Hip pain when running
Hip pain, which becomes noticeable or worsens especially when walking, running or jogging, can have various causes. Often small things, like wrong shoes or unfavorable running surfaces already play a substantial role in the emergence of hip pain. But also foot malpositions, a wrongly strained running technique, shortened or imbalanced hip and leg muscles as well as overstrain in the joint due to excessive training can be causes.
One of the most common diseases of the hip joint, which becomes increasingly painful when running, is bursitis trochanterica (inflammation of the bursa sacs on the large rolling hill of the hip). This bursa functions as a kind of buffer system and reduces the friction between the thigh bone and the tendons above it during the execution of hip movements. Inflammation in this bursa occurs primarily as a result of overuse and misalignment of the joint (e.g. different leg lengths), but also as a result of previous trauma.Furthermore, even simple signs of wear in the hip joint can lead to pain symptoms when running.
In the case of hip arthrosis (coxarthrosis), the protective, cartilaginous joint coating is worn out due to age or strain, so that movements lead to direct rubbing together of the bony parts of the joint, which can sometimes be very painful. An inflammation of the hip joint (coxarthritis) caused by a bacterial inflammation can also manifest itself with pain when walking. Another typical overstrain disease of the hip, which occurs mainly in runners, is the stress fracture (fatigue fracture) in the head of the femur, where the permanent stress causes microfractures in the skeleton accompanied by inflammation of the surrounding periosteum.
The consequences are pain and restricted movement when walking and running. In addition to the illnesses that originate from the hip joint itself, nerve or intervertebral disc problems should always be considered in the event of pain in the hip region caused by running. A prolapsed intervertebral disc in the lumbar region in the lumbar region can cause entrapment of nerves exiting the spine (e.g. sciatic nerve), which can lead to unpleasantly severe hip pain.
In the same way, an incarceration of the sciatic nerve in its course away from the spinal column (in the area of the rear buttocks or thigh) can cause the same symptoms. Hip pain, which preferably occurs after sporting activities, can have different causes. Age is less important, so that any age group can be affected by pain after sports.
Rather, the extent of the strain is of great importance, since it is precisely the exceeding of the individual strain limit that quickly makes itself felt through pain. Where the personal limit for hip stress lies is influenced by many factors and can fluctuate in the course of life. Incorrect footwear, hip joint, leg or foot malpositions as well as shortened hip muscles (muscle imbalances) can lower the individual load limit and lead to complaints more quickly.
The type of sport is also decisive: running, soccer, handball, ballet, weightlifting and skiing are among the sports that require heavy strain on the hips. If pain already occurs in the hip area during or after sporting activity, in many cases there may be an inflammation of the bursa above the large rolling mound (bursitis trochanterica). This occurs mainly during new loads (unaccustomed movement sequences) or chronic overloading or incorrect loading and is characterized by direct pressure and depth pain in the lateral hip region.
Likewise, the permanent rubbing of the large tendon strip on the outside of the thigh (tractus iliotibialis) against the rolling mound can lead to pain after exercise (coxa saltans). Chronic overloading of the hip joint can also lead to microfractures (fatigue fractures) in the bony joint system, which can often be accompanied by inflammation of the surrounding periosteum and bone marrow edema. Damage to joint structures (cartilage, joint lip, joint capsule, joint ligaments) or free joint bodies located in the joint cavity (e.g. pieces of cartilage that have been blasted off) can also make sporting activity unpleasant. If the cartilaginous part of the joint is so severely damaged in the course of hip joint degeneration (hip joint arthrosis) that bare bone rubs against each other when the joint system moves, this too can be one of the more frequent causes of hip pain during sports. Jogging, or rather running in general, is a risk factor for the development of periosteitis of the hip.
