Hip pain that goes down leg after leg workouts

[nikitee]

Hi! I am new to this site and a bit to just working out in general.
I am fit and enjoy going to the gym. I'm a 20 year old female, 4"10,~100lbs, and I have a general understanding on proper form.

I've been working out a lot lately and generally will go to the gym to lift weights for an hour to an hour and a half every other day and I do a little bit of cardio about once a week...
I started developing this intense dull deep pain starting in my hip that goes down my thigh, knee, and sometimes to my calves about a few years ago. It's been getting worse and I can't fall asleep if I am experiencing it or it will wake me up. I noticed this pain will happen after a good run or during a leg day, especially when I squat. It occurs a few hours after a leg workout and will last for a few hours as well. I generally do not feel pain during the actual exercising.


I've also been trying to stretch my hip flexors but it doesn't seem to help. Sometimes when the pain is really bad and I try to stretch, the stretches actually burn and do not feel good.
The two hip flexor stretches are the one where you sorta lung forward and the one where you sit down and prop up one leg up on your opposite knee and lean forward.

Things I do when I squat:
Chest up
Head facing forward
Knees never go over toes
Feet are about shoulder width apart, toes facing out just slightly
Hips go back first and then bend at knees
Squat all the way down
My legs do not bow inward
Smith Machine: 10lbs, 20 lbs, and then 30 lbs | Reps of 7-10 for each weight

Squatting all the way down also feels like it puts a lot of pressure on my knees so sometimes I believe I am squatting wrong still?

Can someone please help me with understanding this pain and how to treat it? It gets so painful that I've actually been avoiding doing leg days but I wish to get better so I can work out all of my body.

[braden101]

Get off the smith machine and into a normal squat rack if possible. The smith will definitely put your knees in an unnatural position and will cause problems if your form is off even slightly.

As for the hip pain, invest in a foam roller or even just a tennis ball and learn how to use it. Work all the muscles around the hip, thigh and glutes and find the sore spots, from your description it sounds like a tight TFL or IT Band (Google is your friend).

[nikitee]

Get off the smith machine and into a normal squat rack if possible. The smith will definitely put your knees in an unnatural position and will cause problems if your form is off even slightly.

As for the hip pain, invest in a foam roller or even just a tennis ball and learn how to use it. Work all the muscles around the hip, thigh and glutes and find the sore spots, from your description it sounds like a tight TFL or IT Band (Google is your friend).

Thanks for the tips! I always resorted to the Smith Machine because I thought it was good that the bar only could go straight down but I will avoid it for now on. I will definitely look into tight "TFL" and "IT" bands and see what I can do to loosen them up a bit with a foam roller

[ToPHeR35]

Could be fai and/or labral tear

[braden101]

Thanks for the tips! I always resorted to the Smith Machine because I thought it was good that the bar only could go straight down but I will avoid it for now on. I will definitely look into tight "TFL" and "IT" bands and see what I can do to loosen them up a bit with a foam roller

Also your Medial Glute can give that same referral pattern down your leg. Hope you get some relief, good luck!

[nikitee]

Also your Medial Glute can give that same referral pattern down your leg. Hope you get some relief, good luck!

Hi thanks! I think it might be more glute related because I began stretching it more and it seems to help. Haven't gotten the pain lately! Thank you all