I have been having some pain in my hip/glute area for a few weeks, usually toward the end of long runs and then the next day. It is located on the left on the side of my hip, a little bit back from my pelvic bone and little bit down (not quite my glute but maybe?) which leads me to believe it’s not a quad issue, and I thought the hip flexor muscles were mainly in the front. I don’t think it’s the hammy because it’s too far up and too far forward. I have no idea what that area would be called or what muscle it might be specifically. Or what stretches might help loosen it up. It is one of those places that seems hard to target. Any ideas/experience with this? Thanks!
Have you had IT Band issues in the past? How about piriformis?
Neither. I had patellar tendonitis about 4 years back, but no troubles with my IT bands, etc. I think my calves have gotten extra tight lately so maybe that is working it’s way up to my IT band or vice versa.
Before you get into a tendonosis issue like me, I recommend finding someone good at rolfing to iron out your imbalances. Likely you have been compensating for something for a while, and have run out of additional muscles to recruit. Gleut med, periformus, IT, quad and hammie are all suspects.
I have tried everything to fix my issue (literally everything), currently, rolfing seems to be turning the corner.
Good luck
I have the same exact symptoms you have. And if I over do it, it gets really bad. What you described is the injury I have to always keep at bay, and it always has me being proactive on injury prevention.
I’ve had my struggles with ITB and piriformis over the years (now kicked, hopefully PERMANENTLY), which is why I asked you this. I’ll keep an eye on this thread, and, good luck on kicking this!
That’s the IT band area, but it’s rare to injure it at that location.
Also, that is the gluteus minimus muscle area.
Could it be from the femur head?
rolfing
What is that?
I have had similar pain on the side of the hip, and it feels worse when sitting for a while. Part of the problem (for me) stems from weak glutis maximus muscles (back side), with the glut minimis and glute median compensating for this imbalance. Have you been doing much running over the last few months? Your hammies could be overpowering the glut maximus.
First, work on your posture, especially sitting. Keep a good curve in your lower back by placing a rolled towel in this area when sitting in an office chair or in the car. Don’t slouch. It helps keep a natural forward curve to the lower spine, relieving pressure on the L3-L5 area of your spine. Weakening or pinching in this area will allow the piriformis to flair up. You’ll also may notice this with a pulling pain in the front groin area as well. And, at various daily intervals, do back bend stretches like a cobra (lie on stomach, push yourself up with arms to really put a stretch in the lower back).
Next, have a massage (or rolf or something else) work on the hip flexor, piriformis and glute areas, especially the glus minimus and median. That might be the trigger point – it is for me, which I have to rub out with a blunt object (I use a soup spoon like you’d use at a Chinese restaurant) on edge on the side of my hip. I feel the muscles immediately spasm and then relax – a feeling going all the way down to my toes sometimes.
Then get a good set of glut maximus strengthening exercises, emphasizing those that do NOT also strengthen the hammies. They are strong enough. Get the glues stronger, get a good curve in your spine, get the spine flexible.
Good luck!
Sounds like my symptons exactly, my physical therapist thinks I have a tilted pelvis and works on correcting it by doing craniosacral therapy around my hips and lower back and then pulling the bad leg down to correct the imbalance. It seems to work but comes back after a while. I also do lost of glute stretches. If you do a high tempo run on a treadmill you may become aware of the imbalance if you have it.
You’ll also may notice this with a pulling pain in the front groin area as well.
Now that you mention it, that is happening too. Thanks for the suggestions! Luckily my mother in law is a massage therapist so I’ll start heckling her about this. 
@ FisH2O - I don’t know what rolfing is, either…
@ nickwhite - what has been helping you the most?
@ Quinner - I have done that kind of thing before, but unfortunately I live in a remote area where nobody does that kind of therapy. 
@ jyeager - I don’t know anything about the femur head. I know what the femur is, but that’s the extent of my knowledge.
Ok… I’m going to start this off with first saying “Go see an ortho or sports med doc”
I say this because this was one of my first symptoms. I assumed it was an IT band problem at first, then possibly iliopsoas bursitis or pirformis. I waited weeks before going into see a doc. Finally broke down and went in…turns out I had a femoral neck stress fracture that presented as referred pain to the glute and lateral regions of the hip. Don’t mess around with the hip go get seen. Rule out the worst case senarious…
In Regards,
a man on crutches the past 3 months due to self diagnosis
It is a form of massage, I find that people trained in rolfing are able to do a deep tissue without all the pain/damage of a typical deep tissue. Have had two sessions so far, but am seeing positive results after working through this for about 2 years
x1 on this after you rule out anything serious. I would definitely NOT go to PT, I have never had any luck as it seems geared to the couch potato.
I have had similar pain on the side of the hip, and it feels worse when sitting for a while. Part of the problem (for me) stems from weak glutis maximus muscles (back side), with the glut minimis and glute median compensating for this imbalance. Have you been doing much running over the last few months? Your hammies could be overpowering the glut maximus.
First, work on your posture, especially sitting. Keep a good curve in your lower back by placing a rolled towel in this area when sitting in an office chair or in the car. Don’t slouch. It helps keep a natural forward curve to the lower spine, relieving pressure on the L3-L5 area of your spine. Weakening or pinching in this area will allow the piriformis to flair up. You’ll also may notice this with a pulling pain in the front groin area as well. And, at various daily intervals, do back bend stretches like a cobra (lie on stomach, push yourself up with arms to really put a stretch in the lower back).
Next, have a massage (or rolf or something else) work on the hip flexor, piriformis and glute areas, especially the glus minimus and median. That might be the trigger point – it is for me, which I have to rub out with a blunt object (I use a soup spoon like you’d use at a Chinese restaurant) on edge on the side of my hip. I feel the muscles immediately spasm and then relax – a feeling going all the way down to my toes sometimes.
Then get a good set of glut maximus strengthening exercises, emphasizing those that do NOT also strengthen the hammies. They are strong enough. Get the glues stronger, get a good curve in your spine, get the spine flexible.
Good luck!
Might be a torn labrum.
Start with a good sports massage.
You might also begin to add hip and glute exercises to strengthen the area and save yourself from developing IT band problems.
Bursitis is a possibility but I am guessing muscular.
Whoever said a labral tear, I think that is more anterior hip pain, and would hurt on short runs and more often for her.
Torn labrum pains can emanate at any point in the run, and manifest itself anywhere from the groin, hip, butt and lower back.
Try your strengthening/rehab workouts, if that doesn’t work, then get an MRI.
Ok… I’m going to start this off with first saying “Go see an ortho or sports med doc”
This is worth repeating. Having said that, I had very similar experiences and symptoms and battled it for a long time. To make a long story short, it is/was my sacra-illiac joint. This is a “bone-on-bone” joint and irritation can be caused by muscle imbalances and/or many other things such as repetitive running on the same side of crowned roads. My sports med doctor actually had me go to a chiropractor to get it resolved and it worked quickly. There are also exercises and stretches he has me do to keep things loose and in proper position. It’s worth a thought or mention to one of you docs.
[I would definitely NOT go to PT, I have never had any luck as it seems geared to the couch potato.
You need a better PT then! Don’t throw us all out because some are geared towards couch potatoes! There are good and bad of every profession!
My advice - there are simply too many things this could be, some suggested here, some not. Spend the time and money to get it checked out - think of it as a race entry fee, because it could mean the difference between racing or not!