Over the past few weeks I've developed a consistent pain in my left, lateral (outside), maybe somewhat frontal (oddly hard to pinpoint) hip. It gradually increases in discomfort during my runs, and then gradually fades away over the next few days as I stretch and rest. This popped up a few weeks ago as my training load increased, my run distance per week going from about 15 miles/week to maybe 20 or so, but I tend to push the pace. It's not enough pain to force me to stop mid-run, but it certainly makes things suck and affects my performance/gait.
Quick search leads to "trochanteric bursitis", but I've also seen links saying that this is sort of a catch-all term and that in many cases there's no real "bursitis" going on:
https://dralisongrimaldi.com/lateral-hip-pain-mechanisms-and-management/
https://squatuniversity.com/2018/02/04/fixing-lateral-hip-pain/
Before this, I had a similar issue where I would develop hip flexor pain on my left side that also gradually built up during runs. It's almost as if this has now shifted/rotated to the hip, slightly outside of where I traditionally feel the hip flexor pain. When it's sore, I can stress/tweak it by sort of abducting my left leg up and outwards - it's clearly very tight. Oddly it doesn't seem to bother me during cycling, either on the bike or in a spin class, although maybe this is indirectly setting up the condition.
I'm guessing this is some combination of hip flexor / ITB / glute med/min strain or weakness... I definitely have some imbalance issues that have probably gotten worse over the summer that have lead to this (left glute stronger than right, right glute not firing during runs, right hip slightly hitched up and forward, I could go on...). I think my left leg has slightly rotated inward, and so maybe I'm running a little more pigeon-toed on that side, and this is aggravating something in my hip - plausible? More notes - my left leg is the "long" one (right hip hiked), and I definitely run with my feet coming in towards the centerline.
I'm wondering if others have had similar issues, how they have treated it, and what the timeline is for recovery. Right now I'm doing the following:
- Getting back to including a cross-training circuit and yoga class in my weekly schedule
- Focus on releasing/strengthening the glutes/hips before and after workout - MYRTLE routine: http://www.njsportsmed.com/files/myrtl_routine.pdf
- Extra stretching and myofascial release?
- Reducing run mileage :(
I have an oly triathlon next Saturday, I should be able to grin and bear through it, but I also have a few 5Ks and 5-milers and wanted to do a half marathon in the fall. Wondering if that's smart at this point. This winter I'm definitely going to focus on correcting the imbalances, strengthening the core/glutes, etc.
Quick search leads to "trochanteric bursitis", but I've also seen links saying that this is sort of a catch-all term and that in many cases there's no real "bursitis" going on:
https://dralisongrimaldi.com/lateral-hip-pain-mechanisms-and-management/
https://squatuniversity.com/2018/02/04/fixing-lateral-hip-pain/
Before this, I had a similar issue where I would develop hip flexor pain on my left side that also gradually built up during runs. It's almost as if this has now shifted/rotated to the hip, slightly outside of where I traditionally feel the hip flexor pain. When it's sore, I can stress/tweak it by sort of abducting my left leg up and outwards - it's clearly very tight. Oddly it doesn't seem to bother me during cycling, either on the bike or in a spin class, although maybe this is indirectly setting up the condition.
I'm guessing this is some combination of hip flexor / ITB / glute med/min strain or weakness... I definitely have some imbalance issues that have probably gotten worse over the summer that have lead to this (left glute stronger than right, right glute not firing during runs, right hip slightly hitched up and forward, I could go on...). I think my left leg has slightly rotated inward, and so maybe I'm running a little more pigeon-toed on that side, and this is aggravating something in my hip - plausible? More notes - my left leg is the "long" one (right hip hiked), and I definitely run with my feet coming in towards the centerline.
I'm wondering if others have had similar issues, how they have treated it, and what the timeline is for recovery. Right now I'm doing the following:
- Getting back to including a cross-training circuit and yoga class in my weekly schedule
- Focus on releasing/strengthening the glutes/hips before and after workout - MYRTLE routine: http://www.njsportsmed.com/files/myrtl_routine.pdf
- Extra stretching and myofascial release?
- Reducing run mileage :(
I have an oly triathlon next Saturday, I should be able to grin and bear through it, but I also have a few 5Ks and 5-milers and wanted to do a half marathon in the fall. Wondering if that's smart at this point. This winter I'm definitely going to focus on correcting the imbalances, strengthening the core/glutes, etc.