Thread: Anatomy of the knee shimmy (again)...question

Okay so I was drilling my Egyptian shimmy (quad/ham driven) today, Aziza-style after a yoga warmup and I noticed some tightness bordering on pain in the back right side of my right knee in that long muscle. Is that the sartorius muscle? How do you stretch it properly? I've also noticed some terrible itching with a long sustained shimmy (i.e. greater than 10 minutes long) around my quads & knees, and although my muscles will be warm, my skin will be cold to the touch (incidentally, this happens if I walk fast for a couple of miles on pavement, too....my quads & glutes will itch like the dickens). Poor circulation? ..c::

Originally Posted by Sonja2

Okay so I was drilling my Egyptian shimmy (quad/ham driven) today, Aziza-style after a yoga warmup and I noticed some tightness bordering on pain in the back right side of my right knee in that long muscle. Is that the sartorius muscle? How do you stretch it properly? I've also noticed some terrible itching with a long sustained shimmy (i.e. greater than 10 minutes long) around my quads & knees, and although my muscles will be warm, my skin will be cold to the touch (incidentally, this happens if I walk fast for a couple of miles on pavement, too....my quads & glutes will itch like the dickens). Poor circulation? ..c::

I can't speak to the pain you're feeling, but I get the same coolness, tingling, and itching when I walk home from work (just over 45 minutes). I always assumed it was the lymphatic fluid moving, since I've felt similar after a massage.

The sartorius is on the front of the thigh--if you feel pain to the inside of your leg just above the knee, that's often caused by the sartorius. I (totally not at all a medical professional) would guess the pain you are feeling is due either to tight calves or tight hamstrings or both. The usual sorts of stretches for those body parts apply. In addition to doing stretching after dancing, when I'm feeling a lot of tightness I'll make a point of stretching out the calves and hamstrings when I go to bed at night and when I get up in the morning.

Originally Posted by Sonja2

Okay so I was drilling my Egyptian shimmy (quad/ham driven) today, Aziza-style after a yoga warmup and I noticed some tightness bordering on pain in the back right side of my right knee in that long muscle. Is that the sartorius muscle? How do you stretch it properly? I've also noticed some terrible itching with a long sustained shimmy (i.e. greater than 10 minutes long) around my quads & knees, and although my muscles will be warm, my skin will be cold to the touch (incidentally, this happens if I walk fast for a couple of miles on pavement, too....my quads & glutes will itch like the dickens). Poor circulation? ..c::

IT band maybe?

I'm pretty sure the itching is caused by vibrating flesh. I get it from running but also have gotten it from holding a steering wheel on a washerboard road, or using equipment that vibrates (no get your minds out of the gutters I mean something like a weed eater.).

Can't help, but I was thinking "don't call it a knee shimmy argh".

Originally Posted by Sonja2

Okay so I was drilling my Egyptian shimmy (quad/ham driven) today, Aziza-style after a yoga warmup and I noticed some tightness bordering on pain in the back right side of my right knee in that long muscle. Is that the sartorius muscle? How do you stretch it properly? I've also noticed some terrible itching with a long sustained shimmy (i.e. greater than 10 minutes long) around my quads & knees, and although my muscles will be warm, my skin will be cold to the touch (incidentally, this happens if I walk fast for a couple of miles on pavement, too....my quads & glutes will itch like the dickens). Poor circulation? ..c::

hell, I've felt something twang in my leg getting out of a chair and another time crossing the road!

Could be all kinds of things. A past injury you've not noticed that only played because, you were tired/dehydrated/pushed it a bit harder in training etc.

Did you feel pain in the muscle or the ligaments/tendons round the knee?

Are you saying your skin feels itchy or the muscles feel tingly?

Tiny point - if you are standing and flexing your leg it is the quads that both bend and straighten your knee.

There are a number of quad strengthening exercises - such as while sitting with your leg straight out, contract the quad until the back of the knee comes closer to the floor. Reapeat with pressure on the inside & outside of the foot (to use each of the quad muscles)

Also check your alignment. Knees should be staying over the centre of the foot/second toe. If your knee drifts you'll need to work on control - not strength.

Originally Posted by straightleftknee

Are you saying your skin feels itchy or the muscles feel tingly?

skin feels itchy!

It's like sipes said, the vibration of the flesh. I get itchy too whenever I do a vibration shimmy.

How depressing. I never really thought about why it itched ( too much "extra") but oh well. My instructor always says, "the more ya got the better it is." Bless her.

Originally Posted by HOOKEDNOVICE

It's like sipes said, the vibration of the flesh. I get itchy too whenever I do a vibration shimmy.

How depressing. I never really thought about why it itched ( too much "extra") but oh well. My instructor always says, "the more ya got the better it is." Bless her.

..l;, I've got plenty extra. Never had anything itch ..g.:

I don't think it's just vibration. I'm pretty thin. I don't have much to vibrate, really (sometimes, I feel like I don't have enough!). So... I am guessing it's a circulation problem. What befuddles me is how cold the surface of my skin feels...One reason I think it's circulation. Don't really know that there's a "fix" for it...I've noticed it since I was a kid.

Originally Posted by Sonja2

I don't think it's just vibration. I'm pretty thin. I don't have much to vibrate, really (sometimes, I feel like I don't have enough!). So... I am guessing it's a circulation problem. What befuddles me is how cold the surface of my skin feels...One reason I think it's circulation. Don't really know that there's a "fix" for it...I've noticed it since I was a kid.

I just stumbled across this thread- Thanks for posting it! I have a similar experience, especially when I exercise, where i'll be all hot and sweaty, but my joints are cold to the touch and my skin is sometimes itchy. The doc said it might be a histamine reaction to the added movement to the joints (circulation) and stuff...maybe something like that is going on?

Hi
Itchy muscular feelings in the legs and butt are from blood pumping harder/faster and the lactic acid being produced by an over worked muscle.
There is no problem or cause for alarm when this feeling is produced but I would suggest stretching your legs muscles more often to open up better circulation. Lactic acid is created by the body to prevent muscle injury.

Pain on the right side behind the knee, yes this can vary from the IT band to hamstring. A really tight IT band can affect your leg all the way down to the side of the calf.
I suggest really stretching more or go for a massage and have the RMT show you which legs muscles you need to stretch to prevent the pain :)

Even if you do leg stretched once a day while teaching, doing it in the morning, before you dance, after and before bed can really make a difference.

:)

My favorite stretch for the IT band is the yoga "Triangle pose". You might have heard of it, but for those who haven't.....This pose is great for strengthening and stretching the entire side of the body, from ankle to armpit! Here are a couple of examples, I would definitely suggest watching both before trying this stretch, as there are lots of little things that make it effective.


(I like the way she gets into the pose gently) [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9wlRuH_9k8]YouTube - Triangle Pose,YOGA With Esther Ekhart[/ame]

(I like this example because it shows two angles, and explains the feet positioning better than the first-but please, don't try jumping into this pose like he does! )
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tutu7aE2dBI&feature=PlayList&p=F49438CB4B0 58142&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=23]YouTube - Yoga Asanas - Triangle Pose Trikonasana Asana[/ame]

The key to this pose that neither clip mentions is keeping a flat back. Pretend your back is against a wall (or actually find one) and keep your shoulders pressed back towards the wall-this means you probably can't bring your hand as close to the floor, but that is okay.
Also, you are bringing the fingertips towards the floor, but is perfectly normal to not actually be able to touch the floor! Go as far as you can, but do not press your hand into the leg. Instead, rely on your side and back muscles to actually hold you up.

I love this stretch, and my body worker tells me it is keeping my hips nice and flexible =)

Nikki

Originally Posted by micamica

My favorite stretch for the IT band is the yoga "Triangle pose". You might have heard of it, but for those who haven't.....This pose is great for strengthening and stretching the entire side of the body, from ankle to armpit!

It looks like it will certainly stretch quite a bit! But not the IT band. This is white tissue and does not really stretch. The pose may loosen up the muscles either side but I don't think there is actually much you can do to lengthen the ITB itself - except maybe some pummelling.

Even pummelling isn't going to stretch the ITB - it is tough fibrous connective tissue and to make any changes at all involves long and slow stretch over many months. I had ITB problems when carrying a heavy pack.
This set of exercises maaaaay help - but it is slow and you need to be very patient.

To be honest, if you've had this weird sensation since you were a kid - why worry about it? It's probably just your anatomy, not a sign of 'injury' or harm, just a strange sensation.
Itchiness is often because you've finally got some blood flowing where it's needed!

Originally Posted by LisaWebb

Hi
Itchy muscular feelings in the legs and butt are from blood pumping harder/faster and the lactic acid being produced by an over worked muscle.
There is no problem or cause for alarm when this feeling is produced but I would suggest stretching your legs muscles more often to open up better circulation.

REALLY?? I've never heard of lactic acid producing the tingle/itch. I thought lactic acid buildup just resulted in soreness. I'm stoked now to consider a longer warm-up stretch period to see if that helps.

Originally Posted by adiemusfree

Even pummelling isn't going to stretch the ITB - it is tough fibrous connective tissue and to make any changes at all involves long and slow stretch over many months. I had ITB problems when carrying a heavy pack.
This set of exercises maaaaay help - but it is slow and you need to be very patient.

To be honest, if you've had this weird sensation since you were a kid - why worry about it? It's probably just your anatomy, not a sign of 'injury' or harm, just a strange sensation.
Itchiness is often because you've finally got some blood flowing where it's needed!

I'm not worried about it, but, well, it's itchy!

In other words, it's a comfort thing, not a worrisome thing. I just don't like scratching myself silly on the butt mid-shimmy ..l;,..l;,