Sometimes, a little rest, stretching, and heat therapy are all you need to relieve running-related hip pain. But if your hip discomfort is not responding to home remedies, you may need to take further action.
Keep reading to learn about the causes and symptoms of hip injury from running — and how physical therapy in Hoboken, NJ, can help relieve your pain.
Causes of Hip Pain in Runners
Common hip injuries in runners often stem from the following causes:
Overuse
The main cause of hip pain in runners is simply overuse. Over time, the repetitive movements involved in running strain the hip joint, producing inflammation and discomfort.
Muscle Imbalances
When one set of muscles is weak or tight, it can change how the rest of your body moves. This, in turn, may create instability, limited mobility, and pain in the hip joint. For example, tight hip flexors and weak glute muscles create an imbalance that can increase the chances of hip injury from running.
Biomechanical Issues
The way you move, called biomechanics, significantly affects hip health. Poor running form — such as overstriding, excessive pronation, or gait asymmetry — produces extra stress on the joints. Correcting poor biomechanics is essential to the prevention of hip injuries in runners.
Underlying Issues
Some runners experience hip pain because of underlying physical conditions such as tendonitis, sciatica, arthritis, fractures, or tears. While physical therapy often reduces pain regardless of your diagnosis, some conditions require specialized treatments to address the root cause.
Treatment for Running-Related Hip Issues
Physical therapists use multiple strategies to improve the symptoms of running-induced hip injuries.
Pain Management
The goal of most patients is to relieve pain as soon as possible. Physical therapists may recommend ice therapy (to reduce inflammation and numb pain) or heat therapy (to improve circulation and alleviate stiffness).
Many therapists also utilize manual therapy, where they massage or otherwise manipulate your muscles, joints, and soft tissues. In some cases, they may also suggest medications to complement other techniques.
Mobility Training
Hip pain and stiffness often interact in a negative loop. If you have hip pain, you may exercise less, which leads to more stiffness and more pain. Mobility training works to break this cycle by gradually increasing your exercise levels and range of motion.
Most mobility exercises incorporate stretching movements that target specific areas, such as hip flexors, abductors, and rotators. Under the guidance of a professional physical therapist, this training can increase mobility, release tightness, and ease pain.
Strength Training
Your joint needs the support of your muscles to function properly. If hip pain has limited your range of movement or stopped you from exercising altogether, your muscles may become weak or atrophy. In some cases, intense pain causes your brain to deactivate the muscles to allow healing to occur.
Resistance exercises can help rebuild your muscles after they have weakened. As they get stronger, this takes the pressure off your tendons, ligaments, and joints, which helps alleviate pain.
Strength training doesn’t always mean lifting weights. In fact, lifting weights can sometimes worsen hip pain by putting too much stress on your body before it is ready. Your physical therapist may instead suggest resistance bands or aquatic therapy.
Biomechanical Correction
Even if you address underlying physical problems and alleviate current discomfort, you may experience future hip injuries from running if you don’t fix issues with your mechanics.
Physical therapists will assess your gait, posture, and running form to identify any issues that may be contributing to your hip pain. After that, they will recommend targeted exercises or orthotic devices to correct imbalances and improve your gait.
Target Hip Pain with Exchange Physical Therapy Group
If you’re suffering from a hip injury from running, reach out to the team at Exchange Physical Therapy Group. We’re happy to talk to you about the benefits of physical therapy for arthritis and other orthopedic conditions — and tailor a treatment program just for you.Contact us today to schedule an appointment at any one of our five New Jersey locations!
