Discomfort when running

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Looking for a recommendation.
I have recently started running again. When I run I feel like my gate is off. It seems like one hip is higher and more forward than the other hip which is starting to cause knee and hip pain because it’s impacting my stride. I notice this when I walk as well. My first thought was I should go to a chiropractor. However now I’m wondering if I should go to a physical therapist. I’m not sure if this is a spine thing or a muscle in balance or something else. Has anyone had a problem like this and where would you recommend going.

Replies

  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,676 Member
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    I would go to a physical therapist. See if you can find one who specializes in Sports Medicine.
  • Zoomie402
    Zoomie402 Posts: 260 Member
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    I see a chiropractor who specializes in PT and it’s helped a lot with my hip alignment.
  • astod4
    astod4 Posts: 49 Member
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    A physical therapist, specifically a manual therapist would be best to see. They specialize in movement dysfunction, and see gait issues daily. If there’s something spinal that’s going on, they can do treatments to correct that as well.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,943 Member
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    Definitely PT.
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,002 Member
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    I did nine weeks of PT recently before seeing a sports medicine physician and I wish I had done it the other way around. Once I finally saw the doctor, he felt some of the PT exercises were keeping me from healing.
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,449 Member
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    PT for sure. Quackopractors do little but make you 'feel' like they helped (a good massage will do the same, btw). There's no science behind the snake oil.
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 873 Member
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    PT for sure. It sounds like you could possibly have some sort of imbalance (like one leg longer than the other or something) or hip tightness.

    I'm not a doctor so you should definitely look into this on your own and talk to your doctor but hip/glute stretches could help - more dynamic stretching before your run - and hip flexor/psoas/glute strengthening exercises will typically help as well. You might have what's called a 'hip drop' while running...and usually strengthening stuff is recommended for that. So see what your PT says and make sure everything is OK.

    Happy runningggggggg!