09/19/2024
As some of you know, I have had chronic leg pain in my right leg for many years. I've been told that I was born with a twisted foot and over the decades, my leg constantly tried to adapt. My femur is rotated in my pelvis. This has resulted in multiple twists in my leg (ankle, shin, knee, thigh, pelvis). As a child, I would fall often so mom put me in ballet at a young age to help with my balance. I continued until I was in the 9th grade.
I have very tight hip flexors and hamstrings and have struggled with balance most of my like. Just watch me go down the steps, get on an walking sidewalk or an escalator. It can be quite comical as I work up my nerve to take the 1st step.
I started having chronic pain in that leg in 2016 when I was doing heavy weightlifting. I was working at a company that had a gym for employees and I was a consultant. Some of the guys kept egging me to to show them how strong I was (I was pretty muscular at the time). So I went over and put the weight at my maximum weigh and did a leg press without warming up at all. It felt like a knife when into my glute but my pride got in the way. I did a few more reps. By the next day, I could barely walk. That glute still gives me a fit on and off. After a month of struggling to walk, I went to the doctor. Over the next month, they did an MRI of my knee, back and nerves but couldn't find anything wrong. I eventually found a yoga hip stretch called the 90-90 and legs up the wall and my pain went away. This was 7 years ago.
Unfortunately, the chronic pain has returned so I went back to the Legs up the Wall and 90-90 stretch. I'm always surprised how better I feel when I do them. Yes, some old dogs can learn new habits but they can be stubborn too and refuse to do them.
I highly recommend the Leg up the wall for almost everyone. It has many benefits. I've listed them in the comments.
