After a few runs of training, I started experiencing some pain in my hip (trochanteric regional pain syndrome), so I came up with a rehabilitation strategy to help.

My rehab plan was designed to strengthen the muscles that slow down the body when landing from a jump, as well as the muscles that control the movement of body weight from side to side. These are the two types of forces that strain the muscles around the trochanter (the piriformis, the iliotibial band, the gluteus medius) and can cause hip pain.

For me, incorporating these exercises into my routine on a regular basis has allowed me to continue my training without pain and without even missing any of my training runs.

My rehabilitation strategy may also help you. Even if you’re not a runner, you may have hip pain, IT band syndrome, sacroiliac problems, or knee strain. Each of these local problems is likely to be traced to the same common cause: inadequate stabilization of vertical landing forces or lateral weight-shifting forces.

These are the exercises I’ve been doing:

1. Forward weight drift
Basic Level: Stand with your feet parallel and about 6 inches (15 cm) apart. Keeping your torso straight and all vertical alignment intact, allow your body weight to shift forward onto your toes as much as possible while allowing your heels to remain on the ground. Hold the position for 5 seconds and then return to the neutral position.

Added Difficulty: As your weight shifts forward on your toes, also raise both arms straight in front of you and hold them horizontal in front of you.

Added additional difficulty: Hold weights in your hands and lift them to a horizontal position in front of you.

2. Toe lift (student)
Basic level: Standing with your feet parallel, lift yourself up with both toes and then lower.

Added Difficulty: Lift one foot off the floor and use the force of just one foot to get up. You can keep your balance if you want.

Added additional difficulty: Hold weights in your hands while standing on your toes.

3. Toe pointing (stretched out)
Standing on the left leg, stretch the right foot out to the side to a point where the ball of the foot and the toes are still on the ground. Next, stretch your right foot further to the side, keeping your toes in contact with the floor as you lift the ball of your foot, moving your foot as far as you can while the toes of your right foot are still lightly touching the floor. Repeat on the other side. It can also be done with the feet parallel, stretching the foot forward.

4. Knee flexion (bent)
Basic level: bend your knees and then return to the vertical. Make sure the hip joint, knee joint, and ankle bend congruently.

Added difficulty: Bent over on one foot. You can hold on to keep your balance.

Added added difficulty: Hold the weight in your hands while you plie.

5. Pelvic forward shift
Basic level: Begin lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Straighten your knees over your feet, lifting your pelvis off the floor. It’s like you have a rope attached to your tailbone and the rope pulls your pelvis up and toward your feet.

Added difficulty: cross right ankle over left knee; Perform the pelvic forward shift using only your left leg. Repeat on the other side.

Added additional difficulty: place your feet on a gymnastic ball. Move your pelvis up and forward, just like in the forward pelvic shift. Keeping your pelvis elevated, move the ball in and out by bending and straightening your knees.

6. Plank pose
Lying on your stomach, lift your body, supporting your weight on your elbows and feet. Engage your abs to keep your body straight. Hold for 30-45 seconds.

7. Change from side to side
Basic level: stand with your legs wide apart. Roll your pelvis to the right and left, keeping it level and looking straight ahead.

Added Difficulty: At the end of each lateral shift, lift one leg and balance on the opposite leg.

Added extra difficulty: jump from side to side, land on one foot and keep your balance.

You can also jump back and forth and practice landing your jump.

8. Isometric leg raises or theraband
Isometric version: standing on one leg, lift the other to the side, pressing against a wall. Continue pressing against the wall, stabilizing on the standing side. Also practice lifting your leg forward, pressing forward isometrically against the wall.

Theraband version: Tie a theraband loop around both ankles, then lift one leg to the side, stabilizing on the standing side.

9. Leg squeeze
Basic level: Stand in a medium width stance. Squeeze the upper inner thighs together. Hold 30-45 seconds.

Added difficulty: practice the same movement while standing on one leg. Hold on to keep your balance. Use your gluteal muscles to bring your upper inner thigh toward the midline.

If you prefer to watch instead of read, here is the video version: https://youtu.be/gTLCVJRuWeY

Or read Chapter 5: I can convince myself of anything