Liam Oliver, Physiotherapist
Tight or Sore Hips - What causes them and how to fix it
Tight hips are something we see at the clinic every day.
Runners, gym goers, athletes, desk workers you name it! Whether it is related to the injury they’ve come in for or it’s the reason they’re at the clinic - people are asking us why their hips are so damn tight.
Now the answer to that question will take a bit to unpack. But bear with me, by the end of this blog you will be well on your way to unlocking your tight hips.
I have even thrown in a couple of exercises to get you started!
ARE YOU WONDERING WHY YOUR HIPS ARE SORE? Are you worried you may have injured your hip?
Well don’t worry! We will be going through the 3 most common areas to get hip pain and tightness. We will discuss what might be causing your symptoms and how to get it fixed.
Before we dive in, let’s have a quick look at the anatomy around the hip as there is a bit going on.
When we talk about the hip, we need to talk about the hip joint, the pelvis and the muscles that interact with these.
The hip joint is a very mobile joint that moves in many different directions through large ranges of movement. A mobile joint requires many different muscular attachments to control its movement through range.
Hence any changes to the tone or ‘tightness’ of any of these muscles can have a profound impact on the movement of the hip joint.
In addition to the hip joint, we have a pelvis - a very important piece of the puzzle that connects the upper body to the lower body. A well functioning pelvis is the key to a healthy hip.
Whilst the pelvis doesn’t have the same degree of movement as the hip joint, its tilts and rotations have a massive influence on hip joint range of motion.
So whilst we are here for the hip, it is the pelvis that we will focus on as one of the key secrets to unlocking tight hips.
Let’s go through the 3 most common areas people experience pain or tightness in their hips.
Whilst the majority of people will just experience tightness, some experience pain.
Those with pain need to be able to identify the signs and symptoms of a more serious hip issue that would require immediate attention from a physio.
This can include sore hips after running, sore hip muscles, sore hips and back and sore hip bone.
When in doubt, book in to see your physio anyway!
PAIN AT THE FRONT OF THE HIP- WHAT IS CAUSING IT?
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tight hip flexors
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hip flexor tendinopathy
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an undiagnosed hip joint issue - e.g. labral tear, femoral acetabular impingement (FAI)
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non-structural impingement
PAIN AT THE SIDE OF THE HIP - WHAT IS CAUSING IT?
- tight gluteus medius/minimus or tensor fascia latae muscle
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undiagnosed hip joint issue
PAIN IN THE GROIN -WHAT IS CAUSING IT?
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tight adductor muscles
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adductor tendinopathy
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undiagnosed hip joint issue
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non-structural impingement
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hernia
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:
General
Hip Joint Injury
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pain more than tightness
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can be difficult to locate the pain - feels deep
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usually there has been an incident that triggered the pain.
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a loss of movement in the hip
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pinching/sharp pain in certain positions and can ache persistently
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gets worse with activity
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pain will most commonly be in the groin or at the front of the hip. Can be side though.
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difficulty sleeping on the sore hip
Non-structural Impingement
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Pinching/sharp pain or tightness in certain positions
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Usually no pain if not in an aggravating position
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Sleeping on it is fine
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Can warm up with activity but may stay there without getting worse
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There was no incident that caused the pain. It is something that you have had for a while.
Front of Hip
Hip Flexor Tightness
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tightness over front of the hip
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can touch the areas of tightness and feel it
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sitting can be tight/sore
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activity can make it more tight or it can warm up and feel better
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common for people with lower back pain/tightness
Hip Flexor Tendinopathy
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pain in the hip flexor tendon presenting as pain over the front of the hip
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can be difficult to distinguish from a hip joint issue
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Develops in people who suddenly increase or already do a lot of physical activity
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lifting the leg up can be sore
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no incident, pain progressively built over time
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may warm up with activity and then feel much worse afterwards
Side of Hip
Tight glute/tensor fascia latae
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common in runners or people with lower back pain
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tightness on outside of the hip that feels good when released
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the tightness/pain can be located by pressing on it
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usually can continue with activity despite discomfort/tightness
Gluteal tendinopathy
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most common in middle age females
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tender across outside of hip
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pain at night, particularly when lying on that hip
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pain with weight bearing activities such as walking, running, stairs
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crossing legs or sitting for a long time is often sore
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pain can refer down the side of the leg
Groin
Tight dductor muscles
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tightness on inside of thigh extending down towards the knee
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uncomfortable with running but particularly with off-line movements (e.g. changing direction)
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usually can continue with activity even though it is uncomfortable
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common for people that play change of direction sports (e.g. soccer, football, basketball)
Adductor tendinopathy
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pain more than tightness, high in the groin
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can be difficult to distinguish from a hip joint issue
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Develops in people who suddenly increase or already do a lot of physical activity
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lifting the leg up can be sore
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no incident, pain progressively built over time
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may warm up with activity and then feel much worse afterwards
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hurts to squeeze something between knees
Hernia
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a bulge, pain and/or swelling in the groin region
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hurts to cough or sneeze
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can describe a feeling of heaviness in the groin region
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discomfort is there constantly and is worse when bending down to pick something up
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bowel movements or urination can be painful
DON’T FORGET
If you do a lot of impact-based activities (i.e. with running and jumping) and you have hip pain, one of the most important injuries to rule out is a stress fracture. Please refer to our blog on stress fractures for more information.
HOW TO FIX IT:
See a physio as soon as possible if your signs/symptoms match with any of the following
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hip joint issue
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adductor or gluteal tendinopathy
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stress fracture
Physios can also help with any of the following:
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muscle tightness
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non-structural impingement
See a doctor if:
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you suspect you could have a hernia.
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your hip pain doesn’t fit any of the other categories
A FEW GREAT HIP EXERCISES TO GET YOU STARTED:
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Progressing Pelvic Tilt Exercises
2. Releasing tight muscles
3. Don’t forget the adductors!
It is recommended that you don’t attempt these exercises if you experience pain. If you are unsure, consult your physiotherapist.
How can we help you?
At Melbourne Sports Physiotherapy our goal is to get you moving pain free as soon as possible.
But, we also want you to actually move better and live a healthier, more active and fulfilling life!
If your sports, fitness training or work has been wearing your body down, book in with one of our expert massage therapists so we can help you reduce your pain or stiffness.
If you are showing some signs of this condition or simply want help prevent this from happening in the future then book in with one of our highly experienced Remedial Massage Therapists today!
You can make an appointment by calling or booking online.
BOOK ONLINE NOW TO FIX YOUR PAIN