Hip pain has become a frequent problem amongst all populations. An early 2000’s survey reported 14.3% of participants aged 60 years and older reported significant hip pain on most days over the past 6 weeks (1). And Hip and groin injury has been reported as a source of significant time loss in elite sport (2). Field and court-based sports such as basketball, football, hockey, soccer, among others, require explosive multiplanar movement in single stance and high-speed change of direction (2). Hip pain can be attributed to numerous causes including arthritis, fracture, bursitis, tendonitis, labral tear, etc (3). Below are two ways that allow you to keep training in the gym while managing issues with the hip.
1. Limit Range of Motion
I’m a huge fan of squatting deep and working full ranges of motion in pretty much any exercise (Easy Cheat to Help You Squat Deeper (nathanwilliamsstrength.com)) but if you’re dealing with constant hip pain an adjustment needs to be made. One way to work around hip pain is to simply train in ranges of motion that are pain free. Limit your squat depth. Train positions that aren’t bothersome. Keep yourself more upright. A few examples (besides simply not going as deep in your lower body work): Low Height Step Ups and Step Downs, TKE’s, Sled Pulls or Drags
2. Do your Conditioning on the Elliptical
I very rarely program training on the elliptical. I also very rarely have access to one in the facilities I work at. They take up a ton of space and aren’t really functional for group training or sport performance. BUT, if you’re dealing with hip pain, this can be a great adjustment from a bike or treadmill. By switching to the elliptical you’re getting rid of deep flexion at the hip when using the bike and negating the troublesome ground contact that occurs with running on a treadmill or outside.
References
1. Christmas, C., Crespo, C. J., Franckowiak, S. C., Bathon, J. M., Bartlett, S. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2002). How common is hip pain among older adults? Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The Journal of Family Practice, 51(4), 345–348.
2. Short, S. M., MacDonald, C. M., & Strack, D. (2021). Hip and Groin Injury Prevention in Elite Athletes and Team Sport – Current Challenges and Opportunities. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 16(1), 270–281. https://doi.org/ 10.26603/001c.18705
3. Watson, S. (n.d.). Why does my hip hurt? 8 causes of hip pain & problems: Treatment options. WebMD. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/hip-pain-causes-and-treatment.
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