Hip pain is no fun for anyone, especially those of us who love to hike and run. But it doesn’t always mean you’re dealing with an injury, and as I found out, sometimes there’s an easy fix.
A couple of years ago, I developed muscle pain in my outer hip, a few inches above the hip joint. It was always worse after a run. It improved if I took a break from my running shoes for a bit. I tried everything to fix it: massage, foam rolling and endless stretching. Nothing helped.
Finally, I consulted a physiotherapist. I expected to get a tendonitis diagnosis and a prescription for rest. Instead, after a thorough examination to rule out injury, she handed me a resistance band and told me to start strengthening my gluteus medius with lateral leg raises. Within a week, my pain was gone.
What is a lateral leg raise?
A lateral leg raise is a glute exercise, meaning it targets muscles in the buttocks. It's particularly beneficial for the gluteus medius, one of three large muscles in the area. When a lateral leg raise is done with a resistance band, the exercise helps "improve strength, endurance, and neuromuscular control of this muscle," says Paula Ralph, a physiotherapist and former endurance cyclist.
Paula explains that when stabiliser muscles in the hip and knee aren't working effectively, the gluteus medius is forced to work harder. As the muscle sits on the outer side of the pelvis, covering much of the hip, this can lead to overload and pain in the hips.
"If weakness or poor stability is the underlying issue, repeatedly stretching the muscle does little to address why it is being overloaded in the first place," she says.
I love these resistance bands from Amazon. They come in five different levels, perfect for all kinds of movements and abilities.
You can do lateral leg raises just about anywhere to strengthen your outer hips and core stabiliser muscles, as long as you have a resistance band. I bring mine along on every work trip and holiday. I’ve now been pain-free for over a year, and I make these movements a regular part of my fitness routine.
How to do lateral leg raises with a resistance band
- Place the resistance band around your thighs, just above your knees.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and if balance is an issue, place one hand on a wall or chair to steady yourself.
- Brace your standing leg so that it doesn’t move, then press your other leg as far out to the side as you can.
- Bring it back in, then bend your knee and draw it up in line with your belly button.
- Repeat 10 times on each leg.
There are a few different approaches to strengthening the gluteus medius, but the lateral leg raise was recommended to me as it also strengthens my hip flexors. These small muscles can often be weak in runners and contribute to hip pain.
Benefits of lateral leg raises
- Improves running form: “Since the glute medius acts as a hip stabiliser, strengthening it helps to protect correct alignment in the lower body," says personal trainer Eloise Skinner.
- May help prevent hip pain: “Keeping the glute medius strong also reduces tendon damage and can promote healthy healing of damaged tendons in this area, reducing the overall feeling of pain or discomfort," she says.
- Improves lower-body stability: “If the stabilising muscles around the hip are not functioning efficiently, or if the body lacks adequate control through the pelvis and trunk, the glute med can become overworked and eventually painful,” says Paula.
- Improves balance: The gluteus medius' job is to move your leg out to the side (hip abduction). It plays a critical role in stabilising your pelvis when you are standing on one leg. This means it is working continuously whenever you are running or walking.
While the lateral leg raise is a great strength training exercise for runners, there could also be other reasons for your hip pain. Paula recommends checking how you run, how often you run, your footwear choices, mobility, and even how tired you are to understand the muscle weakness.
“The key is identifying why the muscle is being asked to work harder than it should rather than simply treating the symptom," she says. Speak to a physiotherapist if you're unsure what's causing the issue and for alternative treatment options.
