Achey Hip!: Hi I’m on week 8 run 1 planned... - Couch to 5K

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Achey Hip!

Jellylegs20 profile image
Jellylegs20Graduate
15 Replies

Hi I’m on week 8 run 1 planned tomorrow so building to 28 minutes

I had a few aches and pains in my left hip when I started C25k which wore off over time but they have come back with the 25mins from last week does anyone have any advice for aching hip? Haven’t run since Friday had two rest days.

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Jellylegs20 profile image
Jellylegs20
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15 Replies
nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate

Have you been doing any warm up movements and post-run stretches?

Jellylegs20 profile image
Jellylegs20Graduate in reply to nowster

I’ve been doing some to protect calf’s, back and ankles but struggling to know what to do with hips?!

acountrycabbage profile image
acountrycabbageGraduate in reply to Jellylegs20

Have a google of some ‘hip opening’ yoga exercises. I’ve got a wonky hip from a riding accident and yoga does wonders to combat the stiffness.

One of my faves is to lie on your back and bend your knees, feet on the floor (let’s take right leg as an example): place your ankle over the left knee and slowly allow your right foot to drop to the floor on your left side. Make sure your left leg flops over with it but do your best to keep your right hip near the floor. Keep your right foot flat on the floor, your knee as straight up as possible and if you can, hold your right ankle with your left hand. Turn your head to the right and place your right arm flat on the floor at 90 degrees like this 💪🏼 Breathe deeply through your tummy for 30 seconds. You should feel a glorious stretch down your right side, hip/glute and even tummy area. Repeat on over side :)

Sorry, that was way more wordy than expected but I started so I finished! 😊

Speedy60 profile image
Speedy60Graduate in reply to acountrycabbage

Definitely agree. Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube got me through the aches of my first couple of months running .

acountrycabbage profile image
acountrycabbageGraduate in reply to Speedy60

Lush isn’t? 🙏🏼✨ I’m about to do a pre-bedtime session with Kassandra to wind down.

Jellylegs20 profile image
Jellylegs20Graduate in reply to acountrycabbage

Thank you I will try this!

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

Are you wearing good running shoes fitted after a gait analysis?

Stretching immediately after every run, nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/h... while muscles are still warm and supple, pulls out contractions, avoiding carrying tensions into the next run and also improves recovery by improving blood flow, as recommended in the guide to the plan.

Many people do not hold their stretches for long enough or put enough effort in. Hold post run stretches for 30 seconds and make sure the pull is strong enough to be on the verge of discomfort.

Jellylegs20 profile image
Jellylegs20Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe

I haven’t had Gait analysis, I started c25k during lockdown So wasn’t possible and as times gone on I’ve not bothered, perhaps I should! I bought some trainers that were advertised as running trainers but you can never be sure if they are decent fit and suitable.

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor in reply to Jellylegs20

Without a gait analysis or some study of your running action, then it is impossible to be sure that the shoes you have bought are appropriate for you.........they could possibly be causing the issue.

happysouls profile image
happysoulsGraduate

I had some long term left hip ache that I was able to ignore for a very long time. Then as I built up running distance I was also hobbling up the stairs and hurting when I got out of a chair and I had to take a bit of time off running before resuming gradually. I went to see a physio. My left side is weaker and he gave me exercises to build up my body strength. I had a resistance band tied to the kitchen table to do leg raises, you can feel that in the hip! I've been doing one leg planking and side planks and various other things and my body transformed. The hip pain didn't go away straight away but was manageable and a few months later I'm back to normal. So as well as a really good warm up and lots of stretching after a run I'd definitely suggest looking at the core strength exercises!

Jellylegs20 profile image
Jellylegs20Graduate in reply to happysouls

Were you able to do the Exercises alongside running or did you have to stop? I’m still running but starting to get symptoms when not running now

happysouls profile image
happysoulsGraduate in reply to Jellylegs20

I took a couple of weeks off when it was at it's worst to see if that would help and then re-started with shorter distances and built up again. That didn't help. After I tried that I finally went to the doctor. I'd been trying to put it off because I didn't want to be told I couldn't run haha! Anyway the doctor told me I could carry on running yeyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! She referred me for an x ray to check my hip which was fine at which point I was referred for physio. I had to wait a couple of months but was running all the way through cautiously and still with pain. The pain wasn't during running, but I was completely stiff and hobbling a lot in between. The physio checked me over thoroughly and was happy for me to run. After being checked over I felt reassured that I could do more than I had been doing which was great. I worked really hard at all the exercises and could feel that they were really targeting the right bits and overall feel that I've learned a lot of useful stuff from the experience and come back better, fitter and more capable of stronger running in the future. Since then I've got back up to previous levels, beat my 10km time and run my longest distance of 13km! Really would recommend seeing a physio if you can because mine dragged on for such a long time and didn't go away until I dealt with it. If you don't want to for whatever reason and you want more info about the exercises I was doing let me know!

Sparkey5000 profile image
Sparkey5000Graduate

Does your foot roll in slightly as you run? I have that issue and causes pains in my hip. The correct shoes will help stop this. I don’t realise I did until had gait analysis and now where those trainers even for walking as they have made a big difference to the pain I used to experience sporadically when not running.

If you are not ready to go to a running shop yet, just get a friend to watch you walk or run from behind and they can spot it usually. Getting trainers fitted is absolutely the best advice but if you know your foot roles even standard arch supports will help short term until you feel ready to go for gait analysis proper.

Roxdog profile image
RoxdogGraduate

It might be worth looking on YouTube for hip stability exercises. I'm not an expert, but we need a strong core and glutes to run and that can impact on hips if we're a bit weak in those areas.

Good luck, doesn't sound like an injury, but perhaps something to work on to build strength.

grumpyoldgirl profile image
grumpyoldgirlGraduate

A physio told me I wasn't using my glutes on one side, and was compensating by using my quads. Exercises I was given include clamshells, mini squats, and lunges. Bridge exercise is another good one. Another good stretch is for the itb band, it's a standing stretch. Probably easier for you to find them on YouTube than me try to explain them! But as you can see, there could be a few causes, a physio could help you to narrow it down.

Please be careful, it's too easy for a niggle to turn into something that stops you running if you ignore it.

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