I experienced hip pain (not severe pain but couldn't run proper stride at all; pain more towards the buttocks) in April that resulted in taking a couple of months off from heavy training (100-120 mpw with long intervals/tempos prior to injury). The ortho I saw couldn't figure out what was going on so he suggested some time off.
Tried running again in June and 1st two days were fine but on third day, with a mile or two to go in the run, got some hip/piroformis tightness followed immediately by serious pain right above the knee cap and allow IT band next to knee. (I did not have this pain during the initial injury in April.) I thought it was just IT band issues so delayed the comeback a month and did heavy duty IT band stretching, foam rolling, etc. for a month and tried again in July. I could only make it 10 minutes into the run before the same hip/buttock/piroformis tightness (but not pain) resulting in above kneecap/IT band pain. Took another month off with no running and only strength/stretching work. Tried again in August, same scenario. Went back to ortho. He said he couldn't help me because he "couldn't find anything wrong with me." (Won't be going back to this so-called hip specialist. He didn't even order an xray let alone an MRI to see what was going on in the joint.)
So, I've spent August working with a really good physical therapist (they work with several of the local professional sports teams), focusing on taking care of the piroformis and hip issue. After another month of no running and significant exercises, I again tried to run and experienced no improvement whatsoever. My hip felt fine but the IT band area/above the knee pain was intense still. The PT is having me see a supposed hip expert for a likely MRI and cortisone shot to see if my problem is a frayed labrum in the hip.
Has anyone experienced IT band pain and pain right above the knee cap (all in the same leg) as a result of a frayed or torn labrum in the hip? I had IT band problems in the OTHER leg about 6 years ago but no problem since (even though my mileage went from 60-70 miles per week to 100-120 mpw since that time). This does not feel like simple IT band issues, but rather something going on in the hip resulting in improper stride/gait causing the pain in my lower quad and IT band. If this had been regular IT band issues, my stretching and foam rolling would have taken care of the problem.
Any input??? I apologize for the long post. The visit with the hip specialist and likely MRI will hopefully sort things out for me, but I always appreciate input from my fellow runners. I'm going to end up missing an entire year of racing as a result of this.
Thanks.