Hip pain in runners can feel unsettling, particularly because the hip is so central to how running movement works. But for most people, managing hip pain as a runner is about adjusting how you are loading the area rather than stepping back from running entirely. This article looks at what tends to be behind hip pain in runners and how to keep going.

What the hip is doing when you run

The hip is one of the most load-bearing joints in running. It drives the leg forward, absorbs impact, and keeps the pelvis stable with each stride. The muscles around it, particularly the glutes and hip flexors, are doing significant work throughout every run.

Hip pain in runners can come from a few different areas. The tendons on the outside of the hip, the joint itself, and the muscles of the hip flexor at the front are among the most common sites. Each responds slightly differently to load, but most share the same general principle: they tend to struggle more with sudden increases in demand or with sustained compression than with well-managed, progressive running.

What tends to load the hip during running

Hilly routes, particularly downhill sections, place high demand on the hip and the structures around it. Speed work and longer runs also increase the overall load. Running on cambered roads, where one foot consistently lands lower than the other, can create an uneven demand on the hip over time.

If your hip pain tends to come on or worsen in particular situations, it is worth noticing the pattern. That information is more useful than a general reduction in running, because it helps you adjust the specific thing that is loading the area rather than cutting back across the board.

Adjusting your running during a flare-up

During a hip flare-up, keeping runs shorter and avoiding the specific demands that seem to aggravate it gives the area a chance to settle without disrupting your running habit. For many people that means staying on flatter routes, keeping pace easy, and holding off on long runs for a week or two rather than stopping altogether.

Compression on the outside of the hip, which is often a factor in lateral hip pain, tends to be aggravated by sitting with legs crossed, running on heavily cambered surfaces, and certain hip stretches. Being aware of these outside of running is sometimes as useful as adjusting the running itself.

Strength work for the hip

Weakness in the glutes is one of the most consistently identified factors in hip pain in runners. When the glutes are not doing their share of the work, the hip joint and the structures around it absorb more of the load with each stride.

Targeted glute strengthening, done consistently over several weeks, tends to make a meaningful difference to how the hip tolerates running load. Simple exercises like single-leg work, hip bridges, and lateral band movements build the kind of strength and endurance that translates directly to running.

If you would like to try a guided exercise for the hip and glutes, VIDA has a short video you can follow at your own pace.

A few things worth trying

• Notice which specific situations aggravate your hip and adjust those rather than reducing all running.
• During a flare-up, keep routes flatter and pace easy for a week or two.
• Be aware of hip compression outside of running, such as sitting positions and surface camber.
• Build glute strength consistently alongside your running over several weeks.
• Use your VIDA pain check-in to track how your hip responds across your training week.

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