I have been doing the morning dynamic stretches, and when I do the side raises with toes forward I get pain in my inner thigh, right by the groin. I have been trying to lift slowly and not as high but is seems to be worsening. This problem actually arose some years ago for the first time, and I stopped doing them completely. When I now started to do them again, the problem returned almost immediately.
Any ideas?
pain when doing leg swings
Re: pain when doing leg swings
I had exactly the same problem as you. Just like you, I had the problem years ago when I used to stretch for yoga and then the pain disappeared when I stopped doing stretching exercises, but it returned months ago when I came back to stretching, for taekwondo this time. My doctor investigated my hips condition but it was ok, no problems with bones, tendons or ligaments. So I asked myself, what is happening here? The conclusion was that I needed to strengthen all the area first. Tom Kurz repeats this in his video Secrets of Stretching over and over. First, you need to have strong abdomen, strong lower back, strong hip flexors and finally strong legs. After all that you can do stretching exercises. it was kinda disappointing for me because I wanted to stretch immediately to have more opening in my legs when I do kicks, but if I want to kick it is even worse, because since my back and hip flexors are not strong enough when I raise the leg I am stressing other muscles in the groin, not the ones I should.
I guess that is what is happening to you too. I did not stop with my stretching exercises or with the leg swings but I do them very lightly, not pressing, and I do low kicks for now. In the meantime I do the weight exercises recommended by Tom in his video, those are ab crunches, sit-ups, dead lift, good morning, back extensions on the floor and 90 degrees leg raises from lay down position. These are all exercises to strengthen the area. Once the area is strong I will try the stretching exercises again and if I feel any pain I will stop and continue with the strengthening program. That is what Tom recommends. He says there should not be any sign of pain doing stretching exercises. When there is pain it is because the area is not strong and ready for stretching.
I hope this helps you. It did for me. Oh, and use ice in the area for 10 min. several times in the day. That will help you get rid of that pain.
I guess that is what is happening to you too. I did not stop with my stretching exercises or with the leg swings but I do them very lightly, not pressing, and I do low kicks for now. In the meantime I do the weight exercises recommended by Tom in his video, those are ab crunches, sit-ups, dead lift, good morning, back extensions on the floor and 90 degrees leg raises from lay down position. These are all exercises to strengthen the area. Once the area is strong I will try the stretching exercises again and if I feel any pain I will stop and continue with the strengthening program. That is what Tom recommends. He says there should not be any sign of pain doing stretching exercises. When there is pain it is because the area is not strong and ready for stretching.
I hope this helps you. It did for me. Oh, and use ice in the area for 10 min. several times in the day. That will help you get rid of that pain.
Re: pain when doing leg swings
When the toes are forward, are you tilting the pelvis down (anterior) to help open it up?
Without doing this, wouldn't we expect the toes to begin to point up while doing side raises?
Without doing this, wouldn't we expect the toes to begin to point up while doing side raises?