Pelvic Differences and Running

The pelvic area is central to the running motion. The muscles in your hips provide stability for your spine and lower body, which prevents injuries and also facilitates good running form. Problems arise when runners experience differences in their hips and pelvic area in the form of muscle imbalances. If the problems remain untreated, it can lead to injuries and time away from running. Correcting these imbalances and focusing on your core stability is key to staying on the road.

  1. Causes

    • The pelvic area contains deep stabilizer muscles called hip flexors. When you run, these muscles provide stability for areas of the lower body including the hips, knees and ankles. If the hip flexors become weak or if one side becomes stronger than the other, the lower-body muscles work to make up for the problem by taking on the extra work. Because these muscles aren’t designed to do the work of the hips, they can develop overuse or other biomechanical injuries.

    Injuries

    • According to “Runner’s World,” inadequate hip muscle stabilization is a top cause of injury in runners. Hip-related injuries can include patellofemoral syndrome, Achilles tendinitis, iliotibial band syndrome and lower back pain. Imbalances can also lead to tightness in other muscles including the hamstrings and glutes, putting them at a higher risk of pulls, strains or tears.

    Solution

    • The way to correct hip imbalances and eliminate pelvic differences is to strengthen the hip and core-area muscles including the abs, lower back and glutes. Once the muscles are strong, they will be able to handle the workload of running and maintain the stability and balance of the lower body. To prevent the muscles from weakening or becoming imbalanced, runners must engage in regular core-strengthening exercises to maintain the balanced, healthy condition.

    Exercises

    • Many of the exercises used to correct hip imbalances can be done with simple equipment such as resistance bands and stability balls or without the use of any equipment at all. Seated or standing side and front leg raises can be done with resistance bands, as can lateral shuffles. Glute bridges, standing wood choppers and single-leg squats can be performed without equipment. For extra stability to complement your hip strength, increase your core strength with exercises such as planks, crunches and supermans to target your abs and lower back.