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How to Know It can be difficult for you to assess whether you have hip tendonitis, but we can give you some clues and general guidelines.
What is tendonitis in the hip?
Hip Tendonitis is an inflammation of a muscle tendon. Muscles attach to bone through a thick fibrous cord which is the tendon. The tendon of a muscle can become frayed and begin to degenerate over time with overuse and repetitive type activities. Rubbing over a bony area can also cause the tendon to begin to wear down and become inflamed. The blood supply in tendons is poor so they tend to heal slowly.
What type of activities cause hip tendonitis?
Hip tendonitis typically occurs when the tendon is under abnormal stress from activity that you are not used to doing. So, a sudden increase in training or exercise can over time lead to tendonitis. Repetitive motions that can eventually result in hip tendonitis include those used for walking up steps, sitting up from lying down, and walking. In sports, higher-level cycling, sprinting, kicking, jumping, and squatting can over time result in an inflamed tendon. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, spin classes, and the use of a Stairmaster can also leave you at risk for this type of injury.
Once the tendon is inflamed, positions that place the muscle group on stretch can also be painful (like lunging forward with the painful hip in the back).
Two common hip muscles that can get tendonitis are Iliopsoas and Rectus Femoris. In addition to feeling pain in the front of your hip, you may also experience a snapping or clicking sound at the hip during movement, which is why it can also be referred to as a “snapping hip.”
Other symptoms include Hip stiffness in the morning or after long periods of rest. Pain that lessens as you warm up. Pain that begins to worsen with prolonged activity, as repeated irritation causes the tendon to become inflamed.
Three signs you may have tendonitis in the hip
In the seated position lift the painful hip as though you were marching. Try to hold the hip up in the marching position while simultaneously pushing down on the knee with your hand. This resistance will often aggravate the tendon and elicit pain.
Take your hand and look for a tender-to-touch spot right over the front of your hip. Another possibility would be a “tender to touch” spot approximately 3 inches directly below the bony bump felt on the front of your pelvis.
Kneel on both knees using a pillow. Lift the nonpainful hip leg and lunge it forward placing a stretch on the hip flexors of the painful hip. The stretch may increase or elicit pain.
Check out the full Hip Pain Relief Program series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/hip-pain-relief-program
