Hip Pain from Running – Cause and Treatment
Some joggers will inevitably experience some hip pain during their running. After knee pain, hip pain is the second most common type of injury or pain amongst runners. Below, one will find some important information on hip pain that is caused by running and one will also find information on how hip pain can be avoided or treated.
Where does the hip pain usually originate from?
When hip pain is caused by running, the runner will often feel the pain in the area where the hip and thigh meet. In some cases, the runners might feel that the hip pain is coming from a point that is a little higher than the point where the thigh and hip meet.
How is hip pain caused?
It would be very difficult to provide a general answer for the cause of hip pain as the cause will vary from individual to individual. For example, hip pain can be simply caused because a person is running on a hard surface that puts undue pressure on the hip bone. Hip pain can also be caused by worn out shoes or badly fitted shoes. It can also be caused by poor running form, due to weak core muscles and also by the length of the running stride.
Other conditions that can lead to hip pain are weak muscles in the back and a condition called over pronation where one of the ankles rolls over, much more than the other ankle, creating an imbalance that can cause knee or hip pain. In fact, most runners who suffer from hip pain are those who also suffer from knee pain.
How is hip pain treated?
For immediate treatment of hip pain, one will need to simply rest or at least reduce their running activities to an intensity level that does not cause any hip pain. One can also use ice, gel packs and massages to seek respite from hip pain.
For long term treatment, one might have to do one of the following, depending on the cause of hip pain in the body.
If the hip pain is being caused by weak back muscles, one will have no choice but to strengthen their back and core muscles over a period of time.
If the hip pain is being caused by imbalances or poor running form, one might have to consider a change in footwear and even a change in their running technique. Many people have managed to reduce or eliminate their hip pain by simply reducing the length of their running stride.
In some cases, one might have to seek the help of a orthopedic expert to see if they will need orthotics to correct their running technique, that can then lead to an elimination of hip pain.
One can also possibly eliminate hip pain by simply switching their running surface to something that is a little softer, especially if they were running on concrete. In some cases, simply losing a few pounds will allow a person to eliminate hip pain that is being caused by running.


