Pancake Problems

[David Birchall]

on my left leg when doing pancake work there's a horrible sharp pain and it makes progress very slow.  No injury - anyone else get this?

[Coach Sommer]

Sharp pain indicates injury.  What happened and how long has this been ongoing?

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[Alexander Egebak]

And some other questions which are important; exactly where is it located and does it only occur during pancake stretching?

[Andrew Long]

it doesn't have to mean injury.  I sometimes get a sharp pain on the inside of the knee during pancake work if I have accidentally gone too far while readjusting my position.  although this goes away as soon as I back off a bit. 

[David Birchall]

The pain has been there as long as I remember.  It is only there when I fold at the hips in straddle fold/pancake: pike fold is fine and I'm a couple of inches away from chest to knees.

During pancake work, I can get my head to touch my knees actually just past knees when folding to either leg.

the pain is only on the left side, only the inner leg.  Only When I am folding directly forwards in pancake.  In a pancake circle, I can start on the right leg and go head to floor but upon moving left at less than 10cm away from the left leg and I have to decrease my torso distance from the floor or I am met with the pain.

it feels like a long muscle tightening up going from upper inner hamstring to my inner knee.

if I stand in straddle after many straddle swing to stands and try to "tire" the long "muscle" that gives the pain, I can go lower on that side but then it contracts again moving torso a few more cm from the floor.

i find if I do a pancake session I can get chin to floor but I am met with soreness in that "long muscle" for several days and when I can bring myself to train pancake again I have reverted back to where I was originally due to the pain.  I thought I was just tight but I don't think I should be dreading pancake sessions due to it.

putting chest to left leg while standing in straddle does not activate the pain unless I move slightly to the right to put head between legs because my left inner upper thigh doesn't stretch if I fold directly over one leg.

is it not just an extremely tight muscle then?

[David Birchall]

No injuries from sport or anything like that which is why I thought I was just particularly tight in this area.

[Alexander Egebak]

My best bet would be a now severe strain of the gracillis muscle due to overstretching. Chances are that the strain (if it is one) remains due to repetitive stretching. Let it heal. If it does not better over the course of several weeks you need a professional to have a look at it; if it is even possible get a professional opinion as soon as possible, but if money is low rest, easy stretching and mobility exercises can solve a lot.

I would say that you could still do pancake stretches up to the point where tightness, discomfort and pain occurs. But make sure to really pay attention to the injury. Stay on the safe side, do NOT provoke it.

[David Birchall]

Thanks Alexander.  I think pancake is going to take a long time for me haha.