What Your Outer Hip Pain Is Trying to Tell You

Yesterday I had 2 runners ask me about outer hip pain…

One was a teenage ball sport athlete. One was a runner in her early 50s, building her mileage.

Two very different athletes… same pain.

And this is exactly where I started with both of them:

Outer hip pain is NOT always just “IT band”

There are actually a few different things that can be going on, depending on where you feel it and how it shows up.

Save this—this will help you figure it out:

Here’s what I had both of them do first:

✔ Roll out the glutes

✔ Open up the hips (pigeon stretch is a great start)

But here’s where most runners go wrong…

They stop there.

Because the real issue usually isn’t just tightness

It’s: lack of strength, lack of control, or doing more than your body is ready for

And this is the part I want you to remember:

Sometimes what feels “tight”…is actually weak

So your body creates tension to protect it.

What actually fixes this long term:

✔ Stronger single-leg work (step downs, split squats)

✔ Lateral hip strength (glute med done RIGHT)

✔ Better control when your foot hits the ground

Because that’s what running is

If you’re dealing with this right now—

Don’t just keep stretching it.

Don’t just keep guessing.

Figure out WHICH one it is . . . . Then train the right thing

Happy Balanced Running

Dayna - your fav. Exercise Physiologist & Run Coach

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This is exactly what we work through inside my coaching—so you can actually build mileage without things flaring up every few weeks.

3 more spots in my group half marathin coaching group