Healthy Hips for Runners and Hikers - 3 Key Components
Whether you’re charging to the top of Mt. Mansfield, sweating through a speed workout, or logging miles for your next big race, healthy hips are essential for performance and injury prevention. Runners and hikers put significant magnitudes in large volumes of repetitive stress on the lower body—especially the hip muscles and joints, which if not taken care of appropriately can wear out and leave you sad-faced and sidelined. Here are the three most important components of hip health to focus on.
1. Mobility: Move Through Your Full Range
Hip mobility is the foundation of efficient movement. Limited range of motion—particularly in hip flexion, extension, and rotation—can compromise your stride and put excess strain on your knees and lower back. Incorporate these dynamic mobility drills to stay mobile:
Leg Swings
Hip CARs (controlled articular rotations)
Pigeon Stretch and World’s Greatest Stretch
2. Strength and Stability: Build Your Base
Strong hips stabilize your pelvis and legs, allowing you to control each step, especially on uneven terrain. Weak glutes and hip stabilizers are common in runners and hikers, due to the predominantly forward-moving nature of each, and can lead to overuse injuries like IT band syndrome or acute hip bursitis. Strengthen key muscles and build strength and control with targeted exercises like these:
Bulgarian Split Squats to challenge glute and quad strength through full range.
Clamshells and Banded Side Steps to fire up the gluteus medius, a vital hip stabilizer.
Heavy Deadlifts, done well, will help build a foundation of power that won’t quit.
3. Neuromuscular Control: Train Smart Movement Patterns
It’s not just about how strong or flexible you are—it’s how well your brain and muscles communicate. Neuromuscular control allows for smooth, coordinated movement that protects your joints, especially true when navigating uneven terrain. Add these drills to improve the quality of your movement:
Single-Leg Disco Heel Touches to improve balance and joint control under load.
Single-Leg Broad Jumps to develop explosive control and landing mechanics.
Agility Ladder drills enhance accuracy of foot placement and coordination of muscles for improved joint stability and power production.
Takeaway:
Investing time into buttery-smooth hips that are strong as an ox and can quickly and precisely leap and bound like a gazelle will enhance your performance whether you’re on the trail or stacking up miles on the pavement—and significantly reduce your injury risk. Not sure where to start? Come in for a running assessment to identify the areas you can improve to help keep you moving well and staying safe!