|
Questions posted in the
Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
Question Title: Runner's Hip PainForum: Neurology Forum
| ||||
I'm a 44 year old male in good health, 5'10' and 180 lbs. I've been running for over 30 years, although as I age, I tend to take several weeks off at time. I typically run 2 to 3 time a week, 4-5 miles each run. Twice a year I'll train for 10k races, and for 2 months I'll run 5-6 times a week. Fifteen years ago, I ruptured my right achilles tendon, and after a 5 year layoff, I resumed my running. My right leg has since been considerably weaker and my 10K times have increased by 2 minutes per mile. This month I resumed my running after a 2 month layoff. To my surprise, I've developed an acute hip pain in my right hip. The pain commences after 3-5 minutes of running, and appears to be instigated by any uphill running. The pain is located on the front/outside of the right hip, and is accompanied by a general weakness in the entire right leg. The pain diminishes when I stop running (or even during flat or downhill runs) and I can't detect any swelling. I've tried to simply run through the pain while I get back into shape, but this doesn't seem to be working. Any suggestions? Dear Runner: Sorry to hear about your hip pain. As a runner (I use the term loosely as I jog), I have had similar pain. First, since you are on the heavier side the issue of correct shoes is very important. You should think about changing to a new pair after about 300-400 miles or every year or so. Second, is the issue of trying to do too much too soon. Start slow so you can finish fast, so you need to take awhile to build up your base. Very slow mileage for the first weeks. What I think that you need to do currently is to stop running for a few weeks (ugh!). Let the hip rest and heal. Take a couple of ibuprofen to reduce the inflammation in the morning and instead of running, walk or jog in the pool. If there is pain, then cut back even more. Then begin slowly when you can run for several minutes, really slow. I would ice the hip before running for about 10 minutes, then stretch really well, start slowly. But again, the importance of good shoes cannot be under estimated especially in someone who weighs 180 Sincerely, CCF Neuro[P] MD.
|
| |||