Understanding Hip Pain in Runners and Active Athletes

Hip discomfort is a common complaint among runners, HYROX athletes, and active adults. It can show up as tightness, pinching, weakness, or aching during training or daily movement. Because the hips play a central role in transferring force between the upper and lower body, even small issues in this area can significantly impact performance and recovery.

Why the Hips Matter So Much

The hips are responsible for producing and controlling power during running, lifting, jumping, and directional changes. They help stabilize the pelvis, absorb impact, and generate force with each stride. When hip mobility, strength, or coordination is limited, other areas such as the knees, lower back, or calves often compensate.

Common Hip Issues in Active Athletes

Hip symptoms are not always caused by joint problems. Chiropractors frequently see hip discomfort related to surrounding tissues and movement patterns, including:

• Hip flexor irritation: Often felt in the front of the hip and aggravated by running, lunging, or prolonged sitting.
• Glute weakness or overload: Can contribute to lateral hip pain and reduced stability during single leg movements.
• Limited hip rotation: Restrictions in internal or external rotation can alter running mechanics and increase strain elsewhere.
• Poor pelvic control: Excessive movement through the pelvis increases stress on the hips and lower extremities.

Why Hip Pain Keeps Showing Up

Hip discomfort often develops gradually as training demands increase. Volume, intensity, and fatigue can exceed what the tissues are prepared to handle. Without addressing strength, mobility, and load management, symptoms may improve briefly but return once training resumes.

How Chiropractors Evaluate Hip Dysfunction

A comprehensive evaluation looks at hip mobility, strength, and coordination, as well as how the hips interact with the spine and lower limbs. Treatment focuses on restoring efficient movement, improving tissue capacity, and reducing unnecessary stress through targeted care and exercise.

Training Factors That Affect Hip Health

Hip symptoms are often influenced by how training is structured. Contributing factors may include high running volume, repetitive sagittal plane movement, limited recovery between sessions, or inadequate strength training to support hip stability.

Supporting Healthy Hips

Maintaining hip health involves balancing mobility, strength, and load. Progressive strength training, varied movement patterns, and appropriate recovery allow the hips to tolerate the demands of running and hybrid training more effectively.

The Bottom Line

Hip discomfort is rarely an isolated issue. It often reflects how the body is managing load and movement as a whole. Addressing hip function can improve performance, reduce compensations, and support long term durability.

At MVMT STL, we help athletes improve hip function by identifying movement inefficiencies, building strength and control, and guiding training strategies that support long lasting performance.