Ran a marathon last year - hit my goals and felt great. Took two months almost completely off from anything. I wasn’t having any problems at the time, it was just the end of my race season.
When I returned to training at the beginning of this year, I did so recklessly. With too much too fast, I ended up with hip bursitis. I tried to train through it for a while until finally giving up and just focusing on the bike & swim. I had a series of sprint triathlons from spring to just a couple weeks ago. No running except at the races (run times actually weren’t that bad).
After the last race of the series, I took a full week off except for a couple of swim workouts. The following week I reintroduced cycling and light running (2mi max). No problems. Next week I up it to 3mi runs (2 days at 2mi, 2 days at 3mi). No problems. This week, I feel a wee little bit of discomfort. Just enough to know that I had the injury. Approximately same mileage - a few 3mi runs, and a 2mi run.
I’ve been icing, stretching, strengthening, NSAIDS, foam roller, etc. everyday and always post-run.
MY QUERY IS THIS: for those of you who have returned from the dark basement known as hip bursitis, did you have any discomfort on the return to training? I’ve returned from other injuries with minor pain for a while, but am really tired of this one. If I have to deactivate for another period of time, I’d hate to keep pushing it out into the future. At what point do you stop and say, “dude, this ain’t good.”
I developed bursitis in one hip quite badly back when I was starting marathons and I really didn’t know what I was doing. Good news: your athletic career is by no means over or even harmed. I did take quite a bit of time off (6 months?) and that helped tremendously.
The issue never disappeared. I manage it with a good massage therapist and the foam roller, and make sure I change my shoes as soon as the hip pain flares up.
You may need to take more time off, and you might have to rethink your shoes. But to answer your question, time off didn’t push back inevitable pain. In my case, rest and massage pretty much fixed the problem.
for those of you who have returned from the dark basement known as hip bursitis, did you have any discomfort on the return to training? I’ve returned from other injuries with minor pain for a while, but am really tired of this one. If I have to deactivate for another period of time, I’d hate to keep pushing it out into the future. At what point do you stop and say, “dude, this ain’t good.”
What makes it not good?
I had bursitis in my right hip for several years. It hurt to sleep. It hurt to run. I ran. Pain went away after a couple miles. Returned when I stopped.
Something changed. And the problem went away.
You should look for the cause and try to address that.
I developed it after a marathon in late 2011. Took like 3 months off, but it was still there when I started back.
Hip strengthening exercises have been the key for me. Without doing those, I don’t think I would have ever recovered.
Good news is that now It’s completely gone. Did the Pfitz 18/55 plan for Boston this year and no issues whatsoever. Bad news is that I’ll be doing the hip exercises for the rest of my athletic career.
Which hip exercises? I have been doing side leg raises, squats, and back leg raises (on hands an knees). I read today about one leg balancing helping some folks.
Don’t forget hamstring curls - easy to work on with an exercise band.
Also, re-evaluating footwear may help. I went to a lower-profile shoe and worked on going from heel-striking to mid-foot striking, and haven’t had a problem in five years.
I started with the clam, side leg lifts and mountain climber. Then added the donkey kick, walking bridge and one leg squats. I also do plank and crunches.
Keeping good form while you run is important. Sounds easy, but sometimes I need to make sure my form is good when I get tired.
i’ve had so many injuries over my career, dealing with knee pain now, but touch of hip problems too. i am in the medicare group and what i have found in last year or so that has really helped, though gradually, is the website Mobility Wod. this cat describes a lot of dysfunction for your body and has hundreds of video clips on techniques to deal with these issues. he has book too and of course a relatively inexpensive premium service. i have had PTs and chiro in past and while they helped some, this site plus knowing your body has really improved my health much faster and more thoroughly. i wish you well.