Hip Pain and Leg Pain in Runners

One of the most certain things  to halt your running progress is to develop pain in either the hips or legs. It may well be too late if you are reading this but prevention is much better than trying to cure it.

If you have already developed pain then resting for a few days will help. A sports massage will also be beneficial and you will get good advice on why you have the pain and what to do about it. Remedial Massage Therapists are highly trained and very knowledgeable individuals. Their knowledge of anatomy and physiology is very detailed and they will be able to do lots to help.

If you try to push on with your running then you will only make your injury worse.  The most sensible way to approach running if you are beginning or returning after a long break is to get some condition in  your legs and glutes first. Your gluteus maximus is your big ‘powerhouse’ muscle. It needs to be strong to power you forward so find  a reliable source of exercises or seek out a personal trainer to work on legs and butt before you even think of running or you will be setting yourself up for injury.

Start out with run/walks and don’t go too far. Just fifteen minutes each time for the first three weeks is plenty and increase by only 10% from then on each week. Stretch out after each run and get regular massage to keep your muscles in good shape. Address any small niggles as they appear, don’t  ‘run through’  a threatening niggle in the hope it will disappear. Keep relaxed, injuries can sometimes appear when we are holding ourselves tense without realising it, mentally check every so often that you are running loose and relaxed.

Hip pain can be due to tight hip rotators, this can often be resolved with Deep Soft Tissue Massage and some advice from your massage therapist on effective stretching and conditioning. Knee pain can be due to tracking problems or tightness in the Quads, pain along the shin bone may be shin splints, caused by too much running too soon and on hard surfaces – try starting out on a treadmill or grass. It may also be aggravated by overly tight calf muscles.

A good massage therapist will be able to identify what is causing your leg problems and to alleviate them whilst giving you advice on how to prevent the problem recurring. Don’t underestimate the power of massage. I successfully treat runners every week at my practice in Ely, Cambs.