Hip pain during heavy pack out.

[grfox92]

I searched and found several threads on this topic but most seemed to be about bruising or pain from your hip belt applying pressure.

That's not what I'm experience. When I pack out heavy, think elk quarter and backstraps, or half s mule deer, and going uphill I experience a pain deep in my hips that I have never experienced at any other time. It's pretty severe, enough to really slow me down outside of my muscular or cardiovascular ability.

It feels like it's on the balls of my hips or just deep inside my ass cheeks near the balls of my hips.

My pack is a Seek Unaweep and sits on my belly button.

Anyone else experience this? What is it? Stretching routine needed?

Any insight is appreciated. I need to get ahead of this before I pack out my 400 inch Wyoming bull or 200 inch muley .

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[mxgsfmdpx]

Have you tried adjusting more of the load to your shoulders via tightening shoulder straps and load lifters? I’ve found that on super heavy pack outs I trade off on making slight adjustments between shoulders and hips (which one currently has more load temporarily).

 

[wapitibob]

I experienced that when I packed out two whole Antelope at the same time. Ball joints hurt like hell every step, I don't pack 2 animals anymore. I did pack an Elk out in two trips a few years ago, pain wasn't as bad but I learned my lesson and cut down on packed weight.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

I would say that what you’re experiencing is most likely a combination of lack of mobility and lack of strength in your hip flexors, glutes and glute medes. I struggle with the same pain on heavy packouts. However, after paying more attention to mobility and strengthening those areas, the ability to pack heavy loads has improved significantly. There are some great IG accounts to follow that focus on functional movements and mobility that have helped me, as watching someone perform different movement seems to help alot more than reading about it.

 

[5MilesBack]

If you're not used to carrying heavy loads........ya, it hurts. Muscles, tendons, ligaments that generally don't get that much strain.

 

[87TT]

I just make more trips with less weight. Got tired of living on Advil for week afterwards. I think getting old caused mine.

 

[Pony Soldier]

There are a lot of unknowns here. Age, condition, traverse etc. I have had both hips replaced. Never did they hurt while moving but boy did I pay when I tried to sleep or sit in a chair.

A base line might be necessary for x-rays to see the conditions of the hip joints. If they are good then you are into conditioning or it could be a point of natural limits of what your body will allow.

I rarely hurt when I am doing things but I can count on paying for it for a few days afterward. This includes things I have done my entire life but just aren't reasonable options as I get older.

 

[grfox92]

I would say that what you’re experiencing is most likely a combination of lack of mobility and lack of strength in your hip flexors, glutes and glute medes. I struggle with the same pain on heavy packouts. However, after paying more attention to mobility and strengthening those areas, the ability to pack heavy loads has improved significantly. There are some great IG accounts to follow that focus on functional movements and mobility that have helped me, as watching someone perform different movement seems to help alot more than reading about it.

Like Knees over toes guy? Who else on IG?

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[Geewhiz]

I know exactly what you’re talking about. Only times I’ve ever felt that is with a lot of weight like 140-150 lbs for extended periods of time. it’s not muscle pain or surface level uncunfortable rubbing, it’s deep in your hips and it does feel like it’s at the joints. Taking extra trips is easy to say from a computer at a desk but when you’re talking about 7-8 miles in the mountains not on a trail and a round trip at 3 or 4 hours I’d much rather just carry the weight.

As far as what can be done,…I’m not sure. Seams like it’s your body reaching its limits. Can’t imagine stretching would help anything.

 

[grfox92]

I know exactly what you’re talking about. Only times I’ve ever felt that is with a lot of weight like 140-150 lbs for extended periods of time. it’s not muscle pain or surface level uncunfortable rubbing, it’s deep in your hips and it does feel like it’s at the joints. Taking extra trips is easy to say from a computer at a desk but when you’re talking about 7-8 miles in the mountains not on a trail and a round trip at 3 or 4 hours I’d much rather just carry the weight.

As far as what can be done,…I’m not sure. Seams like it’s your body reaching its limits. Can’t imagine stretching would help anything.

Nailed it. For me it's ONLY when going up steep hills.

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[VAelkhuntr]

I searched and found several threads on this topic but most seemed to be about bruising or pain from your hip belt applying pressure.

That's not what I'm experience. When I pack out heavy, think elk quarter and backstraps, or half s mule deer, and going uphill I experience a pain deep in my hips that I have never experienced at any other time. It's pretty severe, enough to really slow me down outside of my muscular or cardiovascular ability.

It feels like it's on the balls of my hips or just deep inside my ass cheeks near the balls of my hips.

My pack is a Seek Unaweep and sits on my belly button.

Anyone else experience this? What is it? HStretching routine needed?

Any insight is appreciated. I need to get ahead of this before I pack out my 400 inch Wyoming bull or 200 inch muley .

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk

I had this same issue pop recently following some low back pain. Turns out it's a spine issue that's compensating through my hips. Your description is spot on for what I was going through. Never really had pain beyond soreness previously (aside from normal aches from working in a physically demanding job for the last 20 years). Sounds like you need to get into a physical therapist while there is still time to work on stuff before season. It's helped me a ton. Was hardly able to walk upslope without debilitating pain for more than five minutes. I'm back to wearing a 15-20lb pack and doing some walking on rolling terrain. For up to 60 minutes. Would have dug myself in a hole that would require surgery if I didn't get into the PT. I should be ready for heavy pack outs come October. I was a guy that tried fix health issues on my own for a long time and it finally caught up to me. So if you can afford go see a physical therapist and they can at least let you know if you have something serious going on or if you just have some muscular imbalances.

 

[TaperPin]

It sucks getting older doesn’t it - every year something new pops up and you can’t believe most advice to be worth a hill of beans, including mine. We all know this, but one of my clients is a retired nationally known orthopedic surgeon and even he admits to enjoy fixing things with surgery even if less invasive methods may have worked. He also said any surgery you could do next week should be done tomorrow - he always had a new vacation home to pay for! Lol

Joints don’t always wear in the same ways and you could have thinning spots, or scar tissue, irritated nerve, or some other physical issue creeping in, regardless of age. That’s assuming your preseason conditioning is good.

Going up hill uses a wider range of motion than going down - maybe your joints aren’t as lubricated with more motion, or the surface of the joint is uneven in a way that lubrication is wiped off. Hunters are famous for letting themselves get dehydrated and that reduces your joint lube. Starting in my 40s I could tell a difference in joints when framing houses and dehydrated or not.

I remodeled a bathroom for a couple of young doctors who were very physically active and they had cases of Joint Juice - it makes sense better lubricated joints last longer - at least they thought so.

My career has been in building/remodeling and productivity determins pecking order and income so there are no slow days. In my 30s I had a hip that hurt walking up and down stairs - custom trim requires dozens of trips up and down. I’d work at a normal pace until my hip kept me up at night tossing and turning too much then slow down a bit - this lasted for two years. I stayed at a fully furnished rental for an out of town job and it had a full memory foam mattress - I shit you not after three weeks my hip pain was gone and hasn’t returned the last 15 years even without memory foam. An orthopedic guy said I probably had some inflammation that was never allowed to heal and at night tossing and turning didn’t help. I was convince it was fukkered for two years.

Good luck - hopefully it’s something simple.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Like Knees over toes guy? Who else on IG?

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@flolyfe

@dr.jacob.harden

 

[Sea_Level+]

I married a dirty hippy. Somewhere between the zodiac signs and crystal healing voodoo she got really good at yoga. I spent my time in the gym so, being that guy, I scoffed at it. Trashed my hips in a marathon I hadn’t properly trained for. Thankfully she took pity on my stupid self and taught me some moves that fastlaned my recovery.

I also think flexibility could be at play here. There’s some good yoga apps (I like asana rebel) out there that will help overall flexibility. If nothing else, search “pigeon” pose and give it a fair shake to maximize your hip mobility.

 

[*zap*]

I would experiment with a weighted pack, a hill and the position of my hip belt. See if that is the issue.

Then try doing good mornings, rdl's and l-sit hold plus carrying weight uphill....

 

[grfox92]

I married a dirty hippy. Somewhere between the zodiac signs and crystal healing voodoo she got really good at yoga. I spent my time in the gym so, being that guy, I scoffed at it. Trashed my hips in a marathon I hadn’t properly trained for. Thankfully she took pity on my stupid self and taught me some moves that fastlaned my recovery.

I also think flexibility could be at play here. There’s some good yoga apps (I like asana rebel) out there that will help overall flexibility. If nothing else, search “pigeon” pose and give it a fair shake to maximize your hip mobility.

I kind if believe it's a mobility issue also. I am a SUPER tight guy. Very much not flexible at all. Sometimes I'm good about stretching and sometimes I fall off the path and suffer.

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[Matthias86]

I know the pain you are talking about. My right leg is almost an inch longer than my left. It's not something you notice until you are carrying a lot of weight on it. I use to get anything from horrible pain while backpacking to a low internal ache from standing in the same spot for too long. Physical therapy had me do varies stretches and hip strengthening exercises. I wore a heal lift for a while but the pain just moved from my hip to my knee. A lot of it helped in general but nothing fixed the pain from carrying heavy weight.

10 years ago I started strength training...mostly consisting of heavy squats and deadlifts. I haven't had the pain since. B_REnalds_AK's comment on hip mobility and strengthening your hip flexors, gluts, and posterior chain is exactly right. Look up how to "low-bar" squat or pay for a personal training lesson to have someone teach you. Start with like 50lbs on the bar and do 3 sets of 5. Go 2 times a week and add 5lbs to the bar every time. Strengthening all the muscles that go into stabilizing that lift will adjust how your body carries heavy weight. Not only will the pain go away, but packing out a quarter elk just becomes that much easier.

I swear by this for everyone - male, female, young, and old. Low-bar squat 3 sets of 5 reps, 1-2 times a week. Find someone to teach you how to do it right. There is also a book called "Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe that goes over the step by step fundamentals of the exercise.

 

[robcollins]

I'm going to question pack fit.

Have you got the stays on that SO contoured the way they should be so you don't have to over tighten the waistbelt and weight spreads around the bony part of your pelvis in front (iliac crest) and settles on the top of your butt?

I have been more of a Kifaru/MR/Granite Gear guy, so not familiar with Seek Outside fitting, but, I guarantee that a call to Seek Outside after perusal of YouTube will benefit. I'd start there first.

My only similar issue was with a heavy Kifaru that fit poorly. Custom fitting isn't magical, and you're not going to ruin anything by adjusting it. Eliminate that first.

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[lamarclark09]

I can imagine this kind of pain. It mostly happens. You need to focus on those workouts that strengthen your bone density and make them strong. Warm up exercises, stretching, squats etc. Try these exercises in order to make your bones strong and to protect yourself from this situation ever again.

 

[jj554]

Like Knees over toes guy? Who else on IG?

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Kelly Starrett is a great resource online. I know from experience that tight hips can cause all kinds of problems because your body naturally compensates for the disruption and you cannot avoid it because the hips are so fundamental to movement. I would start with Starrett's hip capsule stretches and then start working through all his material until you can identify what in particular needs attention. If you are really tight, this will involve many hours of soft tissue work with either a massage therapist or DIY with a lacrosse ball, stretching certain muscles, and strengthening other muscles. It will have to become a daily practice but you get more efficient over time and correcting the problems becomes much easier.