Runners Must Strengthen Their Hips
Many people start a running program in January to help achieve their resolutions to get in shape. The unfortunate result is many will soon experience knee pain.
There is an important relationship between hip strength and knee pain, which is why runners who experience chronic knees issues are often prescribed hip strengthening exercises. Strong hips typically equate to strong knees. Weak hips often result in knee pain.
When you run, the phase during which one foot is in contact with the ground is called the stance phase. During this aspect of your running gait, it’s critical that your gluteus medius muscle is strong enough to stabilize your pelvis and prevent it from dropping. If your hip muscles are weak, it will cause your hip to drop to one side with every step you take. This will cause your knee to cave inward resulting in more wear and tear at the knee joint, which can often lead to knee pain.
Bottom line – if your hips aren’t strong enough and effectively able to stabilize your pelvis while running, your knees will suffer.
By strengthening your hip muscles, you can resolve this issue.
Include the following hip exercises 2-3 times per week into your strength training repertoire if you are a runner and/or starting a running program:
1 Leg Step Up
Holding a set of hand weights, position yourself in front of a bench with one foot on the bench. The bench should be at a height that puts your knee at a 90 degree angle. Keep your kneecap facing forward and your weight distributed on all four corners of your foot. Now slowly step up extending the supporting knee into a fully upright, balanced position. Now slowly lower yourself down to the starting position. Perform 1-2 sets of 8-12 reps to fatigue for each leg. Keep the height shorter if this bothers your knees at all.
Resisted Lateral Steps
Wrap an exercise tube (exercise cuffs) around your ankles. Standing tall with abdominals tight, slowly step side to side maintaining resistance on the tube. Continue for 1-2 minutes.
1 Leg Bridging
Lay on your back with 1 leg bent, foot on the floor and the other leg lifted straight up to the ceiling. With your arms at your side, slowly lift your hips and buttocks up towards the ceiling while contracting your glutes (buttocks) and hamstrings (back of thigh) until your body weight is resting comfortably on your shoulder blades. Throughout the entire exercise, be sure to keep your hips square to the ceiling and your abdominals contracted. Be sure not to tilt to one side while doing these 1-leg lifts. Slowly lift up and down 8-20x for 1-2 sets.
Side Lying Outer Thigh Leg Lifts
Lie on your side with your body straight. Keep you abdominals contracted as you lift the top leg upwards. Hold at the upper end range of motion and then return to the starting position. Complete 1-2 sets of 8-20 reps each leg. If this is too easy, perform this exercise with tubing wrapped around your ankles to increase the resistance.
Yours in health & fitness,
Sherri McMillan
Sherri McMillan
Sherri McMillan, holds a master's degree in exercise physiology and has been inspiring the world to adopt a fitness lifestyle for more than 33 years. She has received numerous industry awards including 2010 CanFitPro International Presenter of the Year, 2006 IDEA Fitness Director of the Year, 1998 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, 1998 CanFitPro Fitness Presenter of the Year and 2005/2006 ACE Fitness Educator of the Year - Runner up. She is a fitness trainer, fitness columnist for various magazines and newspapers, author of five books and manuals including "Go For Fit - the Winning Way to Fat Loss" and "Fit over Forty" and the featured presenter in various fitness DVDs. She has presented hundreds of workshops to thousands of fitness leaders throughout Canada, Australia, Mexico, Jamaica, New Zealand, Germany, England, Spain, South America, Asia and the U.S. She is the owner of Northwest Personal Training in downtown Vancouver, the founder of WHY Racing Events & WHY Community, participates in various community fundraisers and can be found running, biking, or hiking around the community. Find more information at nwpersonaltraining.com.