Thank you for your question. Without doing an examination, we are not able to comment on your specific condition, however, we can offer you some general advice that is often helpful in similar situations.
It is possible that your hip and quad symptoms are related and that insufficient strength in your glutes factors into your pain as well.
While glute strength and the mechanics of how we move can be related to hip pain, it is also important to assess the joints above and below the site of pain. The lumbar spine and pelvis can commonly influence and transfer pain into the hip and leg.
Even in the absence of low back pain, this body region can be a significant contributor to pain in the lower body, including the hip flexors and quadriceps. Additionally, an injury or condition present in the low back can cause leg muscles to shrink in size over time (atrophy). This could be what you are seeing with what you refer to as a dent in your quad. Furthermore, the hip flexors attach to the vertebral bodies of the lumbar spine and can become restricted when there is not a strong base of support to operate from.
Signs and symptoms of nerve-related low back pain can include one or more of the following:
- Numbness/tingling in the leg, hip, or buttock
- Sharp or electric pain in the leg, hip, buttock, and/or back
- Weakening, shrinking, and reduced muscle size in the leg
We highly recommend you get a re-evaluation by your physical therapist or consider consulting with another provider for a second opinion with further examination of your symptoms.
While unlikely, if you are experiencing or developing any symptoms such as changes in bowel or bladder function or progressive weakness, you should go to urgent care for evaluation, as that can be a red flag for more serious neurological conditions.
Don't sit with pain. Physical therapy can help.
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