hey i just went to my doctor and he said that my pelvis is expanding and thats why im having major hip pains. i have 2 gymnastics meets left to qualify for sectionals but i cant compete all-around becuase ive had to scratch floor and beam because of of the pain. the pain is supposed to last from 6 months to a year and i really dont want to repeat level 7. is there anything i can do to help it heal faster?? thanks :D

[quote=gotchalk35]hey i just went to my doctor and he said that my pelvis is expanding and thats why im having major hip pains...[/quote] So they are growing pains then? Did your doctor say you can do whatever skills you can in the gym that don't hurt or you can handle, or did he restrict your practice himself? You should make sure, cuz you don't want to make things worse, or ruin your body you know. If you didn't ask him when you were there, I would call or email him to ask that and also what things you can do to speed it up, or make it feel better, and get an ok about these ways: Stretch it!! Do more stretching exercises that stretches your hip. Here's something from USA Gymnastics that shows a stretching exercise for the hip flexors: http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/publications/technique/2004/5/hip.pdf [quote]Hip Flexor Stretch Figure B Place front foot on block. Back leg should be straight and turned in. Reach arms high overhead and back. Once stretch is felt in upper thigh/hip, gently side bend (towards forward leg side) and return 20- 30 times. Repeat 3-5 sets.[/quote] (click the link for a picture) Here's another hip stretch from a yoga web: http://www.drbackman.com/hip-stretches-advanced-yoga.htm "Hip Stretch -Advanced Yoga Position Pictured" [quote]Lowering your upper torso will increase the stretch. begin on hands and knees, place the right leg/foot as pictured, back and far as you can, the left knee/foot is underneath crossing to the opposite side[/quote] click the link for the picture of that stretch - it does have this disclaimer of course: "DO NOT DO THIS ADVANCED HIP STRETCH WITHOUT DOCTORS ORDERS. & SHOULD NEVER BE DONE WHILE IN AN ACUTE STAGE OF INJURY. You can Really Piss Off a Fresh Injury or an Old Injury Exacerbation by Stretching Too Soon. And Please, If You Have Had hip surgery SKIP this page!" ...so you really should talk with your doctor again to make sure on what you should and can do!! :D My orthopedist is cool; he comes to the phone and answers emails so fast! And: "Hip Joint Mobilization Stretch" http://www.drbackman.com/hip-joint-mobilization-stretch.htm -click for picture [quote]1. Get on Your Hands and Knees. 2. * Point Your Toes Outward. 3. Tilt Your Pelvis, (Increasing the Curve In Your Low Back.) 4. Spread Your Knees as Far as Is Comfortable. 4. SLOWLY Rock Back Into the End Range of Motion of Your Hip Joints.[/quote] Also, probably heating/ice would help - check with your doctor though, maybe one is better than the other, or there's some sequence you should use, etc. Walgreens (like Longs, etc.) has those good pink heating water bottle bags. And maybe also creams, like Vicks, BenGay, IcyHot. Personally, I like Vicks the best. You could also ask if you should be taking advil to help with inflammation if you have that too in your hip, he probably would have told you already if you should, but he could have forgotten or just thought you would - most gyms tell their gymnasts to have advil in their locker, after all. Overdoing with advil is bad for your stomach of course, so the stretching and heating, etc. are really good. Let us know how it goes! It probably would also help your hip heal better and faster if you don't do things that make it hurt more - like work on bars and the pit more, and stay away from the hard impacts. You didn't have to scratch from vault?