Tight Hips

Dealing with tight hips and hip pain was a major issue for me in 2021. It caused discomfort when I got up from sitting and made it tough to sleep on one side. Stretching helped a bit, but running made it worse. My lower back also got tight, so I had to stop and stretch during runs. Finding a solution to the problem and not just management I feel you will agree is the priority.

What's Causing It?

The way we run and move plays a big role. The gluteus maximus helps extend our hips (when we swing our leg back) and prevents our landing leg from collapsing inward. When we lift our foot during a run, different muscles come into play like the hamstring, glute, lower back, quad, and hip flexors. Different running methods emphasize different muscles.

Then there are other muscles that help stabilize the hip, like the gluteus medius and minimus on the outside and some groin muscles on the inside. When these muscles aren't working as they should, it can lead to tightness, pain, and even injuries in the hip.

What Can You Do?

Solution - Stage 1: Release and Stretch In this initial stage, our goal is to release some of the tight muscles to restore their freedom of movement. Try the following stretches and exercises. If they provide relief and a sense of comfortable release, continue; if they worsen the pain, stop.

• Seated piriformis stretch

• Couch stretch

• Tennis ball massage behind the hip

• On 1 knee lunge out to the side

Stage 2: Rehab and Stabilize In the second stage, we focus on rehabilitating and stabilizing the affected muscles and joints. Here are some recommended exercises:

• Glute bridges (from full extension to advanced variations)

• 3-point tap

• Bird dog

• Side plank (with advancement to super clam)

Stage 3: Build Strength To enhance your recovery, start incorporating big movements and strength-building exercises. These exercises help in reconditioning your body:

• Squats

• Deadlifts

• Lunges/split lunges

• Step-ups

As you recover, keep stretching and massaging the tight muscles. When the constant ache eases, you can gradually add more exercises to your routine. Reduce your run mileage until you can run without pain and avoid making things worse.

Your hip pain has usually come from form and technique, weak muscles, or tight muscles. So, the key is to balance everything out and work on your form to stay healthy and pain-free while running.

Here is a video with explanations of the exercises.

https://youtu.be/G2dhOSf2kRc