After a few training runs I started experiencing some pain in my hip (trochanteric regional pain syndrome) so I devised a rehab strategy to help.
My rehabilitation plan was designed to strengthen the muscles that slow the body down when it lands from a jump, as well as the muscles that control the shifting of body weight from side to side. These are the two types of forces that stress the muscles around the trochanter: the piriformis, the IT band, the gluteus medius, and can cause hip pain.
For me, incorporating these exercises into my routine on a regular basis has allowed me to continue my training without pain and without even missing any of my training bouts.
You may also find my rehabilitation strategy helpful. Even if you’re not a runner, you may have hip pain, IT band syndrome, sacroiliac problems, or knee stress. It is likely that each of these local problems can be traced back to the same common cause: inadequate stabilization of vertical landing forces or lateral weight shift forces.
These are the exercises I’ve been doing:
1. Shift the weight forward
Basic Level: Stand with your feet parallel and about 6 inches apart. Keeping your torso straight and all vertical alignment intact, allow your body weight to shift forward onto your toes as far as possible while allowing your heels to remain on the ground. Hold for 5 seconds, then return to neutral.
Extra Difficulty: As your weight shifts forward onto your toes, also raise both arms straight in front of you and keep them horizontal in front of you.
Added extra difficulty: hold dumbbells in your hands and raise them to a horizontal position in front of you.
2. Toe Raise (High)
Basic Level: Standing with feet parallel, rise up on both toes, then lower down.
Added difficulty: Lift one foot off the ground and use the strength of one foot to pull yourself up. You can wait to balance if you want.
Extra Extra Difficulty: Hold dumbbells in your hands as you rise up on your toes.
3. Pointing toes (stretched)
Standing on your left leg, stretch your right foot out to the side to the point where the ball of the foot and toes are still on the ground. Then stretch your right foot further to the side, keeping your toes in contact with the floor as you lift the ball of your foot, moving your foot as far as you can while your right toes are still lightly touching the floor. Repeat on the other side. It can also be done with feet parallel, stretching the foot forward.
4. Flexion of the knees (Plié)
Basic level: Bend your knees, then return to upright. Make sure the hip joint, knee joint, and ankle bend congruently.
Added difficulty: Bent over on one foot. You can wait to keep your balance.
Extra Extra Difficulty: Hold the weight in your hands as you perform the bend.
5. Forward pelvic displacement
Basic Level: Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Stretch your knees over your feet, lifting your pelvis off the floor. It’s like you have a rope attached to your tailbone, and the rope pulls your pelvis up and toward your feet.
Added difficulty: Crossing the right ankle over the left knee; perform the pelvic shift forward using only the left leg. Repeat on the other side.
Added extra difficulty: place your feet on a gym ball. Move your pelvis up and forward, just like in the forward pelvic shift. Keeping your pelvis elevated, move the ball toward and away from you by bending and straightening your knees.
6. Plank pose
Lying face down, raising the body, supporting the weight on the elbows and feet. Engage your abs to keep your body straight. Hold for 30-45 seconds.
7. Shift from side to side
Basic level: Stand with your legs wide apart. Rock your pelvis to the right and to the left, keeping it level and looking straight ahead.
Added difficulty: At the end of each side shift, lift one leg up and balance on the opposite leg.
Added extra difficulty: Jump from side to side, landing on one foot and keeping your balance.
You can also jump back and forth and practice landing your jump.
8. Gold Theraband Isometric Leg Raise
Isometric version: Standing on one leg, lifting the other to the side, pressing against a wall. Continue pressing against the wall, steadying yourself on the standing side. Also practice lifting your leg out in front, isometrically pressing forward against the wall.
Theraband version: Tie a loop of theraband around both ankles, then lift one leg out to the side, steadied on the standing side.
9. Leg squeeze
Basic Level: Stand in a half-width stance. Squeeze your upper inner thighs together. Hold 30-45 seconds.
Added difficulty: Practice the same movement standing on one leg. Wait to keep your balance. Use your gluteal muscles to bring your upper inner thigh toward your midline.
If you prefer to watch instead of readhere is the video version: https://youtu.be/gTLCVJRuWeY
Or read Chapter 5: I can talk myself into anything