returning after hip pain

[Deleted User]

I completed London and Brighton marathons injury free and was doing easy recovery runs for about four weeks without any problems. Then started half marathon training and on an interval session my hip became rathar painful and hurt to walk home.  Have now taken two weeks off and went out today for a "test" run and manage 5 miles very easy running before the pain started.

My question is do I take another week off or run but stop when the pain starts and keep it slow?

Obviously if this continues will get to the physio...

Runnin man

I did an ultra marathon last year, I finished with no injuries to speak of but plenty of blisters, as they healed I tried to get back to running but developed a hip soreness, despite lots of physio and doctor visits it remained undiagnosed. With all of my physio exercises and stretches I guess I just strengthened everything around the hip, and went back to running, it was sore but eventually went. Its fine now so I put it down to an overuse injury 

[Deleted User]

Thanks Runnin man.  Will continue with my stretches and strngtheing hip area and hope for the best.  I did wander if it was an overuse injury.  Will give it time and keep running at easy pace until pain free.

Paul Davies UK

Sounds like you have a similar problem as me.  I've rested for the last 2 weeks but in the last few days (without exercise) the pain/niggle is more pronounced.  Have booked myself in to see the physio today to see what the problem is.

[Deleted User]

Hi all,

The question I would ask is why is this happening? What is the root cause? The pain is happening when you run, but many people run long distances and don't have any problems so to remove this we need to work out what is going on specifically in your body which is causing you these problems.

Remember, pain is the body's way of telling us that something is not right. Often when people have hip pain it's because the person's posture has shifted from natural alignment. Stand in front of the mirror and see if your feet and also your knee caps point straight ahead or do they face in or outwards at an angle. 

They should point straight ahead. Them being at an angle is often the cause of hip pain as it means the joint is not opening and closing naturally when running and can strain the surrounding ligaments, muscles and meniscus in the knee. This will cause a chain reaction up through the hip.

Another likely cause could be an imbalance in your pelvis. Perhaps one side is more anterior than the other, or it is rotated. This would mean that the impact would not be spread evenly each time your leg lands on the ground and it could effect the surrounding musculature which has to try and stabilise and compensate for this.

Muscles determine the position of the bones so it might indicate that there is a slight imbalance in your hip muscles which ultimately position the knee. Or it could even be a problem with how your feet strike the ground, and the chain reaction it has up your leg.

I'm a Postural Alignment Specialist in the Egoscue Method. Its a form of Postural Alignment Therapy which gets your body back to it's natural alignment so it can function pain free. 

I'd be more than happy to give you a free half hour postural assessment and tell you what i think is going on with you. No strings attached. If at the end of the assessment i run through my findings and what i suggest and you agree, feel free to book a session with me, and i can run through a series of exercises that i think would help solve the problem permanently and if for any reason after the half hour if you don't fancy it, then no worries either.

It's worth remembering that yes massage, and rest, and stretching will help short-term, you want to find a permanent solution to the problem. I have a great deal of respect for physios too, but are they looking at the root cause or just the showing sympton. Lots of people run everyday and have no problems, so is it really an overuse issue and if so, why? Or is it that because of some imbalances within your body, certain muscles or tissues are working harder than they should, and so in effect are being overused and the body is telling you to back off using pain.

You can find out more on my website www.healththroughposture.com

Take care and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

Ameet