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  • Hip Flexors
  • CHUCKMORR1S
    Free Member

    I have recently started running and it’s making my hip/lower hip area ache like mad. This sometimes happens during running or after I’ve finished. I’m 25 and think it’s pretty unlikely my hip is on its way out but I haven’t a clue what to do about it.

    After speaking to some people they have mentioned that cycling has shortened my hip flexors and over developed my quads causing me to inherit bad technique when running.

    Does any else suffer from this or could shed any information on it?

    Thanks in advance.

    NZCol
    Full Member

    Stretch stretch stretch
    Do core exercises to ensure you have a very stable core and stop your hips rotating or locking up.
    Exercise your back, maybe do some swimming to loosen and manipulate your back a bit.
    And yes, cycling a lot and not running do not a fine match make. You have to rebalance your muscles to avoid injury. Sitting at a desk also wrecks them.

    sockpuppet
    Full Member

    cycling does tend to trouble your hip flexors…

    stretch them, with lunge type stretches, held for at least a minute. if they are the problem you should see some benefit pretty soon.

    less than a minute or so and hip flexors scarcely notice!

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    mrmichaelwright
    Free Member

    i found the only stretch that worked for me is one involving a strap round your foot. i’ll be buggered if i can find the link now but a bit of googling should sort you out.

    antigee
    Full Member

    i have to do same as mrmw or my hip clicks and in past has pulled my knee out of line – think it is called illoitibal band stretch? – big muscle that connects up side of leg – google it but don’t get irrital bowel syndrome (both are called IBS)

    here it is on wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliotibial_band_syndrome

    NZCol
    Full Member

    Yep basically tightness from your hip flexors can tilt your pelvis and agg your ITB. IT pain is **** sore and debilitating but reasonably simple to fix however acute cases can take a long time to settle down.
    Theres lot of hip flexor stretches which will help. As will a good massage every few weeks if you can afford it – good investment.

    mrmichaelwright
    Free Member

    ITB massage is both the most painful and the most tickly thing i’ve ever had done

    CHUCKMORR1S
    Free Member

    Thanks for the info everyone.

    I will start to strecth before and after every run and see how it goes.

    Hopefully it will solve the problem.

    woodsman
    Free Member

    I have suffered hip flexor pain when on long walks, only notice it walking not before or after cycling. Simple stretches have eliminated the problem for me, google hip flexor stretch.

    surfer
    Free Member

    ITB problems normally manifest themselves in outer knee pain not pain around the hip.
    Stretches to relieve ITB focus on releasing tension around this area so you need to concentrate on hip exercises and stretches.

    CHUCKMORR1S
    Free Member

    My main problem area is my hip. It could be either hip that is affected during the run.

    Also my knees ache after.

    surfer
    Free Member

    Chuck

    ITB syndrome can have different symptoms in different people however the most common is pain in the side of the knee (and the location is specific and repeatable in every run, it tends not to move around) that comes on often at a specific period into a run, for example 10 minutes 20 minutes etc.
    The aching in your knees is likely just general soreness because you have started a new (more weight bearing) type of exercise.
    The hip flexor exercises recommended above will help as well as core exercises and traditional toe touching stretches which will loosen your lower back.
    Stretch after your run not before it would be my suggestion.

    CHUCKMORR1S
    Free Member

    Cheers surfer.

    Would stretching before my run not initially reduce the pain incurred during the run?

    simonk
    Free Member

    Heya, i suffer from ITB quite badly and have done for many years, on thing i found quite handy and help me out is the video’s on youtube, just do a search for itb and it brings up some really useful stuff that has helped me out loads.

    Simon

    surfer
    Free Member

    My advice would be to start your run very slowly and warm up gently, use this as the opportunity to warm your muscles, joints and tendons.

    My neighbours were suprised that the guy who they see jogging slowly down the road every day then jogging slowly back again an hour later was in the local paper! The real training is done in the middle.

    There is evidence that stretching before runs actually increases the chance of injury and their is little evidence that post run stretching helps either! However I would recommend the latter.

    Seb Coe claimed his (extensive and thorough) stretching program added 1 inch per lap! Who am I to argue with that! however many top long distance runners do very little if any stretching.

    In my experience if you do a specific stretch for example the ITB or lower back stretches then you will see benefit.

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