Aching hip joint but not while running

[SeryaWhite]

Any advice about aching hips? I know it's mainly due to age (56), and it doesn't hurt whilst I'm actually running but I'm wondering if running is making my hip, just the left, ache more once I've sat down for a bit, and if there's any way to make it better

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Not sure if you are M or F but these may help ?

womensrunninguk.co.uk/healt...

[SeryaWhite in reply to Oldfloss]

Female. Thanks for this, I shall have a good look at it. But just looking at that pose sitting on the mat, the leg going outwards, makes me feel cramp in my hip, I know I couldn't do that.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

What stage are you at? If no history of joint pain it is worth getting an MOT at the GPs. If you have a known underlying condition, and have managed it before, go easy and assess it over a few days.

[SeryaWhite in reply to UnfitNoMore]

I don't particularly have a history of joint pain, apart from tennis elbow, but I think I've always known that my joints will be my downfall as I age. They don't click, they're just stiff. I've been told, by a Dr, that I have sciatica, and to take ibuprofen when it flares up, but it doesn't 'flare up', I just get intense pain in my bottom when I stretch my hamstrings. I've seen people with sciatica, they can hardly walk, and at the time I was walking 8 miles a day and doing 40+ flights of stairs, just for my job, so, I don't think I have sciatica.

[triumphbabe Graduate in reply to SeryaWhite]

Having had sciatica since I was 16, I can tell you it comes in many guises! The sciatic nerve runs from your neck to your ankles so anywhere the nerve gets pinched can cause problems. Having said that, the pain in your hip doesn't sound like sciatica (the pain in your buttock definitely is though!), but I'm not a doctor so maybe best to get yourself checked out if it continues.

[SeryaWhite in reply to triumphbabe]

Well, in which case I've had sciatica for over 8 years, but only when I stretch

[OumpaLoumpa]

Hi, I have the same problem, I had to stop running as it was really painful afterwards, not during running. It's only one side of my body and also starts when I walk for more than 10 min. I've been doing core exercises to strengthen my back and it seems to help. I will start running again (couch to 5k from scratch as it's been almost a year now!) I'm wondering also if it could come from a misalignment.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

With me it's the other way around, I can do all my other exercises OK but when I start to run my right hip or a bit below that, my right buttock gets sore, it's stopping me from running and walking very fast, sitting down is OK, a bit annoying to say the least because I was just about to run a full 5K when this started, only started 8 hours after my final 5th post graduation run of 30 minutes.

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate]

As much as I love the 90/90 stretch it does look off putting. Here's a couple of much more relaxed hip stretches you can do in bed (albeit without the duvet)

Lie back straight, raise your left leg up with bent knee until your foot is level with your right knee

Cross the bent leg over the straight one so your foot is resting on the outside of your right knee

Reach down with your right hand and lay your hand over the outside of your bent left knee

Allow the weight of your arm to pull the knee towards the bed until you feel a stretch in the outside of your left hip

Hold it there for as long you like...ideally 30 secs to 1 min

Let go of your knee and slowly bring your left knee back up and tilt outwards lowering towards the bed, still crossed over your right knee until only the top of your left foot is still on your right knee and your left knee is almost back down on the bed.

You'll probably get a pop... that's quite ok. Just rest and relax into the stretch there for a bit before stretching the leg back straight and then do the right leg.

[JoJoMo74 Graduate]

I had something that sounds very similar, turns out I had a very angry piriformis muscle and a tight hip flexor.. a few sessions with my physio and lots of stretching has pretty much sorted it out. 🤞 You'll be on the mend soon x