Training is hard enough without having to deal with hip flexor pain running or hip flexor pain after running. It is no secret that the hip health is essential for being able to run well. Most hip flexor pain can be reduced with some simple measures, but it requires diligence on your end and the will to improve and get better. Whether you get hip flexor pain running or you get hip flexor pain after running, the causes are about the same. Pain after running may be a bit more due to fatigue and weakness compared to the pain that happens during.
Causes of Hip Flexor Pain Running or Hip Flexor Pain After Running
Tight TFL
A lot of people focus on its band, but the IT band is an extension of what is happening with the TFL. When the TFL is having a problem, it creates a tonne of issues for your legs. A tight TFL will cause your hip flexion to be much more lateral which ads extra strain on your groin and hips.
Poor Running Form
When you are running, and you have bad posture, or you are not contacting the ground properly, your joints absorb these forces. The more wasted motions of inefficient that you have, the harder it is going to be on your joints and muscles.
Bad Things to Look For in Running Form
- Excessive heel striking
- Hitting the ground in front of your center of gravity
- Arm motion not in sync with legs
- Knees collapsing
- Hip collapsing on one side
- Excessive neck or core movements
- Leaning forward
- Leaning back
Muscle Imbalances
Muscle imbalances mean that one side is going to have to work much hard than the other. If you have on eight psoae, for example, it is going to hike up one of your hips. When one side is higher, it is going to change how the quads, glutes, and other hip muscles absorb impact with each step. There are a lot of areas that can be imbalanced in your body that can create hip issues.
Tight Glutes and Back Muscles
When your posterior chain is tight, it means that your hips have to fight their antagonist to bring your knees up each time. By making sure your glutes and back are moving correctly, you’re allowing the hip flexor not to have to work as hard.
When you are a runner, you have to think of injuries like taps on the glass. A glass can only get tapped some many times before eventually it wears down and starts to break. If your glute is tight, it will not bother your hip after one step. It may after 10,000 steps of constantly fighting a glute muscle that is stubborn and does not want to move. The wear and tear happen slowly over time, so you have to expect the same from the recovery.
Bone Misalignment
When it comes to your hips and backs, there are times where the bones get stuck in suboptimal positions. That is where chiropractors and physical therapists make a living. They can take a spine that is twisted, turned, or stuck and put it back into its normal position. The problem with the human body is that it knows how to compensate so you may think your hips and back are just fine but in reality, they are off and have been off for so long that you can’t even tell.
Hip flexor pain running can be due to your hips being stuck in a position that is causing them more strain. Hip flexor pain after running that you are feeling for the first time can be due to your hips getting stuck on the last run you went on. The key to improving this problem is to get on top of it right away.
Relief for Hip Flexor Pain Running or Hip Flexor Pain After Running
Check For Tightness
There is a simple test you can do to figure out which muscles are tight
Here is How You Can Tell Which Muscle is Tight :
- Psoas – If your entire thigh is not relaxing on the table
- TFL – If your leg is naturally tracking out laterally
- Quads – if your ankle is not sitting naturally right under your knee
Stretches
When it comes to stretching to improve hip flexor pain running or hip flexor pain after running you want to start with an excellent daily stretching routine. The key areas you need to stretch out include:
- Latissumus Dorsi
- Psoas
- TFL
- Glutes
- Quads
- Low back
These areas all affect each other. The TFL and lats play roles in hip function; the psoas pulls on the back, the quads pull on the hips. If one muscle is tight, then it will not be long before others are tight or hurt.
Get in the habit of stretching every night before bed. It is a great way to meditate and slow down the day to prepare yourself for bed. Stretching helps to relax you and relieve stress and tension that has been built throughout the day.
Mobility
Hip mobility is really important for every athlete. The hips need to be able to function properly without bothering the upper body. Hip mobility is a combination of strengthening the hips, glutes and glute med, as well as flexibility in that region. The better you can move your hips the better your chances will be of avoiding injury.
Rehab
Ice is a short-term fix for athletic injuries; rehab is how you improve things for the long run. Ice will make you feel better for 10 minutes, a good rehab routine that you maintain will make sure you feel better for good.
Critical Areas to Rehab to Improve Hip Flexor Pain After Running
- Gluteus Maximus
- Gluteus Medius
- VMO
Glute Bridges
The glute bridge is one of the best glute exercises that any athlete can perform. There is no better way to isolate the glutes and strengthen them in a way that you can add enough resistance to. The reason the glutes are so crucial for helping hip flexor pain when running is that strong glutes ensure that your hips are in the correct position.
X Band Walks
When you have hip flexor pain after running, the stability of your stance leg is usually in the hands of the glute med. If the glute med is not strong enough the knee and hip will often collapse. When these structures collapse, it puts your hips in a compromised position on every step that you take.
VMO Step Downs
The purpose of these step downs is to work on the lower medial portion of your quad. The reason it is essential to do this is that it helps with the stability of your stance leg. When your foot hits the ground, and the force is going up your body to your knee and hips, the goal is to have a little movement as possible.
Seeing a Healthcare Provider to Help With Hip Flexor Pain After Running or Hip Flexor Pain Running
The best way to recover from hip flexor pain running or hip flexor pain after running is to see a healthcare provider. The trick is not just seeing any healthcare provider. If you see a regular family doctor, for example, they are going to tell you to rest and ice.
You need a sports medicine provider that understands that you are an athlete and you need more than just rest. Your goal is to get back to competing as soon as possible, and they will know how to do that. If you need help finding the best providers, 9INE POINT Health can be your guide.
What If You Can’t Get The Hip Flexor Pain Running to Go Away?
Sometimes you can ice all you want, but a muscle is in pain because another area is not working or because it is protecting you. With the hips, for example, your back may be hurting because your psoas is doing too much work and it is also tight. The psoas may be doing too much work because your other hip flexors are not activating correctly. The chain reaction could keep going.
Sometimes you need the help of a sports medicine provider. Sports medicine providers are used to working with athletes that need to get results quickly, to get back on the field. If you are not an athlete, I am sure that you still want quick results.
There are many different options you can go with when looking for a provider. You could get a chiropractor, massage therapist, physical therapist or many other options. The key is finding someone you trust and that you are excited to work with.
How to Find The Best Healthcare Providers for Hip Flexor Pain After Running
9INE POINT Health is the best place to find the health care providers you need for any injuries. It does not matter where you are hurting; a 9INE POINT Health provider will be able to get you healthy again. 9INE POINT allows you to find the best local providers and compare them quickly using the 9INE POINT Number.
If you have no idea what you need, but you know you need something, 9INE POINT Health is an injury guide, and you will get helped through the process. We make it easier for you to find the information and the person you are looking for.
Skills to Look for in a Healthcare Provider To Help With Hip Flexor Pain Running or Hip Flexor Pain After Running:
- Active Release Technique
- Graston Technique
- Acupuncture
- Massage
- Fascial Stretch Therapy
- Corrective exercises
- Dry Needling
- Sports Background
- Functional Movement Screen
- And more
KHO Health was acquired by was acquire by 9INE POINT in the summer of 2019 and is now referred to as 9INE POINT Health.
