smonster, I have a hip pain question for you. I don't remember what muscles are the big culprit for you, but do you think there's iliopsoas involvement? And do you stretch your iliopsoas?

I ask because I started doing a new-to-me iliopsoas stretch the other night (basically an extreme version of the kneeling iliopsoas stretch), and it seems to be helping my hips. The pain isn't gone, but it's better, especially when I wake up.

It's this stretch: [link] It's kind of brutal, but I'm serious, the first night I did it was Monday night, and I woke up Tuesday morning with much less pain and much more mobility.

Dean seems to have stopped peeing on things. But he was in the litter box and he seemed to be in there a while and didn't have much to show for it.

I get that they want the owners there during the visit. But the vet in Tallahassee was really good about understanding about how people have jobs and can't always take time to be there with their pet. Plus the fact that a lot of people around here work in Burlington, which takes me 40 minutes to get to work. You would think the vet could make some kind of arrangements. Or be flexible.

And then Penny is due for some shots and when I was talking to receptionist she made it sound like it might be July before I could get a Saturday appointment for Penny.

But he was in the litter box and he seemed to be in there a while and didn't have much to show for it.

IANAV, but that sounds like he may have crystals in his urine. Nora would have more to say about it.

It's this stretch:

BRB, going to try this right now. I stretch my psoas via acupressure with various spherical objects but it's not enough. And I've had this thing lately where my right knee is killing me, and I'll stretch my hamstring and it'll be better for a few minutes and then hurt again.

You did a good thing for the little bird, askye, even if it was a brief time.

smonster, that idea you had for a handywoman service? I think you should do it, preferably here. I was thinking today that one of the things stopping me from looking for a (much-needed) handyman is the idea of a bunch of guys I don't know knowing that I'm a woman living alone. Although, really, all the delivery guys know it, anyway.

I never heard of a psoas muscle, but if it's harmed by sitting, mine is probably fucked. I should try that stretch. It doesn't look...hard, though, to me. I'm so bendy around the hips it's hard to get a real stretch.

Or, to look at it positively, I got to problem-solve some interesting situations today!

Or, as Pogo said, "Life is full of insurmountable opportunities."

It doesn't look...hard, though, to me.

It's not *hard,* per se; by "brutal," I guess what I meant was, if your iliopsoas is tight, then that stretch is a pretty intense stretch for it. But very satisfying.

And I've had this thing lately where my right knee is killing me, and I'll stretch my hamstring and it'll be better for a few minutes and then hurt again.

I think I read that the hamstrings and iliopsoas balance each other out, so I would guess that if you stretch your hamstrings but not the iliopsoas, then the tight iliopoas can pull on the hamstrings.

I think I read that the hamstrings and iliopsoas balance each other out, so I would guess that if you stretch your hamstrings but not the iliopsoas, then the tight iliopoas can pull on the hamstrings.

Hmm. Could be.

Pretty damn sure I need to strengthen my vastus medialis, but I've known that for... a decade? [link] Whenever it was I was diagnosed with chondromalacia.

if your iliopsoas is tight, then that stretch is a pretty intense stretch for it

There was definitely some loud cursing involved.

if your iliopsoas is tight, then that stretch is a pretty intense stretch for it

There was definitely some loud cursing involved.

Yes, indeed. But it's oddly satisfying, and I was surprised at the improvement just the next morning. I know my hips are cranky enough that I'm going to have to do it every night for a while to see if it gets them back in line.