Experiencing Hip Pain After Running? Your Chiropractor Can Help
Hip pain during and after workouts is quite common in runners. Often, it is caused by a misalignment of the hips – one hip is sitting lower than the other. This is a problem that your chiropractor can help you address. In most cases, correcting your hip misalignment will lead to a decrease in hip pain and lower risk of injuries as you continue to train.
Identifying a Hip Misalignment
If you visit your chiropractor with complaints of hip pain, he or she is likely to evaluate you for hip misalignment. This is quite simple and painless. You'll be asked to lie face-down on the table, and your chiropractor will hold both of your legs, comparing their lengths. If one leg appears slightly longer than the other, then your hips are likely to be misaligned.
Consequences of Hip Misalignment
Visualize running with one leg longer than the other. This is essentially what is occurring when you run with a hip misalignment, and it's not difficult to see how this can lead to a lot of injuries. The knee and ankle on the "longer leg" must absorb more shock, and thus they tend to be prone to injuries such as runner's knee and IT band syndrome. The way that the foot of the shorter leg lands on the ground is also abnormal, and this can lead to foot injuries such as plantar fasciitis.
Treating a Hip Misalignment
If your chiropractor does find that your legs are different lengths, thus indicating a hip misalignment, he or she can adjust your spine to help your hips sit more evenly. Your chiropractor may also help you to perform certain stretches to help realign your hips. In some cases, you may be prescribed exercises to do at home to help encourage your hips to stay aligned.
Also important to the treatment of hip misalignment is avoiding behaviors that contribute to the condition's development. Avoid running on the sides of banked roads, since this encourages one hip to sit below the other. Also, be careful to alternate arms when carrying heavy items such as computer bags. Always perform strength training exercises on both sides to avoid creating an imbalance.
If your hips are feeling sore or tight after your runs, don't ignore this symptom. Doing so could lead to more severe injuries down the road. Visit a chiropractic clinic in your area for diagnosis and treatment. A half-hour appointment now could save you weeks of recovery from plantar fasciitis or IT band syndrome from running on misaligned hips.
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