thanks, the bottom line is, if the position she adopts causes problems, then you are right to avoid it.
First though do try all different positions, for exmaple, if she lifts her knee and it reduces, but then it starts in her back, get her to sit back rather than upright (or vise versa), or even slouch or move slightly (not exaggeratedly) to one side of other.
If its still no good then the leg press can be equally as effective.
i'm sure you'll be considering the cause of the pain; it could be capsular, he may have an osteophyte down there, or many other things. whatever it is, maybe that could be causing the biomehcanical problems - this will be intetesting to see the outcome.
