Why Hip Pain Happens When Running — And How to Fix It

Whether you’re logging a few miles a week around the lakes in Minneapolis or training for your next marathon or Ironman, hip pain can be a frustrating roadblock. As a fitness forward physical therapy clinic, we see hip pain in runners of all levels — and the good news is, it’s almost always fixable with the right approach.

Why Hips Hurt When You Run

Your hips are the bridge between your legs and your core. Every stride you take sends force through the hip joint, muscles, and tendons. Over time, imbalances in mobility, stability, or load tolerance can cause breakdowns. The most common issues we treat in runners include:

• Gluteal Tendonitis – Irritation or overuse of the gluteus medius or minimus tendons, often from running form inefficiencies or a sudden increase in mileage.

• Gluteal Bursitis – Inflammation of the fluid-filled sac (bursa) at the outside of your hip, which can cause sharp pain with running or lying on your side.

• Load Intolerance – When your hips can’t handle the amount of running you’re asking of them due to weakness, lack of conditioning, or incomplete recovery from previous training cycles.

Hip Mobility vs. Hip Stability

Many runners think stretching will solve their hip pain — and sometimes it does help — but the bigger question is whether you have the right balance of mobility and stability. Too little hip mobility can cause compensation in your stride. Too much mobility without control can put excessive stress on tendons and ligaments.

That’s where running analysis comes in. By breaking down your form with slow-motion video, a physical therapist in Minneapolis who understands runners can pinpoint the exact mechanical cause of your pain and design a plan to fix it.

Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

• Hip pain that gets worse the longer you run

• Pain when sleeping on your side

• Clicking or catching in the hip joint

• Pain that lingers for more than a week despite rest

These are all signs your body needs more than a foam roller or “just stretching.” Continuing to run through hip pain can turn a minor tendon or bursa irritation into a months-long injury.

How a Fitness Forward Physical Therapist Can Help

At our clinic, we don’t just treat pain — we address the why. This often means:

• Strength training to improve glute and core stability

• Mobility work targeted at hips, hamstrings, and spine

• Load management to safely return you to full training without setbacks

• Running analysis to correct stride mechanics and prevent recurrence

Our approach helps casual runners return to pain-free miles and gives serious athletes the durability to handle the demands of marathon and Ironman training.

Bottom Line

Hip pain when running isn’t a sign to quit — it’s a sign to adjust. By identifying the cause early and working with a fitness forward physical therapist in Minneapolis, you can protect your hips, improve your running efficiency, and get back to doing what you love — whether that’s a Saturday jog or crossing your next finish line.