Help me Diagnose and Address My Hip Pain and Imbalance

If you are an older athlete, I would say it sounds a lot like the beginning of hip bursitis, this is something you really don't want to deal with. Hip bursitis is very painful and will pretty much put you on the shelf (no running at all) for at least a month. Continue stretching/flexibility and strengthening exercises and when you start to feel soreness, back off the mileage, specifically the hills and supplement with cross training. Hip bursitis is a form of arthritis, there is no cure, which means you will have to be mindful of the rest of your running life.

I'm 22... darn...

Well, that can't be good!

Any helpful advice as to help put this off and minimize the damage?

The reason I ask is because running helps to serve as a second income right now, and it is very helpful.

Looking up the symptoms of hip bursitis, and it doesn't sound like what I have.

The most noticeable pain and discomfort I find is in the SI Joint (I assume) and my hip flexor on the front of my thigh

Have you tried stretching the right side and glute? Could just be imbalance.

Squats

Sounds just like an issue I have been dealing with for ages. Eventually diagnosed as a very tight quads (rectus femoris) on left which was pulling front of pelvis down and inhibiting glutes. Had some work and stretching done on left quads and instant improvement after one session. I can now do one legged squats on that leg without losing balance as I was a fortnight ago

151344 wrote:

Sounds just like an issue I have been dealing with for ages. Eventually diagnosed as a very tight quads (rectus femoris) on left which was pulling front of pelvis down and inhibiting glutes. Had some work and stretching done on left quads and instant improvement after one session. I can now do one legged squats on that leg without losing balance as I was a fortnight ago

I had a theory that this might be the case. I can almost feel my hip being tilted forward. I've also noticed my hamstrings working harder than normal, so perhaps that is due to this, as well.

I recommend going to a chiropractor. Sounds like something in your hip is out of whack, and I bet if you did some resistance tests one of your hips will be much weaker than the other. My hips get out of whack every once in a while, and I need to see a guy every few months to get corrected. Otherwise I have similar pain to what you have and just some aggravating tightness.

The first time it happened to me it was painful to walk, and after one week (three sessions) with a chiropractor, I was able to run again with almost no problem. He just cracked my back in a certain way to release a joint in my upper hip, and it was almost like magic.

So yeah, I recommend this, worth a look.

Beautiful Day wrote:

Squats

And deadlifts. Particularly single leg deadlifts.

I agree with the other poster who mentioned the possibility of tight quads as well.

I also have a wonky hip that has bothered me on and off for years. Single leg deadlifts, laying on my side and doing leg lifts that target the glute medius, lunges, and running hills have helped me the most. Obviously you are doing most of those things. And since you have only been suffering a couple of weeks, it might be possible that taking a few weeks of much lower mileage and a little more strength/core work could have you back at it in no time.

ouchiehip wrote:

Beautiful Day wrote:

Squats

And deadlifts. Particularly single leg deadlifts.

I agree with the other poster who mentioned the possibility of tight quads as well.

I also have a wonky hip that has bothered me on and off for years. Single leg deadlifts, laying on my side and doing leg lifts that target the glute medius, lunges, and running hills have helped me the most. Obviously you are doing most of those things. And since you have only been suffering a couple of weeks, it might be possible that taking a few weeks of much lower mileage and a little more strength/core work could have you back at it in no time.

I recently got hip issues, too. It pops and I can feel it slide into place and then its not painful.

My orthopedic doc says its tendonitis and quit running. Yoga helps. Cuz I'm real tight.

Strengthen your glutes

I am literally getting over a hip flexor issue myself. Came on quickly during heavy weeks (for me) of marathon training. Went to the chiropractor weekly, showed me stretching / strengthening. I was lucky enough i have not missed any long runs or workouts, just scaled back my easy runs.

My problem was i sit at a desk all day and my hip flexor would shorten.

So stretching definitely helpsd BIGTIME!