RunningAHEAD - Topic: Hip pain

Eddy

Slow-smooth-fast

posted: 2/6/2008 at 4:10 AM

Hi there, recently I have had a dull ache on my left hip. I chose to ignore it. Last night I went to the track to do my interval session, and had to pull out on interval 10. The pain is not excruciating, but noticeable. It is just below my hip bone, and hurts a fair bit when I push on the muscle. Anyone experienced this? any advice exercises etc?

"I've been following Eddy's improvement over the last two years on this site, and it's been pretty dang solid. Sure the weekly mileage has been up and down, but over the long haul he's getting out the door and has turned himself into quite a runner. He's only now just figuring out his potential. Consistency in running is measured in years, not weeks. And over the last couple of years, Eddy's made great strides" Jeff 14 Jan 2009

jEfFgObLuE

I've got a fever...

posted: 2/6/2008 at 12:02 PM
modified: 2/6/2008 at 12:04 PM

I actually pulled this muscle trying to be a sprinter in 8th grade. A fortunate accident -- I'm a bit of a natural at middle distance, but definitely not a sprinter, no matter how bad I wanted to be one. I switched to longer races after the injury and found my niche. Anyhow, you've been doing a lot of intervals lately (twice weekly in a lot of cases), and that's the downside of heavy interval. I'd recommend you take a week off from intervals. When you start doing intervals again, start with only one session per week. Hot bath might good. Also, a few stretches here, but only when you're very loose and warmed up. Piriformis Stretch Hip Flexor stretch

On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will wish that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

dgb2n

Dave

posted: 2/6/2008 at 2:26 PM

Eddy, I had similar issues last year. Turned out to be ITBS. The band runs up the outside your leg and into your hip. I had no pain in my knee like most but felt it in my hip. I went to a PT who showed me some specific stretches. You can probably find them on the web. If not, I'll try and describe. Unfortunately, I had to take a few weeks off. IT band stuff doesn't heal well while you're still running.

I ran a mile and I liked it, liked it, liked it.

dgb2n@yahoo.com

Eddy

Slow-smooth-fast

posted: 2/6/2008 at 3:50 PM

Quote from dgb2n on 2/6/2008 at 2:26 PM:

Eddy, I had similar issues last year. Turned out to be ITBS. The band runs up the outside your leg and into your hip. I had no pain in my knee like most but felt it in my hip. I went to a PT who showed me some specific stretches. You can probably find them on the web. If not, I'll try and describe. Unfortunately, I had to take a few weeks off. IT band stuff doesn't heal well while you're still running.

Yeah I fear that I may have to take some time off, but hey, it is worth it. I will just have to listen to my body. I would appreciate any help you can give regarding the stretches. Thanks.

"I've been following Eddy's improvement over the last two years on this site, and it's been pretty dang solid. Sure the weekly mileage has been up and down, but over the long haul he's getting out the door and has turned himself into quite a runner. He's only now just figuring out his potential. Consistency in running is measured in years, not weeks. And over the last couple of years, Eddy's made great strides" Jeff 14 Jan 2009

Nobby415

posted: 2/6/2008 at 4:14 PM
modified: 2/6/2008 at 4:15 PM

Also another possibility of a downside of intervals... Do you do all your intervals, or most of them, on track? Do you run clock-wise once in a while? If you're running "regular" track direction (counter clock-wise); then you might be jamming your left leg a lot more than right. My left leg is slightly longer (or my right leg is shorter) and it used to bother me to run tight turns of indoor track. Now I'm too slow that it wouldn't bother me as much! ;o) or :-( If you're doing all (or almost all) intervals on track on counter clock-wise direction, I wonder if it's NOT ITBS... Usually I see ITBS more with heavily stability shoes with overly built up medial post; in other words, your legs are naturally turned outwardly (bow-legged) and this would put too much pressure on ITB (stretch it too much). If the pain is caused by too much running around the track too fast on one direction, you would more likely to get ITBS on your right leg. I'm not diagnosing your problem without fully understanding what is going on; just a thought...

dgb2n

Dave

posted: 2/6/2008 at 4:29 PM

Here's a link: http://www.lwcoaching.com/library/runnersguideitbs.htm Bear in mind, it may not be ITBS. It was the last thing I thought of until I saw a physical therapist. The other stretch I've used is standing on a curb with one foot on the curb and the other in the air. Then lowering the foot that is not on the curb towards the gutter. Stretches it pretty well.

I ran a mile and I liked it, liked it, liked it.

dgb2n@yahoo.com

redrunner

posted: 2/6/2008 at 4:38 PM

I've had something similar to what you describe for a while. I always thought it was ITBS, but after having been getting sports massages lately, it turns out it was more in my glutes, even though I felt a lot of the pain in what I thought was my hips. The massages have really helped work that pain out. If you can get in for a few sessions, I highly recommend it.

Scout7

posted: 2/6/2008 at 4:54 PM

The best advice is to take some time off. If it doesn't resolve itself, or it comes back, then go talk to a sports med person. It could be any number of things, from a strained muscle, to ITBS, to the beginnings of a stress fracture or muscle tear.

slowgino

posted: 2/6/2008 at 5:39 PM

Quote from Eddy on 2/6/2008 at 4:10 AM:

Anyone experienced this? any advice exercises etc?

2 to 3 years ago I had hip pain which sounds a bit like yours. Mine was aggravated even when I would rest on my left side in bed or on the couch. I had to stop and then hobble along for a bit in one of my legs of a relay race. Had to pass up my fall marathon, too. If you can see a really good physical therapist who knows athletes and their injuries, that would be the best. My P.T. took a brief history and then in less than 3 minutes (after moving the leg and having me move it, etc) had it diagnosed. I had TFL syndrome, involving the Tensor Facia Lata muscle at the top of the ITB. After about 6 - 7 weeks of various stretching and strengthening exercises I ran 1 easy mile on the treadmill with no pain at all. Then it was just a matter of building back with base mileage. No problems since, but I do perform the "TFL stretch" two or three times a week after running.

Figbash

posted: 2/7/2008 at 3:51 PM

Whether you want to call it TFLS or ITBS, it results in increased friction between the iliotibial band and the bone underneath at both the knee and the hip. I've had it and had the same dull ache in the hip that you describe and it was uncomfortable enough that I couldn't lie on it at night. Since blood supply to the area is limited, ITBS is one of the most difficult running ailments to get healed. You'll need to stop running entirely and stretch often (as in as many times as possible throughout the day). The Walt Reynolds stretch is excellent and will give you a lot of relief once you figure it out. Foam rollers also help a lot by stimulating the area and ibuprofen is useful to reduce the inflammation. Don't be surprised if it takes months to recover to the point where you can run again without a recurrence. I severely damaged ITB by pushing through it in my last marathon and it was a year before I was fully recovered. Good luck, Tom

ud32

posted: 5/15/2011 at 8:27 PM

I am dealing with hip soreness too. Mine occurs after sitting at a desk or after sitting in a car. I get up and start walking and hit hurts for 10-20 steps and then subsides. Been dealing with it for 2 weeks. Any ideas ?? I have way scaled back my mileage (was dealing with a foot injury before this) - desparetly want to get back to running - in the meantime can I bike or eliptical without aggrevating the hip ?

mk23

posted: 5/16/2011 at 11:33 AM

Hello, old thread.

I had something like this about 18-20 months ago and thought it was ITBS and did some stretching. I also have rheumatoid arthritis so I thought it was something I could just keep going through, that the pain would subside there within a week when the flare ended. So, I never really stopped running.

The pain started pretty dull. Not excruciating. I could walk alright, but when trying to even jog lightly, there was a pronounced limp. Couldn't get up or down stairs as easily.

Well, the "flare" never really went away. It turned out to be a stress fracture in the hip - not the femoral neck, but the iliac wing. Confounding. Had to take a year+ off. I actually have some soreness in the area now and I'm going to get a contrast MRI in two weeks to see if the thing is really healed or just what is going on.

Best of luck. I hope you get this straightened out.

AussieGirl76

posted: 3/6/2012 at 5:33 PM

Quote from mk23 on 5/16/2011 at 11:33 AM:

Hello, old thread.

+1

My right knee started to twinge recently mid-run and I know what IT band feels like so I stopped several times during that run and the next to stretch, and it went away.

Now on the oppose side on my hip I have the same type of feeling, but it's hip instead of knee. It hurts to do my must-do-every-time-I-run IT band stretch and when starting the stretch I'm really tight. It a it's a dull ache when I walk.

I'm really ignoring it, hoping I just need to stretch more and once the ligament is loosened up it will stop rubbing on my bone, but I also have Boston next month, and I don't want this to become a chronic issue.

I'm doing the right thing, right?

(hope you're long recovered by now mk!)

AussieGirl76

posted: 3/12/2012 at 1:52 PM

I'm going to respond to myself now.

I took two days off midweek and did the bike for thirty minutes each day, followed by a long IT band stretch. I'm sitting there afterwards on the couch, super sensitive to aches and twinges, when I ignore them any other day.

Any time I would walk anywhere for more than 5 minutes (rare occurance), I would do another long stretch.

I followed that (day 3) by a 4 mi slow run where I felt burning a couple of times, so stopped to stretch.

I cautiously approached my 20 miler, considering I'd try 12, or maybe 15, then maybe 16, and ended up coming back early after 15 to be on the safe side, before running right past my house and doing another 5. During that 20 I had to stop and stretch 5 times and it was very tight all five times, but as soon as it was loose again I was fine. Sissy legs.

Mendeldave

ultramarathon/triathlete

posted: 3/12/2012 at 5:17 PM
modified: 3/12/2012 at 5:17 PM

Eddy,

I had this (or your sounds like mine).

My chiropractor said it was my IT band just being too tight. He worked it out with ART (active release technique, or something like that). Basically, he applied a head pack for about 20 minutes and then just went to town on the tendon, rolled it out, pushed on it, etc etc and then had me use the foam roller on my own, particularly after runs. It worked great. No more pain.

Now I use the foam roller on occasion to keep it loose. I've also found that my knee pain and perhaps even some toe pain was because of the tight IT band. As of today (gonna jinx it!) nothing hurts. Get a foam roller.

HTFU? Why not!

USATF Coach

Empire Tri Club Coach
Gatorade Endurance Team

Hip pain (Read 7097 times)