Hip Flexor help

rws262

Last night, I did week 8 day 2 after having six days off over the holiday. After the first mile I could barely lift my legs cause my hip flexors were hurting so bad. I labored to the finish. What did I do wrong and is there a stretch I can do to help this? They are still very sore today.

timeasterday

My therapist had me doing several stretches to address hip issues. I found a site that has all of them and then some:

http://www.fitbodyhq.com/fitness/12-great-stretches-for-tight-hip-flexors/

You may want to visit a therapist who does Active Release Therapy (ART). Mine identified some key weaknesses that were causing problems in other areas.

MamaDubbs65

Good info on that link timeasterday! I have virtually no flexibility in my hips thanks to a desk job for 30 years, bursitis and arthritis. My strides are so ridiculesly small because I tend to blow a hip out 2-3 times with every run. Thankfully, my last 2 workouts didn't have any issues, so I have hope that some day my hips will move again! Those stretches will help to get things moving freely again

arrseegee

Hello! I used to have this problem too until another runner pointed out that I was pulling my legs forward with my hips rather than pushing with my butt muscles. For me it was also a lot about posture, because I was running too upright and very rigidly with long strides. Now I shuffle with shorter strides and focus on the power coming from my butt, and I haven't had a problem since I started again 6 weeks ago. Google 'butt exercises for runners' and there'll be lots of things you can do at home to strengthen your glutes and help prevent hip pain.

Hope it gets better soon because I know how much that hurts!

niricava

I'm at the same point in C25K and have started experiencing hip flexor pain too. I'm definitely trying out these stretches. Thanks for the timely advice!

likitisplit

The sports medicine chiropractor I saw recommended doing 6-10 leg swings (backward and forward, with the knee bent) hourly. It does some stretching, but mostly it helps move blood and other fluids through the ligaments and tissues to feed and repair them. Your body relies on movement to make this happen because there's little to actually pump blood through this area.

For people other than the OP, I'd like to add:

If it's more soreness than pain it could just be DOMS. I felt it in my hamstrings, then my hips, then my feet, then my calves, then my groin, and now I feel it in my obliques...as your muscles build, your running form will start to improve. You'll get more efficient and start pulling different muscles into the mix. It takes about a year for your body to go through one complete cycle of adaptation to running, so be prepared to see a lot of changes in that first year.

arrseegee

It takes about a year for your body to go through one complete cycle of adaptation to running, so be prepared to see a lot of changes in that first year.

Whaaaat??! I was thinking I'd be pretty sorted about three or four months! Does this mean that a beginner runner should be being very careful about increasing mileage etc.? I am currently doing C25K and was hoping to continue onto a 10km and then half marathon in the next few months... should I be rethinking that?

Thanks for the other info though, will start swinging my legs around.

likitisplit

It takes about a year for your body to go through one complete cycle of adaptation to running, so be prepared to see a lot of changes in that first year.

Whaaaat??! I was thinking I'd be pretty sorted about three or four months! Does this mean that a beginner runner should be being very careful about increasing mileage etc.? I am currently doing C25K and was hoping to continue onto a 10km and then half marathon in the next few months... should I be rethinking that?

Thanks for the other info though, will start swinging my legs around.

I started C25k a year ago Friday. I did a 10k in June and a half marathon at the end of October. It'll probably be a year or two before I try for a marathon.

If you increase 10% a week (which is being careful about increasing mileage), 6.2 miles and 13.1 miles are definitely achievable.

A beginning runner IS a little more prone to injury (meaning hurting bad enough to miss three days of running) and you'll probably not achieve your personal bests speed-wise for about 6-7 years.

The things I've noticed over the past year:
- Increased speed
- Changed foot strike: I do not pronate as much and I land mid-foot
- I breathe more easily
- Walking around the zoo isn't tiring
- My form is upright, looser and more balanced; I engage the core muscles easily (also, this makes my shorts slip off unless I crank the drawstring because I lose two inches in my waist when I start running)
- The cues I use for my form are almost automatic and are very effective
- I use my arm swing more mindfully
- Running itself is easier and feels lighter and more fluid (that happened in the last two months)
- My cadence has increased
- I don't need music to get through a run
- I can spit like a champion

rws262

Well, I've finished the C25k program but still had some pain in just my right hip this time. Still trying to grasp the concept of running with my butt instead of pulling leg up with hip.

fleetzz

It takes about a year for your body to go through one complete cycle of adaptation to running, so be prepared to see a lot of changes in that first year.

Whaaaat??! I was thinking I'd be pretty sorted about three or four months! Does this mean that a beginner runner should be being very careful about increasing mileage etc.? I am currently doing C25K and was hoping to continue onto a 10km and then half marathon in the next few months... should I be rethinking that?

Thanks for the other info though, will start swinging my legs around.

I started C25k a year ago Friday. I did a 10k in June and a half marathon at the end of October. It'll probably be a year or two before I try for a marathon.

If you increase 10% a week (which is being careful about increasing mileage), 6.2 miles and 13.1 miles are definitely achievable.

A beginning runner IS a little more prone to injury (meaning hurting bad enough to miss three days of running) and you'll probably not achieve your personal bests speed-wise for about 6-7 years.

The things I've noticed over the past year:
- Increased speed
- Changed foot strike: I do not pronate as much and I land mid-foot
- I breathe more easily
- Walking around the zoo isn't tiring
- My form is upright, looser and more balanced; I engage the core muscles easily (also, this makes my shorts slip off unless I crank the drawstring because I lose two inches in my waist when I start running)
- The cues I use for my form are almost automatic and are very effective
- I use my arm swing more mindfully
- Running itself is easier and feels lighter and more fluid (that happened in the last two months)
- My cadence has increased
- I don't need music to get through a run
- I can spit like a champion

You give me inspiration that I will not be slow forever! I have been running/jogging since April. Felt like I was doomed to be the turtle.