'buttock' pain

Hi there. I’m wondering if anyone else out there have this sort of symptom. I’m waking with pain in my buttocks and need to stretch by rolling one knee over to touch the ground on the opposite side. This relaxes the pain after a bit. I think it’s a spasticity thing but may be mistaken and maybe it’s nothing to do with MS at all! So wondering if anyone has any similar experiences?

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Yes, I get this all the time.

To increase the stretch, try opening e.g the right shoulder & arm outwards as you lower the right knee over the left one and to the floor on left side. See if you can bring the knees further up and also try straightening the right leg.

Next, from all-4’s, tuck one knee across your body centreline and then lie your weight onto the inclined leg. Gives a strong pull on the outer glutes.

If you don’t already have one, invest in a foam roller and squeedgee out all the achiness! Yoga mat too, for the other exercises too.

Thanks GCCK

I’ll try that other stretch but only on one leg as can’t compress one of my knees at the moment! I’ll get my roller out again even though it’s v painful on the old ITBs!

Figured out that it’s not purely MS but brought on by the deadlifts I’m doing as recommended by my doctor to strengthen my hamstrings. As they strengthen, the pain is easing a bit. But there’s definitely a difference between the gym sessions I did when I was younger and now this muscle pain afterwards. Never had that before so presume this is a ‘feature’ of multiple sclerosis…

Cheers - Gregor

Hi Druss

I bought myself a massage gun in the lockdown period as physiotherapists and osteopaths were not seeing people. It cost about the same as 2 visits to an osteopath. Have you tried one?

Since this February I’ve been seeing an osteopath and found that massage by him is helping a bit with my knees (my knees are a bigger priority than my hips at the moment) - I’ve got noticeably more joint mobility and less spasticity. Because I’ve now experienced how he massages my legs and knees (he just uses his hands not a gun), this has made me more confident in using the massage gun and I use it for both my knees and hips. I’ve found a couple of videos that are working for me. There are probably other videos very similar. I’ve seen faster progress in reducing stiffness by using the massage gun between the fortnightly sessions with the osteopath.

This is the one for hips. The guy’s patter is a bit cheesy at times, but it is the results that count!

And this for knees:

I have also had 3 telephone conversations with an NHS physiotherapist (yes, they are still avoiding seeing people), each spaced 3 weeks apart. She gave me some generic exercises for arthritic knees, but I’m struggling with them. They are not suiting me - I’m getting a lot of muscle pain afterwards despite them not being hard to do at the time, and much increased weakness for quite a few days. Plus increased swelling of the knees. I think the strengthening ones are pushing things too hard. I don’t think she understands neurological issues. Just 3 years ago I’d only have needed about 2 sessions to have had noticeable strengthening. So, like you, I have noticed that neurological weakness is rather different to being just deconditioned. I’m wondering how much progress can be made. My muscles fatigue, rather than strengthen!

Because the physiotherapist has been so useless I requested a change to the physiotherapist associated with my doctor’s surgery, who does do face to face appointments, so hopefully he can help me tailor a more appropriate program.

I’ve got a foam roller also, which I do like, especially for back and core muscles. My core muscles are strengthening up, so that is good!

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Thanks Ziola! Wow. I don’t even know that massage guns existed. Yes cheesy but he seems to know his onions :wink:

I saw a TikTok on core exercises and wish I’d saved it. He was basically saying that there are all these fancy exercises you can do but (if safe!!) just try standing on one leg! The compensating moves you are making are all core strengthening. I can do it better on my right leg than my left showing the imbalance pardon the pun. I’ve been trying it out but you have to be near to something to grab onto! I think it’s working

Thanks for this note. Really appreciated

Druss54 iv had that buttock pain like you say and it really does hurt when doing certain movements. Went to a physio the last time i had it and she said it was a muscle knot and i got dry needling done on it to breakup the knot. It was gone instantly and felt great. Ive had them on my calves and glute medius. Really restricts my movement. Might be something to ask for.
Jimmy

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I won’t be going anywhere near one of those massage guns until I’ve spoken with my osteopath. They could do more harm than good in inexperienced hands. A sports masseur used one on me years ago and it was effective but she knew what she was doing and used it sparingly.

I use a foam roller or a tennis ball for any pains but sometimes they just dont work. At the moment i have very tight inner thigh and quite painful and nothing seems to ease it. I would try anything to get rid of it. A massage gun seems great but i think il try get a physio.

massage gun was really helpful for me in my pain.

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As per my earlier post, I mentioned massage gun to my Osteopath and she was horrified! They are not a toy and they can do considerable damage to tendons & ligaments in the wrong hands.

Used properly, they are good tools but as an integral component of a therapy session - they help a therapist to reach deeply into tissue without “using up” their own joints so much, but a therapist misses out on “feel” when using a mechanical aid - hence why she recommended using them sparingly.

It’s definitely everyone’s responsibility to educate themselves on such a tool’s proper use. I’m surprised that people would be using them on tendons and ligaments but then again, sense is not as common as people think!

Personally, at 4am in pain and in bed this morning my massage gun was a godsend to relax some very painful muscles. Don’t think my osteo would want to be there then and there! :grin:

Not while walking, but if i sit pretty much on any surface i can get a really sore tailbone.

The type and quality of chair you sit in can make a huge different to comfort.

I’ve had back pain most of my adult life and my favourite chair is a Herman Miller Aeron office chair. It’s a patented design with sprung mesh panels for back-rest and cushion and provides support like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. They’ve been around for 30 years now, in various iterations and although over £1000 new, they are almost indestructible and available for much less second-hand, with plenty of outlets for spares & repair.

Worth investigating!

1k chair! Wow :smiley: