I Have Hip Pain When I Run and My Hip Feels Tender

Hip pain that feels tender when you run can develop as repeated strides strain the hip flexors and surrounding tissues faster than they can recover.

When your hip hurts during a run and also feels tender to the touch, the problem may be more than ordinary post-run soreness. Repeated strides require the muscles and tendons around your hip to keep working over and over, and the hip flexors can become irritated or overworked when you continue running without enough recovery between sessions.

That irritation can make normal movement less comfortable and leave the area more sensitive when you press on it. Tightness around the hip can also make each stride feel less natural, causing the same tissues to work harder throughout the run.

Your Hip Flexors Work Hard With Every Stride

Repeated hip flexor work can make a tender hip more painful as you keep running.

Your hip flexors help bring your leg forward with each running stride, so they are working repeatedly from the first step to the last. If those muscles or their tendons are already strained or tight, the repeated motion can aggravate the area and make the hip increasingly uncomfortable while you run.

The Longer You Run, The More The Hip Has To Work

Fatigue can make hip pain more noticeable as the run continues.

As you spend more time running, the muscles around your hip have to keep producing the same movement even as they become tired. That accumulated demand can make an already tender area more painful, particularly during longer runs or when you increase your distance, pace, or frequency.

Why Your Hip Feels Tender During Running

Your hip has a hard time healing when blood flow and circulation are limited.

Tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues naturally receive less blood supply than many other parts of the body. Because of this, they often take longer to heal after repeated stress or injury, leaving you more vulnerable to lingering pain and a cycle of reinjury.

When circulation through the area remains limited, injured tissues have a harder time receiving the vital oxygen and nutrients they need to repair and heal. This can leave your hip feeling stiff, tight, weak, or painful during everyday movement and activity.

What Can Help Your Hip Feel Better

Your hip starts feeling better when blood flow and circulation improve.

Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to promote healthy blood flow and circulation. Their medicinal properties help break up stagnant blood and fluids that remain trapped around injured tissues, interfering with circulation. As circulation improves, blood flows more freely through the area, allowing those tissues to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal properly.

Topical herbal remedies made with these Chinese herbs can help relieve pain while improving blood flow and circulation to injured tissues. The right product depends on your symptoms and whether you're in the acute or chronic stage of recovery.

If you have pain, swelling, inflammation, or bruising, Acute Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by increasing circulation and dispersing stagnant blood and fluids around the injured area to speed recovery. During the acute stage of healing, getting circulation moving early allows injured tissues to receive the fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients they need to repair and heal.

If your injured area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch after a recent injury or flare-up, Sinew Herbal Ice is also used to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation so you can quickly regain range of motion. While traditional ice is commonly used to reduce swelling, Sinew Herbal Ice acts as an ice alternative to reduce swelling and inflammation while also dispersing accumulated blood and fluids to speed the healing process.

If you no longer have swelling or inflammation, but still have pain, stiffness, weakness, or sensitivity in cold and damp weather, Chronic Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by strongly stimulating circulation and increasing blood supply to injured tendons and ligaments to promote their healing. This is especially important because tendons and ligaments naturally receive less blood supply, which is why chronic injuries can take longer to heal.

If you have residual pain and stiffness, or the area becomes more painful in cold weather, Sinew Injury Poultice is also used to significantly stimulate circulation to injured tendons and ligaments to further promote their healing. By strongly increasing circulation, it counteracts the reduced blood flow caused by cold weather that commonly aggravates chronic tendon and ligament injuries.

If you exercise, play sports, or do other strenuous activities, Sinew Sports Massage Oil warms and stimulates muscles for exertion and relieves muscle tightness and soreness after activity. Warming and preparing your muscles before activity can improve flexibility, enhance performance, and reduce the risk of injury.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may also find these commonly asked questions helpful.

Why does my hip hurt and feel tender when I run?

Repeated running can strain the hip flexors and surrounding tissues, leaving the area painful during strides and tender afterward.

Why does my hip feel tender after running?

Running repeatedly works the muscles and tendons around your hip, and an overworked or irritated area can remain tender after the activity ends.

Should I keep running if my hip feels tender?

If running continues to increase your hip pain or tenderness, reducing the activity and allowing the area to settle can help prevent further irritation.

Can tight hip flexors cause hip pain when running?

Yes. Tight or overworked hip flexors can make each stride more uncomfortable and contribute to pain around the front or side of your hip.

When should I have hip pain checked?

Persistent, severe, or worsening hip pain, especially when it interferes with walking or everyday movement, should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.

The information provided here is intended to help you better understand your symptoms and recovery, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.