Hip Pain

jrose1982
jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
For the last 3 weeks, I've been walking to and from work most days (25 minutes each way). This is the most sustainable form of exercise for me. On days that I didn't walk to work (because I had a morning meeting elsewhere, or because I slept in or something) I walked for an hour after work. I also walk on weekends for about an hour each day. The results: For 13 days of the last 19, I've walked for at least 50 minutes every day. This is low-intensity exercise, it doesn't even get my heart rate up. But it makes my hip hurt.

Two nights ago, my hip was hurting enough on my walk home that I decided not walk to work yesterday in case I just needed to rest. It was ok yesterday, but this morning my hip was stiff and hurting as soon as I woke up.

I can take a day off when I need one, but don't like take two in a row. Does anybody know any stretches that might help? The pain is at the widest part of my hips, on my left side. I also hear a clicking when I walk (but not all the time, only when my hip hurts).

Replies

  • ktloo
    ktloo Posts: 90 Member
    I am going through the same exact thing. Taking a rest day today, but looking forward to seeing what others post.
  • karins4
    karins4 Posts: 50 Member
    I have a lot of hip pain. Stretching and massage is good for it. You can look up yoga poses that open up the hips. What works best for me is using a foam roller. For hip pain, sitting on the foam roller really helps and you can adjust to the area that hurts and get a deep massage. If that's too much you lean on the foam roller against a wall to do the same. It usually feels better after a few minutes and can usually walk without pain again by the next day on the really bad days. If you don't have a foam roller a ball should work too.

    Hope that helps!
  • jrose1982
    jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
    Thanks for replying, Karin. That's more than I've been able to find.

    I did find this article:
    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-regain-and-maintain-hip-mobility/#comments

    I'm going to try those exercises and see if they help.
  • WoofD
    WoofD Posts: 12 Member
    Thanks for the link! I'm struggling with the same!
  • iwannabinnarnia
    iwannabinnarnia Posts: 179 Member
    I just went to the orthopaedic for left hip pain. He says it's my muscles rubbing my bone, and inflamation. I started a steroid today. There's a hip machine at the gym I belong to that I will be using.
  • shanaber
    shanaber Posts: 6,423 Member
    First I would look at the shoes you are wearing for your walks - are they work shoes, heels or running shoes. If they are not running shoes (or they are old running shoes) I would invest in a good pair that are appropriate for the way you walk - does your ankle collapse in when you walk or is it neutral, etc. An evaluation at a good store should be able to tell you.

    Don't just focus on your hips, the pain you feel may be because of the alignment in your leg from your foot all the way up, or because of weakness in your glutes and/or hamstrings. For example I hurt my knee but the cause was related more to my glutes and hip flexors being too tight so the ortho doc started me in PT doing exercises to stretch and strenghten those areas.

    There are good stretches and exercises at Runners World including this one - http://www.runnersworld.com/workouts/glute-strength. See especially the Lunge Stretch midway thru the article. These are good for anyone not just runners!

    Good luck!
  • Thee365
    Thee365 Posts: 59 Member
    Try yoga poses!!
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    hip flexor and glute stretches; google search them since there are several. You can and ought to stretch your IT band also; you can do a good hip IT stretch at work standing and a hip flexor seated stretch. Try for 3-4 times daily and hole each stretch on each side a minimum of 20 seconds. Also yoga will 'open' your hip joints. Best of luck folks.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    Or go here : www.fitbodyhq.com/fitness/12-great-stretches-for-tight-hip-flexors/
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    And go here: http://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/stretching
  • Bearkitten_NC
    Bearkitten_NC Posts: 2 Member
    A few years ago I was diagnosed with Hip Bursitis and Heel spurs. I went to physical therapy for this. Basically, I was not wearing the proper shoes for my condition. Going to a running store and having them watch you walk/run will help you get the right shoes. I happened to also have a physical condition where the left side of my body is way more flexible (in a bad way) than the right. I had to do exercises to strengthen that side of my hip. I know do the exercises for both sides. The exercises are as follows. You can look them up here, or on You Tube. The Clam, Hip Abduction, she also had me do lots of exercises on one leg. It helps strengthen. I cannot do lots of squats either. Jumping Jacks are also hard on my hip. If that is part of a workout, I substitute for something else. So to sum up: Get Better shoes, and try the exercises mentioned above. You also may need to stretch your hamstrings more and hips. The butterfly, using a towel on the bottom of your foot and pulling the toes back stretches the bottom of your foot. However, if you try the above, and nothing gets better, please see a doctor. There may be something different wrong.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    Oh, for sharts and goggles, I also do hip circles while on my hands and knees. Some days it sounds like a Cuban band inside my one hip socket, but they eventually feel better. Cheers!
  • heidifritz627
    heidifritz627 Posts: 8 Member
    #1 STRETCH prior to walking. #2. PROPER WALKING SHOES are extremely important. #3. Focus on heel to toe motion. #4. Concrete can be very invasive to the body. If #1 thru #3 still are an issue, then #4 could and maybe isn't appropriate for you. I now walk in the gyms track, and am better. Good luck . ;)
  • jmill434
    jmill434 Posts: 25 Member
    Do the stretch in this video (skip ahead to about the 4:00 mark). Hold each stretch for four minutes as stated in the video, your hips will thank you. I had bad hip pain from my half marathon training runs and this really helps. I do this stretch right before I run and i no longer have pain. Gotta hang in there for the four minutes though. It will be uncomfortable.

    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yzHcIzIVRKw

    If the link doesn't work just go to YouTube and search "extension of a psoas flavor feat. Kelly starrett/mobility WOD"

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