You finish a run feeling accomplished, but soon after, a sharp or nagging pain hits the outside of your hip. Sound familiar? That discomfort isn’t just frustrating. Outside hip pain after running can throw off your stride, mess with your recovery, and keep you from staying consistent.
Outside hip pain after running often comes from muscle imbalances, tight connective tissue, or inflammation around the hip. One of the most common culprits? A tight or irritated iliotibial (IT) band or weak gluteus medius.
When the muscles around your hip don’t fire properly, the strain shifts to areas that aren’t built to handle the pressure. That’s when pain creeps in and sticks around longer than it should.
The good news? A single, targeted exercise can start easing that pain fast. With just a few minutes a day, you can retrain your hip muscles to support your stride and reduce strain.
Let’s look at what causes this pain and the best move to start feeling better today.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome: How to Stop Hip Pain From Running
What Iliotibial Band Syndrome Feels Like
You may notice a sharp pain on the outside of your hip after running. Sometimes it starts as a dull ache but quickly becomes worse with each stride.
The pain typically shows up where the iliotibial (IT) band passes over the outer part of your thigh bone near the hip joint. It might also travel down the outside of your thigh or even feel like leg pain.
You’ll often feel this pain:
- At the start of a run
- When going downhill or on uneven terrain
- After long periods of sitting
If this sounds like what you’re feeling, you could be dealing with IT band syndrome. It’s one of the more common causes of hip pain from running.
What Causes Iliotibial Band Syndrome
IT band syndrome usually comes from overuse or muscle weakness. When the outer hip muscles are weak, the IT band takes on too much work.
Several common issues lead to this type of pain:
- Repetitive motions from running
- Weak gluteal muscles and hip abductors
- Tight muscles pulling on the IT band
- Poor running form
- Running on hard surfaces
- Not enough rest days
The surrounding muscles can’t support your hip bones properly, which adds stress to the IT band. That pressure causes it to rub over the thigh bone and become inflamed.
How IT Band Syndrome Affects Your Hip
When your IT band gets irritated, it doesn’t just cause outer hip pain. It also puts pressure on fluid filled sacs near the femoral head, which can lead to hip bursitis or iliopsoas bursitis.
The discomfort might feel like:
- Pain during each step
- Shooting pain along the outer thigh
- A snapping or popping sensation
- Increased soreness after running
You might also develop hip pain in your low back or pelvic bone area due to changes in your stride. These imbalances can lead to additional soft tissue strain or mild muscle strains in your hip flexor or adductor muscles.
How to Prevent Hip Pain From Running
If you want to prevent injury or stop outside hip pain after running from coming back, you need to strengthen the right muscles and give your body enough time to recover.
A few ways to reduce pain and avoid overuse injuries:
- Warm up before every run
- Include hip flexor stretches and hip pain exercises in your routine
- Take regular rest days
- Use proper footwear for your gait
- Pay attention to how your hips hurt during and after activity
You should also focus on strength training for your gluteal muscles, core muscles, and hip abductors. These areas help stabilize the femoral neck and keep your pelvis aligned.
How to Treat Hip Pain From IT Band Syndrome
Start with conservative treatments to relieve pain and reduce inflammation:
- Rest from running for a few days
- Use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication
- Apply ice to the outside of the hip
- Do targeted strength exercises for weak muscles
- Gently stretch tight muscles
Physical therapy can be a game-changer if the pain lingers. A physical therapist will create a plan to stretch and strengthen your hip muscles, restore blood flow, and improve control on one leg.
If outside hip pain after running is slowing you down, Continuous Motion Physical Therapy is here to help. You’ll work with a licensed provider who listens, evaluates, and builds a plan designed for your needs.
Call (623) 343-8706 or get in touch to speak with a PT today!
The Best Hip Pain Exercises to Help Heal and Prevent Hip Injuries
If you’re dealing with iliotibial band syndrome, the right exercises can do more than just relieve pain. They help restore muscle balance, reduce pressure on the IT band, and support your hip joint with every step you take.
Most of these moves come straight from sports physical therapy. They’re backed by what physical therapists use daily to treat running-related hip pain and prevent overuse injuries.
Why Strength and Mobility Matter for IT Band Pain
When your hip muscles lack strength or flexibility, your body overcompensates. That’s one of the main causes of hip pain in runners.
If the gluteal muscles aren’t firing well or the hip flexor is tight, the IT band ends up inflamed. Over time, this can lead to muscle strain, hip flexor strain, or even a labral tear if ignored.
A good exercise routine does two things:
- Builds strength in the muscles that stabilize your hip joint
- Releases tension in the tight tissues that are causing pain
Clamshells for Gluteal Muscle Activation
This move strengthens your gluteus medius, one of the key stabilizers for your pelvis and thigh.
How to do it:
- Lie on your side with knees bent and feet together
- Keep your hips stacked and raise your top knee without shifting your pelvis. Ensure you keep your heels together.
- Lower slowly and repeat
Start with 2 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side. You should feel the muscles around your outer hip working, not your low back.
Lateral Band Walks to Support the Hip Joint
Lateral band walks strengthen your hip abductors and reduce reliance on the IT band.
Here’s how:
- Place a resistance band just above your knees
- Stand with feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent
- Step to the side with one foot, then bring the other foot in
- Keep tension in the band the whole time
Take 10 to 12 steps in one direction, then go back the other way. This helps correct muscle weakness and builds endurance in your outer hip muscles.
Hip Flexor Stretch to Relieve Tightness
Tight hip flexors pull your pelvis forward, shifting pressure onto the IT band and piriformis.
To stretch them safely:
- Kneel on one knee with the other foot in front
- Tuck your pelvis under and gently push your hips forward
- Hold for 20 to 30 seconds
This simple move can help relieve pain caused by hip flexor strain and reduce tension pulling at the iliotibial band.
Side-Lying Leg Lifts for Glute Med Strength
This is another go-to move to build strength around your hip joint.
Do it like this:
- Lie on your side with your legs straight
- Lift the top leg slowly, then lower it back down
- Keep your foot flexed and hips stable
Aim for 2 sets of 10 reps. If the muscles feel tired quickly, you’re doing it right.
Single-Leg Glute Bridge for Core and Hip Control
This exercise improves control through your core and hips. It targets both the gluteal muscles and the iliopsoas bursa area.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat
- Lift one foot off the ground
- Push through the heel of the grounded foot to lift your hips
- Lower slowly and switch legs
Avoid arching your back. The goal is steady control, not speed.
When to Add or Skip Certain Exercises
If you’re experiencing severe pain or suspect something more serious like a labral tear, stop and talk to your healthcare provider. The same goes if you’re recovering from tendon damage or a total hip replacement.
Some movements could increase irritation if:
- You have an inflamed IT band
- You’re dealing with a recent muscle strain
- There’s pressure on the iliopsoas bursa
- You’ve had pain that won’t go away for several weeks
Your physical therapist may adjust your routine to include soft tissue release or other treatments.
What to Expect From a Consistent Routine
With a focused plan, you can reduce pain and return to running stronger. These exercises support healing without relying on over-the-counter medications or steroid injections.
Consistency helps restore balance in the hip joint and prevents running injury in the future. You may feel soreness in the first few days, but that fades as your muscles adapt.
These movements train your body to move efficiently and take pressure off the IT band before pain develops.
Give them a few weeks, and you’ll likely start seeing results that keep your hips pain-free on every run.
How Physical Therapy Helps You Heal and Prevent Hip Injuries
When you’re dealing with outside hip pain after running, like iliotibial band syndrome, targeted physical therapy can make a huge difference.
At Continuous Motion Physical Therapy in Goodyear, you get more than just exercises. You get a one-on-one plan built around your body, your goals, and your lifestyle.
What You Can Expect From Individualized Treatment
You won’t get a generic rehab sheet or rushed sessions. Instead, we take time to understand your unique mechanics, movement habits, and injury history.
With that insight, we guide you through a custom treatment plan that supports your healing without stopping your momentum. Every plan focuses on building strength, improving mobility, and helping you avoid future injury.
Hands-On Techniques That Support Recovery
Along with strength training for your gluteal muscles and hip abductors, you might benefit from advanced manual therapy. These hands-on treatments reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and boost circulation.
We often include:
- Myofascial cupping to loosen tight tissues
- Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization for deep muscle release
- Dry needling to calm inflamed areas like an irritated IT band
- Spinal manipulation to restore hip joint alignment
- Blood flow restriction therapy for safe strength gains
These techniques don’t just treat the symptoms. They help correct the causes of hip pain so you can keep moving forward.
Support for Athletes and Active Adults
Whether you’re training for a race or just want to move pain free, we know how to support your goals. We work with runners, lifters, and everyday movers to prevent injury and improve performance.
You’ll also learn how to:
- Recognize early signs of hip injuries
- Address muscle weakness before it turns into a running injury
- Use recovery tools like body tempering or mobility work between workouts
We help you keep the muscles around your hip joint healthy and strong for the long haul.
Ready to Stop the Pain and Get Moving Again?
If outside hip pain after running is slowing you down, Continuous Motion Physical Therapy is here to help. You’ll work with a licensed provider who listens, evaluates, and builds a plan designed for your needs.Call (623) 343-8706 or get in touch to speak with a PT today!
