Hips

The hips house the most enduring lower limb stabilizers used in running. One of these major stabilizers is the gluteus medius.

Given the force this muscle must constantly create to keep the lower limbs stable, it often becomes tight and consequently becomes weaker through time. When symptomatic, the tightness of gluteus medius can be felt as pain coming around the waist which can center at the lower back. Given its location, this is often mistaken as pain involving the lower back.

To address these symptoms and restore the muscle’s ability to stabilize the lower limbs, we must release gluteus medius. This can be done through specific trigger point release via breathing and relaxing, purposeful and repetitive massage, or dry needling – the first two techniques available to you at home with a trigger point ball or a spiky ball. If these techniques are unfamiliar and you require guidance, our physiotherapists will be more than happy to help. If the pain you experience with these techniques is too much, ease your pressure at the area or, more effectively, consult a physiotherapist to perform dry needling to give you a massive head start on the release process.