In this article, you will find out everything you need to know about hip pain and the most effective ways to treat it, including an advanced treatment called Prolotherapy.

Hip pain running

Hip pain when running is a common complaint that refers to burning, aching, and sharp pain in or around the hip joint. The intensity of the hip pain ranges from mild to severe, depending on the cause of the hip pain exercises itself. Hip pain when running occurs in the structures surrounding the hip joint or within the hip joint itself.

Hip pain when running frequently occurs in athletes, especially runners, as a result of overuse injuries that cause a stress fracture or inflammation of hip tendons, ligaments, muscles, and hamstring tendinopathy. It is is often difficult to pinpoint because it is not always felt in the hip; it also occurs in the thigh or groin, at the back of one leg, in the buttock, and on the outer side of the hip. Once identified, the hip pain location provides the best clues about the cause of pain.

What Is The Hip Joint?

The hip joint is an intricate ball and socket type of synovial joint, the top of the thigh bone being the ball (the femoral head) that sits inside the cup-shaped, hollow socket (acetabulum) in the front of the hip and pelvic bone. The hip joint stays together by soft tissue structures that are secured to bones by flexible, strong cords similar to a rope called tendons. These tendons, muscles, and ligaments support the hip movement by forming a capsule around the hip joint. The hip joint is lubricated by tiny fluid-filled sacs, called bursae, for muscles and tendons to move smoothly [1].

What Are The Common Causes Of Hip Pain Running?

The most common cause of hip injuries is running for too long or overdoing several exercises that strain or inflame tendons in the hip joint. The most causes of hip injuries include:

1. Inflammation Of The Bursae:

Hip pain when running occurs due to the inflammation of the bursae as a result of minor trauma to the area and overtraining. Inflamed bursae can cause swelling, sharp pain, stiffness, and tenderness of the hip joint.

When the Greater Trochanteric Bursae become inflamed, the condition is called trochanteric bursitis, which causes deep aching pain in the lateral hip that worsens at night.

When the Iliopsoas Bursae (present beneath the iliopsoas muscle) becomes inflamed, the condition is called iliopsoas bursitis that results in the tenderness of the groin area. Iliopsoas bursitis results in sharp pain radiating down to the knee (causing knee pain) or front of the hip flexor pain in the thigh [2].

2. Labral Cartilage Tears:

The outside rim of the hip socket is surrounded by the ring of cartilage, known as the labrum. The part surrounding muscles labrum keeps the ball of the thigh bone in place and cushions and stabilizes the hip joint. Repetitive activities, like running, cause labral tears. Labral tears cause an aching pain accompanied by a clicking sound when a person moves [3].

3. Osteoarthritis:

In hip osteoarthritis, the cartilage that surrounds the hip joint breaks down and becomes brittle, resulting in the severe pain and inflammation of the hip joint. The degeneration of cartilage with age narrows down the space between the bones of the hip joint, causing less cushioning of hip bones. It can be accompanied by knee pain [4].

4. Stress Fracture:

A stress fracture occurs as a result of using incorrect footwear, incorrect strength training, and overtraining, damaging the neck of the femur. A stress fracture can be a partial or complete break in the bone that is described as groin pain whenever a person performs weight-bearing activities. Moreover, muscle strength imbalances in your hip region can also lead to issues [5].

5. Iliotibial Band Syndrome:

Overuse and repetitive movements can sometimes cause tightness or irritation of the iliotibial band (IT band), called IT band syndrome. IT band syndrome causes pain in the hip, thigh, and knee accompanied by a popping sound when you move.

Diagnosis

The source of hip pain when running should properly be diagnosed by a sports medicine healthcare provider or a primary care healthcare provider. Diagnosis includes a physical examination, medical history of the patient, and imaging tests, such as MRI or x-ray.

1. Medical History: 

Medical history involves asking questions to the patient, such as:

• Have you experienced any recent sports injuries?
• Do you experience other symptoms like swelling or fever?
• Is your hip pain better when you rest or move?
• Abnormality in gluteals and piriformis?
• Do you have any family history of arthritis or joint pain?

2. Physical Examination:

Physical examination involves examining the hip, lower back, and legs to assess the cause of pain. Examination of patient’s gait, ability to bear weight, and the range of motion of hips.

3. Imaging Tests: 

Specific imaging tests, such as x-rays and MRIs are used to confirm the diagnosis of hip pain when running. For example, an x-ray can reveal structural changes associated with hip osteoarthritis and hip fractures. An ultrasound is also used to confirm the diagnosis of bursitis [6].

Treatment Options For Hip Pain

The healthcare provider decides treatment options based on the diagnosis of hip pain when running. However, the patient’s treatment plan may include self-care, steroid injections, and physical therapy.

Prolotherapy

In recent years, Prolotherapy has built its reputation within the medical community for its clinically proven ability to treat Hip pain.

Published research has proven its pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory and regenerative benefits.

Prolotherapy involves injecting a natural regenerative solution with tiny needles. This has been shown to stimulate the production of collagen cells, the small cells needed to repair the damage and help Hip pain.

As prolotherapy is helping to treat the root cause of Hip pain, it is deemed to be a permanent fix, preventing the symptoms from returning.

1. Self-Care Strategies:

The following self-care strategies can help relieve hip pain when running:

• Using assistive devices, such as a walker or cane to improve mobility.
• Avoid activities that exacerbate hip pain, such as climbing stairs.
• Using the RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) to reduce swelling and pain.

2. Medications:

Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) and oral medications, can relieve hip pain when running, especially if it is associated with bursitis, osteoarthritis, or labral tears. If a patient has severe hip pain due to an infected hip joint or hip fracture, opioids may be prescribed.

3. Physical Therapy:

The cause of hip pain when running can be managed by physical therapy. A physical therapist (physiotherapist) uses strengthening exercises to treat hip pain, improve flexibility, and mobility such as hip flexor stretches (for glutes),  pelvic tilts, and hamstring stretches.

In addition, physical therapy also includes ultrasound, heat, flexibility, and ice to soothe inflammation within the hip joint [7].

Prevention Of Hip Pain When Running:

The following are some preventive tips to manage hip pain:

• Warm-up before a strenuous session of exercise or workout
• Wear the correct footwear for your gait.
• Maintain a good posture while standing, sitting, and walking. A good posture helps your posture function normally.
• Perform adductor squeeze exercise (hold bent or straight knee)
• Develop an exercise routine for maintaining bone and muscle strength.
• Eat a balanced and healthy diet to maintain bone health.

Conclusion:

Hip pain when running can result from overtraining, running injuries, and other health conditions, including IT band syndrome, stress fractures, osteoarthritis, and labral cartilage tears. Hip pain is more common in runners and athletes as a result of repetitive activities. Typically, it is easy to manage a hip injury and pain through RICE protocol, but sometimes, medications and physical therapy become necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I relieve hip pain from running?

There are several ways to relieve hip pain from running. Tenderly extending your body might decrease hip torment, particularly on the off chance that the reason is a back muscle strain, or squeezed nerve. The quickest way to relieve pain is by applying ice for about 10 minutes a few times a day. Other treatments include:

• Using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications
• Using corticosteroid injections
• Some hip exercises also help to alleviate the pain

What causes hip pain in runners?

Several medical conditions may result in hip pain in runners. These include labral tears, muscle strains, osteoarthritis, and tendonitis. The most common cause of hip pain in runners is hip bursitis. Muscle strains and tendonitis can frequently occur due to overuse of hip muscles.

Does running damage hips?

Running provides various benefits like boosting cardiovascular performance, well-being, and general prosperity. However, it can also bring about injuries. Running can negatively affect the ball-and-socket joint that makes up the hip. Each step taken while running comes down on the outer hip muscles, and over the long haul, this can cause mileage harm to quite possibly the most grounded joint in the body: the hip.

How do I strengthen my hips for running?

There are several methods and techniques for strengthening hips for running. First of all, taking proper rest prepares not only your hips but your whole body. Bending and squatting also strengthen hip flexors. In addition, there is a list of exercises that help energize and invigorate hips. Some of them include:

• Lunges with med ball
• Quadruped series
• Heel drop
• Hip abduction

Is it OK to run with hip pain?

Hips have a lot to contribute to most of the exercises, especially in the running. If a person has hip pain, he should try to avoid running as it can aggravate the cause hip pain and can make the cause of pain or injury permanent. Running while having hip pain is itself extremely painful. So, it is not OK to run with hip pain.

Does running weaken your hips?

Running exerts a significant impact on your hips. It burns down extra fats around the hip region so that the hips may shrink due to this reason. But at the same time, pressure is exerted on the ball and socket joint of the hip with every step taken during running. If this exertion continues for an extended period, it may cause wear and tear to the hip joint. The weakening effect will be more significant in females due to their broader hips.

References:

1. Heckmann N, Tezuka T, Bodner RJ, Dorr LD. Functional Anatomy of the Hip Joint. J Arthroplasty 2021;36:374–8. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arth.2020.07.065.
2. Tyler TF, Fukunaga T, Gellert J. Rehabilitation of soft tissue injuries of the hip and pelvis. Int J Sports Phys Ther 2014;9:785–97.
3. Groh MM, Herrera J. A comprehensive review of hip labral tears. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med 2009;2:105–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12178-009-9052-9.
4. Lespasio MJ, Sultan AA, Piuzzi NS, Khlopas A, Husni ME, Muschler GF, et al. Hip Osteoarthritis: A Primer. Perm J 2018;22:89–94. https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/17-084.
5. Bateman L, Vuppala S, Porada P, Carter W, Baijnath C, Burman K, et al. Medical management in the acute hip fracture patient: a comprehensive review for the internist. Ochsner J 2012;12:101–10.
6. Plante M, Wallace R, Busconi BD. Clinical Diagnosis of Hip Pain. Clin Sports Med 2011;30:225–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csm.2010.12.003.
7. Wilson J, Furukawa M. Evaluation of the Patient with Hip Pain – American Family Physician. Am Fam Physician 2014:27-34.