hip flexor injury ?

[bravossm]

Back in February, while doing hill training for a half marathon, my left hip started burning (groin area).  I iced and stretched and kept training.  About a month later it got so bad, even walking hurt.  I stopped running in April and saw an Orthopedic doctor, who did an MRI (nothing found), sent me to PT for 6 weeks.  In the meantime, he told me it was ok for me to cycle.  After 6 weeks of PT the hip was about the same, so he took back xrays and told me to see a back doctor, there was nothing he could do for me.  I saw the back doctor, who told me my back and hip weren't a related problem, (back problem is thin disc between S1-L5 and I've known about it for 9 years).  So basically I've been left to cure my own ills. I took some time of from running (5 months) and recently started training again.  The hip pain had greatly diminished and now it is back with a vengenance.  It hurts when bending knee to chest, or after running, walking, cycling, basically overuse.  I use a heating pad which helps at night.  Is this a hip flexor injury and how do I treat it?  

[bravossm]

I also should mention, I only stopped running since April-Oct. During my running hiatus, I continued to do as much as my hip would allow (cycling/hiking, etc) and my job involves ladder climbing.  Also I've read to different view points on strecthing an injury......to stretch or not to stretch, that is the question?

[Michael L Gross, MD]

This could have been a hip flexor injury, but that should have healed with rest and the PT shold have helped.  I am suspicious of a torn labrum, the lip of cartilage that surrounds the hip socket (acetabulum)  You didn't mention if your MRI was an arthrogram or not.  An arthrogram is preceedd by injection dye in the joint.  If not you should have one.