Lifting Aches: A Deep Dive into Hip Pain During Weight Training

December 10, 2023

by Cathe Friedrich

If you’re a fitness buff who lifts weights, you know that hip pain can be a real pain in the backside – literally! This nuisance of an injury has a mind of its own, with different causes that require different treatments.

First, you must understand the sneaky culprit of hip pain when you lift and what’s causing it. Is it your squat form that needs work? Or an underlying hip imbalance? Maybe you ramped up too fast or have bad mobility. The problem could even stem from your trusty lifting belt placing too much pressure on the hip joint.

The good news is, that once you identify the root cause, you can start troubleshooting. Tweak your form, strengthen neglected muscles, spend more time warming up, ditch the belt for a few sessions, and see what helps. It may take experimentation to banish the hip pinch. Let’s look at some of the most common causes of hip pain when doing exercises like squats.

Adductor-Related Groin Pain: Unveiling the Culprit

Many fitness-minded folks, especially athletes whose sports demand quick lateral moves, struggle with groin strains without even realizing it. The hip adductors are the muscles on the inner thigh that pull your legs inwards. When you overwork them with repetitive motion, these muscles can get tight and painful, putting strain on the hip joint. Some powerlifters, CrossFit athletes, hockey players, etc. battle chronic adductor/groin trouble. The pain often radiates to the hips and upper inner thighs too.

How can you tell if your hip hurt stems from stress on your adductors? Try the adductor squeeze test. Lay on your back, bent knees together. Have a partner try to push your knees apart as you resist, squeezing inward. Pain? Your adductors may be the problem.

If this sounds like you, don’t ignore achy hips and groin pangs during your training! It seems minor at first but can get severe if those sensitive adductor muscles don’t get recovery time. Ease back on exercises that require excessive hip adduction like sumo squats or wide stance movements.

Prioritize flexibility training to loosen up the inner thighs and pelvis. Work on targeted massage, gentle stretches, and hip mobility drills to calm those irritated tissues down. Protecting overtaxed muscles now means fewer frustrating injuries and more gains too!

Also, don’t stop at self-diagnosis. See a professional for a comprehensive evaluation. They can confirm if you have strained adductors, pinpoint biomechanical causes, and recommend tailored strengthening and mobility work to rehab the area.

With the right assessment and targeted treatment plan, you can kiss that adductor ache goodbye. A few form tweaks and hip flexor stretches could be your ticket back to pain-free PRs. Don’t let hip pain derail your fitness goals.

Hip Impingement (FAI): Navigating Abnormal Contact

Is hip pain throwing a wrench in your weightlifting? The culprit could be femoroacetabular impingement, or FAI. This condition causes abnormal rubbing between the femoral head and hip socket that can flare up during hip flexion and rotation.

FAI deserves careful evaluation since it has unique mechanisms causing that pinch and catch. Things like bone spurs or poor hip anatomy can lead to impingement. Troubleshooting requires an X-ray and MRI to pinpoint the source and guide tailored solutions.

If FAI is confirmed, your program needs an overhaul. Switching up angles and ranges of motion during lifts can help avoid the impingement. Physical therapy will teach you hip-strengthening exercises to improve stability and mechanics. In some cases, you may need surgery to reshape bone and restore function.

The key is identifying FAI early and not writing it off as regular hip pain. Get a diagnosis and customized game plan, and you’ll be back crushing PRs pain-free. Don’t let impingement sideline your gains!

Labral Tears: Understanding the Role of Cartilage

That nagging hip annoyance could stem from an injury to the hip labrum. This pivotal cartilage ring around the hip socket provides stability, and tears in the labrum can cause pain, especially with twisting motions.

If you suspect a hip labral tear, don’t brush it off. See a specialist who can order an MRI to confirm and provide tailored solutions. Physical therapy focused on hip strength and range of motion can help you manage your symptoms. In some cases, surgery may be required to repair severe labral damage.

The key is identifying labral tears early. Look for sharp pain when pivoting or changing directions during your lifts. Throbbing or clicking sensations in the hip joint are also common clues. Don’t write it off as just being sore – get it checked out.

With the right diagnosis and targeted treatment plan, you can find relief from that torn labrum. A few modifications like avoiding hip extensions and wearing a support belt during lifts can help you manage flair-ups as you heal. Be patient, listen to your body, and don’t give up. You’ve got this!

Osteoarthritis of the Hip: Unraveling Degeneration

As a lifter, that achy hip cramping your gains could be osteoarthritis (OA). This common joint disease causes cartilage breakdown, leading to hip pain and stiffness. If you suspect OA, get it checked out – recognizing it early is key.

An X-ray can confirm the loss of cartilage and bony spurs rubbing together. An MRI scans soft tissues for damage. From there, your doctor can suggest ways to ease OA pain when lifting.

Some tips – warm up longer to limber up, use lighter weights, and avoid range extremes that overload the joint. Swap deep squats for gentler split squats. Opt for the leg press over hip-loading moves like deadlifts. You can also talk to your physician about eating an anti-inflammatory diet and joint-supportive supplements. Chondroitin and glucosamine provide the building blocks for healthy cartilage.

Listen to your body and modify your training as needed. OA may limit your eagerness to smash PRs, but with the right guidance, you can keep the gains coming – sans hip pain.

Thorough Clinical Evaluation: The Key to Precision

If you’re struggling with chronic hip pain that’s interfering with your training, don’t try to self-diagnose or simply push through it. Getting to the root cause requires a comprehensive clinical evaluation.

Start with a physical exam by a specialist, including assessments of hip mobility and strength. They can palpate for tenderness and reproduce motions that trigger your pain. From there, imaging like x-rays, MRI, and CT scans give an inside look at your hip joint, pinpointing issues like impingement, arthritis, labral tears, or other abnormalities.

Only with thorough testing can you get an accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment plan. This integrative approach combining hands-on assessment and advanced imaging provides the vital pieces to solve the hip pain puzzle. The solution may include physical therapy, activity modifications, assistive devices, medication, injections or even surgery in some cases.

The bottom line – don’t go it alone trying to self-treat undiagnosed hip pain. See the right professionals for a complete workup. An accurate diagnosis is the first step toward effectively conquering your hip issues and getting back in the weight room.

References:

Mosler AB, Agricola R, Weir A, Hölmich P, Crossley KM. Which factors differentiate athletes with hip/groin pain from those without? A systematic review with meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2015 Jun;49(12):810. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2015-094602. PMID: 26031646; PMCID: PMC4484362.
“Hip Conditioning Program – OrthoInfo – AAOS.” https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/recovery/hip-conditioning-program.
“Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Osteoarthritis.” NCCIH, 2017. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/glucosamine-and-chondroitin-for-osteoarthritis-what-you-need-to-know.
“Femoroacetabular Impingement – OrthoInfo – AAOS.” https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/femoroacetabular-impingement/.