What to do for uneven hips?

Not sure if this would be helpful. I have had foot surgery and I have Ankylosing Spondylitis. Since the surgeon knew, I would have issues wearing a boot for a couple of months creating an uneven gait, she recommended a product called Evenup. You put on your opposite shoe and allows both feet to be more level, helping to avoid hip issues due to walking unevenly. It is available on Amazon.

Not sure if this would be helpful. I have had foot surgery and I have Ankylosing Spondylitis. Since the surgeon knew, I would have issues wearing a boot for a couple of months creating an uneven gait, she recommended a product called Evenup. You put on your opposite shoe and allows both feet to be more level, helping to avoid hip issues due to walking unevenly. It is available on Amazon.

@angielewis1959
Hi, there. I have spinal stenosis (cervical/lumbar), degenerative disc disease, cervical myelopathy, neurogenic claudication and idiopathic small fiber neuropathy. I have dealt with pain, weakness and numbness from neck down to my toes worsening over 6-8 years.

I have balance issues and dizzy sensations. My hip/buttock pain and weakness/numbness is tied to my knees. I have bilateral gluteal tendinopathy and bilateral hamstring partial tears and believe this is all tied to my spine/nerves controlling communications throughout my body.

I have started physical therapy again to try to strengthen my back/hips/buttocks and legs to better support and control my knees. Have you tried PT? I should have been doing it regularly for the last 6-8 years but few doctors recommended it or referred me despite my ongoing symptoms post surgery (spine surgeries in 2022 and 2024). It is actually good to get PT before surgery because you have more strength to help you when recovering. I am hopeful my PT will help me regain more quality of life and ability to get things done as a single parent of a teen with no family or support system. I will be starting therapy with a psychologist and medication management with a psychiatrist because all of the chronic pain/loss of function can be so depressing so make sure to take good care of your mental health, too. It’s like the analogy of putting your oxygen mask on before you can help others or yourself.

Praying you get the help you need asap and that you advocate well for yourself. 🙏

Just curious. What led to the diagnosis of bilateral gluteal tendinopathy? What does it feel like? I fell hard on my lower back and buttocks several years back. Despite all kinds of meds, surgeries, etc, it always feels like I am sitting on a stone in each buttock. Doing extended activity often causes it to feel as if my buttocks are going to explode. I thought I might have this but can't get a doc to check it out. I hope you can get some help for your issues. I admire your strenght through all your battles.

@heisenberg34
Hi, there.

I understand the mystery and puzzle you are trying to solve and that doctors aren’t always helpful getting to root cause of all symptoms.

I finally went to a hip/knee specialist above and beyond my spine specialist because Inhad pain/weakness and numbness in my hips/buttocks/legs and feet in addition to low back pain. I wanted to get to the source and see if something was wrong with my hip joint. They sent me for MRI after the X-ray showed my hip joint space was okay to see what soft tissue damage may be there to determine the right treatment. The full hip MRI showed I had bilateral gluteal tendiopathy and bilateral hamstring partial tears! That explained additional pain beyond my lumbar spine!

I am not sure how I got these tears in tendons/muscles but suspect my myelopathy and spinal cord/nerve root injury and weakness/numbness caused me to hurt my hips/buttocks/legs because I could not fully co trip my movements.

Once diagnosed, they said I can get injections for pain, physical therapy for strengthening surrounding muscles to help with healing . Surgery wasn’t recommended to repair the tears but some may have surgery recommended. I do remember back in 2019 I had a CT scan and it showed my right tendon that connected my leg to pelvis bone (ischial tuberosity) was inflamed but nothing was ever said about it. At the time, I had literally a “pain in my butt” where I felt I was sitting on a rock. Now I feel that way in both buttocks.

From what you say, I think you tore your hamstring muscles when you fell and may have also torn tendons in your gluteal muscles (minimus, medius and/or Maximus). Have you gotten a MRI of your hips that would show injury to your soft tissues and/or joints?

@heisenberg34
Hi, there.

I understand the mystery and puzzle you are trying to solve and that doctors aren’t always helpful getting to root cause of all symptoms.

I finally went to a hip/knee specialist above and beyond my spine specialist because Inhad pain/weakness and numbness in my hips/buttocks/legs and feet in addition to low back pain. I wanted to get to the source and see if something was wrong with my hip joint. They sent me for MRI after the X-ray showed my hip joint space was okay to see what soft tissue damage may be there to determine the right treatment. The full hip MRI showed I had bilateral gluteal tendiopathy and bilateral hamstring partial tears! That explained additional pain beyond my lumbar spine!

I am not sure how I got these tears in tendons/muscles but suspect my myelopathy and spinal cord/nerve root injury and weakness/numbness caused me to hurt my hips/buttocks/legs because I could not fully co trip my movements.

Once diagnosed, they said I can get injections for pain, physical therapy for strengthening surrounding muscles to help with healing . Surgery wasn’t recommended to repair the tears but some may have surgery recommended. I do remember back in 2019 I had a CT scan and it showed my right tendon that connected my leg to pelvis bone (ischial tuberosity) was inflamed but nothing was ever said about it. At the time, I had literally a “pain in my butt” where I felt I was sitting on a rock. Now I feel that way in both buttocks.

From what you say, I think you tore your hamstring muscles when you fell and may have also torn tendons in your gluteal muscles (minimus, medius and/or Maximus). Have you gotten a MRI of your hips that would show injury to your soft tissues and/or joints?

Thanks for responding. Greatly appreciated. After eight years, I am more confused than ever. After getting a cocktail of meds and a spinal cord stimulator implanted in 2018, I had minimal pain(2-3 on worst day). I was able to get back to cycling, hiking, working around the house with no issues. If I had hip, tendon problems, they sure hid themselves well. In
feb of 2021, I came back from about an hour of gentle skiing and gradually over the rest of the day all the pain returned. Buttock pain, lower back pain, leg pain, etc. Limited my activity level but was only about a 4-6 on worst day. It was thought that the paddle for the SCS had shorted out. I had a pain pump implanted in 2023, No help whatsoever to date. I am considering getting a new SCS implanted. I have had may MRIs done. Everyone shows no significant changes. Pain docs either don't have the time or interest in delving deeper into my pain.
I wish you well, @lydailyhope

@heisenberg34
Sometimes doctors focus narrowly and not holistically. Did your MRIs include your hips on both sides? Did you get reports and review the imaging yourself? Have you gotten second and third opinions? If you see a spine specialist/neurosurgeon, they will not refer you to a hip/knee specialist to look beyond your spine. They also won’t necessarily refer you to a neurologist. Have you also had a neurologist do EMGs/nerve conduction studies? Spine specialists/neurosurgeons do not work in gluteal/tendon repair in your hips/buttocks/hamstrings as far as I understand. You may need to see different specialists to look at you with fresh eyes/ears.