tips for hips

[Rungrannyrun]

Hi I’ve been hanging around this forum for a while but having just completed the program to week 4 for the second time I now feel the need to belong to this club. I twisted my foot badly at this point last time round, not whilst running, and had to sit on that couch for far too long to recover.

Looking ahead it seems to start getting serious from now on. So I’ve decided to look back and marvel at how far I’ve come. The yelps of joy from this forum when someone completes week 9 are so inspiring I really want that for myself. At 69 with arthritic hips and knees it’s taken a few years to even think about doing this programme. I’ve been going on long walks and regular sessions at the gym and now I feel better than I did at 59. So not just keeping decrepitude at bay. Improvement is possible.

I’m using a mix of treadmill and the seafront promenade for alternating my runs as a way of looking after my joints. I find the treadmill easier. And of course going slow slower slower. Any other tips for dodgy hips?

[telford_mike Graduate]

Hi there, and congrats on your progress so far 😀 Without a doubt good shoes are a must, and you may also find that doing some core strength exercises will help, though you're probably doing that already if you use the cross trainer at the gym. Good luck with the rest of the programme, looking forward to seeing your graduation post sometime soon!

[Rungrannyrun in reply to telford_mike]

Thanks for replying. I had gait analysis about 30 years ago and was recommended trainers for over pronation. I’ve just stuck with that assessment since then when buying new shoes. Maybe technology has moved on. Perhaps I’ll have another analysis. The joints need all the help they can get now.

[LouiseW_NI]

You’re amazing! Super impressed!! As far as your hips go my advice is just to take it easy, if they complain ease up a bit. Some of the Pilates style stretches like Clam are done on the floor and wonderful for hips ( I know the feeling mine are 57.5 with proven arthritis which I do my best to ignore!)

[Rungrannyrun in reply to LouiseW_NI]

I had a physiotherapist show me some exercises a few years ago to get my gluteus medius working again. And the clam was one. She said they’d switched off because of the arthritis. I did the exercises consistently every day for months until I could walk without pain again and then got lazy and slowly forgot to do them. I think I need to start again if I’m going to complete this program. I so want to be a runner again.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Well done, you are doing great.

Keep slow. Run on grass or treadmill. Avoid heelstriking and keep footfall under your body not out in front. Most of all, wear proper running shoes fitted after a gait analysis done at a specialist running shop, which will further reduce the impact.

[Rungrannyrun in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thanks for the reply. I love the constant admonishments to slow down. It’s what I need the most. I keep forgetting that a number of years have passed since I was last out running and my joints are going to take a while to adjust to this new way of life. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I’ve learned a lot from reading your posts. I last had a gait analysis done 30 years ago. Do you think I would learn anything from getting it done again?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Rungrannyrun]

Our bodies change dramatically in far less than thirty years........ I think a gait analysis might be illuminating.

[sallenson Graduate]

Hip flexor exercises? Bridges, lots of bridges. And a kneeling hip stretch. Fro minutes if you can do it. And glute exercises. Your hip flexors are probably tight because your glutes are too weak (that's a classic combo). Squats for your glutes.

Kneeling hip stretches, bridges and squats. After you run and on all your non-running days. You'll be as right as rain soon.

[Rungrannyrun in reply to sallenson]

Yes hip flexors are tight I realised today. How many minutes were you recommending?

[sallenson Graduate in reply to Rungrannyrun]

wikihow.com/Do-a-Kneeling-H...

My physio said anything between 3-5 minutes at a time if I could. Because we're sitting all the time it takes ages to get them untightened. Just lean forward until you feel the stretch in your hip and quad. Not too far.

I'll do mine while I'm watching "Bodyguard" this evening

[Rungrannyrun in reply to sallenson]

After I had got some good padding for my knees that worked a treat. You just relax into it after a while,don’t you, and then the stretch happens. Although relaxing isn’t what I was doing much of whilst watching the Bodyguard!