3 Exercises to Help Your Hip Pain
As a lot of you may already know, I do a lot of running with my over-enthusiastic kelpie, Angel.
Over the years, I’ve had various little niggles and sore spots that I’ve managed to work through with strengthening and stretching exercises.
However, earlier this year I started to get some pain in my right hip that didn’t seem to want to go away.
I thought I’d share my story with you and share the little changes I made that helped me get back to pain-free running with Angel!
My Experience with Hip Pain
My right hip pain started early this year, possibly late last year, but I chose to ignore it and hoped it would sort itself out.
It wasn’t affecting me too much functionally and I was able to run fairly normally with Angel and continue to play touch football.
However, the problem continued to persist with my main symptoms being pain in my hip after running (especially bad after playing touch football) and in bed when lying on my right side.
I was keeping the pain at bay by doing some trigger point work with a spikey ball through my hip and my gluteus muscles, but I was quickly realising that this wasn’t enough.
Let’s Do Some Research
I initially thought I had hip bursitis (inflammation of the fluid filled sac around the hip joint), but I wasn’t convinced as I was missing the inflammatory components such as heat, redness and swelling that often comes with bursitis.
Through some research and speaking with other health professionals, I realised I actually had Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome, often confused with hip bursitis.
Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome is characterised by pain on the lateral (outside) part of the hip, that is localised to the greater trochanter and made worse with weight-bearing activities and side-lying.
Why Did I Get Hip Pain?
The research shows that Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome is attributable to gluteal tendon changes (tendinopathies) and weakness, and can occur with or without coexisting bursal pathology.
I thought, ‘how can I have weak gluteal muscles, I run every day’, but by doing a few tests I discovered that I did in fact have some gluteal muscle problems.
It is thought that these gluteal problems come about through abnormal hip biomechanics.
It is believed that weakness in the gluteal muscles causes tilting of the pelvis, increasing the compressional forces that the Iliotibial Band (the large stong structure that runs down the side of your leg) puts on the gluteal tendons and bursa, leading to changes in these structures and pain.
What Could I Do To Fix It?
The main goals of treatment for Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome are to manage load and reduce the compressive forces across the greater trochanter by strengthening the gluteal muscles.
I already do a series of stretching and strengthening exercises each morning to help keep me running, but nothing that specifically targeted my gluteal muscles.
Again, through some research and asking some colleagues, here are the exercises that I’ve been doing that have really helped with my hip pain:
1. Resisted Hip Extension/Abduction
- Using a resistive exercise band, place both legs in the band.
- Slowly lift one leg behind you at a 45degree angle, using your buttock muscles to create this movement.
- Make sure the knee does not bend and you do not lean your body forward (keep your chest up).
- Control the movement as you bring your leg back to the starting position.
- Repeat this 10 times twice on each leg, ensure to have a few minutes rest between sets.
2. Sit to Stand Single-Leg
- Sit up straight on a chair with your buttocks at the edge of the chair. Lift one foot off the ground and keep it in front of you.
- Slowly stand up from the chair on one foot, push down through your foot and ensure to keep your knee in line with your toes.
- Hold this position for a few seconds and slowly sit back down again.
- Repeat this 10 times twice on each leg, ensure to have a few minutes rest between sets.
3. Iliotibial Band Stretch
- The iliotibial band is a really tricky structure to stretch, but I found that this simple stretch gave me relief.
- Stand up straight and cross the leg/hip to be stretched behind the other leg.
- Bending from the hip, lean your body away from the leg you are stretching, ensuring to push your hips forward while doing this.
- This should be felt on the outer hip and thigh.
- Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times on each side.
We Are Here To Help
Like with everything in medicine, I can’t guarantee that these exercises will help everyone, but they’ve certainly helped me!
There are many factors that can lead to hip and other pain presentations.
Here at Complete Podiatry, we undertake a full assessment with each client to come up with an individualised management plan to get you back to doing the things you love.
So please, give us a call on 8330 0004 or Book Online we’d love to help you get back on your feet!
Administrator
Complete Podiatry