Hip Pains After Running

Next to knees, hips must be an orthopaedic surgeon's best friend. As people age, hip complaints increase.

There are thirteen common diagnoses responding to complaints of hip pain in adults, and seven are particular to older adults. The ball and socket design of the femur and hip supports the weight of the upper body with nearly frictionless ingenuity - or at least that's the plan.

As one physiotherapist noted: "We're big animals!", and the hip is subject to wear and tear.

Where in the hip are you hurting?

The "hip" covers a lot of ground, anatomically speaking. Hip pains after running can occur in diverse areas of the hip. Here's some common exercise-related hip pains by area:

Pain to the side of the hip may be caused by bursitis. A bursa serves to cushion and reduce friction between bones, muscles and tendons. Overuse of tendons or muscles can cause inflammation of the bursa and subsequent pain. This condition is called trochanteric bursitis.

Besides overuse, root causes of trochanteric bursitis can include injury from impact, leg length difference, and muscular imbalances

Treatment should include an assessment by a doctor, improved stretching, strengthening and ice.

Low back and buttock pain can be associated with the piriformis muscle. This muscle runs under the gluteus maximus - the muscle that shapes your buttocks, and it helps in the external rotation of the hip joint. Due to some evolutionary zoning issues, the body's longest nerve - the sciatic - runs alongside the piriformis muscle and tendon. When the piriformis isn't happy, the sciatic nerve gets pushed around, and you get pains anywhere from the hip area to discomfort radiating down the leg.

There are specific and somewhat obscure stretches for the piriformis muscle. It's a deep muscle, so it's hard to get at. See a chiropractor or physical therapist for treatment and suggestions. Be aware that sciatic pain can have many causes because the sciatic nerve is so large. Deep tissue massage to the piriformis can also be helpful in pain relief.

Pain near the groin area, in the front of the hip can be iliacus tendinitis, or iliopsoas syndrome. The iliacus muscle assists in hip flexion and rotation. I know from experience that too much cross country skiing at the beginning of the season is an excellent way to develop iliacus tendinitis! Running on ice also causes more hip flexion and keeps the iliacus muscles working.

If pain changes your running style, stop training and see a doctor. Overuse, over training, and our innate bio-mechanical flaws are at the root of most common hip pains after running. If hip pain persists, see a medical doctor. Knowing that you have degenerative arthritis is disappointing and even devastating. But knowledge is power, and knowledge of your medical condition allows you and your medical professionals to work towards an active treatment plan.

Extended self medication with anti-inflammatory drugs is not recommended without medical supervision. Pain killers mask discomfort and can lead to greater injury.

Don't forget the benefits of cross training [link] A college rower may take a break from training by stepping up her running and biking training. As runners, we can maintain our fitness and give ourselves a rest by rowing and biking!

Other remedies for hip pains after running

• Hip Strengthening Exercises. Recent research has connected many running complaints with weak hip muscles. Refer to the University of Calgary's Running Injury Clinic for a set of hip strengthening exercises you can try.
  
  The underlying cause of many hip pains after running is the overuse of weak muscles.



• Combat the effects of inflammation with ice and heat.



• Stretching. Many hip pains can be prevented by proper stretching. Here's the problem: It's hard to know how effective your stretches are just by looking at a picture or video. Get one-on-one coaching for key stretches. A personal trainer can really pay off! For proper stretching techniques related to medical problems, chiropractors and physical therapists can help.



• Physical therapy is one of those love hate things. You can bet that a physical therapist is going to show you some weird thing that she or he wants you to do. And this will be the very thing that's make you look like a fool while you learn to do it! Fact is, injuries are often caused by weaknesses, and physical therapists are experts in identifying and overcoming weaknesses!



• Rest is always an option. Maybe it should be your first option. Take a break, do something else for a while, and then get back to plan after your pain is gone. Rest can work wonders!

Conclusion: Sport Management

The professional athlete, the amateur athlete and the beginner athlete all have at least one thing in common: They will all have areas of strength and areas of weakness. Just pick up tomorrow's sports pages if you don't believe it!

The advantage most pros have over the amateurs is coaching, support, and professional medical care. As amateurs, we need to find these resources - and we can!

If pain is affecting your running seek professional help. It could be an M.D., chiropractor, physical therapist, podiatrist. But take action! Hip pains after running might have a very minor cause, or they could represent something more serious. It's up to us as athletes to be just as diligent in seeking help as we are in training!

That's it for hip pains after running! And don't forget...

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