Running is one of the best forms of exercise there is, but it can take a toll on the body. It’s a fairly high impact activity and your joints and muscles absorb a lot of stress with every step. Often, people experience pain when running and if it is not addressed, it can quickly turn into a more serious long-term problem.
Hip pain is one of the most common forms of pain that people struggle with when running and there are a lot of different reasons for it. If you find that your hips hurt a lot when you are running, it’s important to stop and take a rest day or you will make the problem worse. However, if it’s happening every time you run, you need to work out what is causing it so you can take measures to prevent it. These are some of the most common reasons for hip pain when running.
Poor Footwear. If you are experiencing hip pain that seems to be worse when running, your shoes may be the main culprit. A good pair of running shoes is designed to absorb a lot of the impact from running so it is not taken by your joints and muscles. However, if the shoes are worn out or they are not fitting properly, then you will feel a lot of impact every time your foot hits the ground. This is likely to cause pain in your hips and can also lead to other problems if it continues for too long.
So, make sure that you invest in a good quality pair of shoes and make sure that they fit properly. You should also try to replace the shoes regularly if you run a lot and/or do a lot of different types of running like cross training. Even if you don’t have pain in your hips when you’re running, it’s important to get new shoes every 300-500 miles. It is also worth going to a running shop and getting them fitted by a professional to ensure that you are getting the support that you need.
Bad Form.
Another common reason for hip pain when running is having bad form. A lot of people let their feet flop outwards as they run which puts a lot of strain on the hips. There are other things that you can do to cause problems with your hips too, like coming up onto your toes or leaning forwards instead of staying upright. The majority of these issues come from not being used to running and having poor posture, so you will have to work at fixing them. It is important that you stretch your hips frequently as part of your cool down after running too.
A running coach can help you with your form and you can also have your gait measured too. This will show you if your feet are in the wrong position while running so you can correct yourself and prevent any unnecessary pain.
Muscle Strain.
Hip pain can also come from muscle strain, which is caused by too much activity. It’s important to listen to your body when you are running and take rest days if necessary. If you try to ignore the pain or think it will go away if you keep pushing through, then this is likely to cause a more serious injury that will be much harder to recover from.
If you are feeling pain in your hips when you run, it is important to stop immediately and rest them for a couple of days. Invest in a foam roller so that you can stretch out your muscles after running which will also help to prevent any future injuries. Keep doing this until the pain goes away completely before you try running again.
IT Band Syndrome.
One of the most common causes of hip pain when running is IT band syndrome, which occurs when your IT band (a thick strap of fascia that runs down the outside of your thigh) becomes tight and inflamed. This can happen for a number of reasons but it is generally caused by running too much and not taking any rest days. To avoid IT band syndrome, you should try to do a little bit of cross training each week and stretch your hips out after running. Doing other activities like strength exercises in the legs and core can help to support the muscles and make you a stronger runner. But make sure that you are taking enough rest and you build up your distances slowly so you don’t overwork yourself.
Arthritis.
In older people, arthritis is often the cause of hip pain when running. This condition causes joint pain and stiffness which can make it harder to do regular activities like walking or exercising. If you are diagnosed with arthritis, you may need to look at doing low impact exercises like swimming instead of running. But you should still try to do some exercise every day, even if it’s just walking or gentle stretches for your hips. You should also speak to a medical professional about total hip replacement surgery to deal with your arthritis. Once you have healed from the surgery, you can start building up your exercise program again slowly. Hip replacements are the only effective way to tackle arthritis and completely remove all symptoms.
Bone Fractures.
As you run, your bones are taking a huge amount of pressure from the ground and can sometimes become weakened by this. If you have any issues with your bones in the first place, then running is going to put them under even more stress which can lead to a fracture or a break.
If you have recently had a bone fracture or break, then you need to wait for it to heal completely before you try running again. But even if your doctor gives you the go ahead, make sure that you start off slow and build up the distances gradually. If you try to do too much too quickly, you can stress your bones and cause more damage.
Hip pain when running should never be ignored. It might just be that you have been pushing yourself a bit hard and you need a few rest days. However, it could be a sign of something more serious, so you should always seek medical advice if you are worried.
Milo Senalle
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