Hip pain is a common complaint among those who ride bicycles frequently. Your hip injury can be the result of overuse of certain muscles and tendons of the legs during early-season training sessions or improperly positioned bike components such as seats or handlebars. Addressing the issues leading to your hip pain can make cycling more enjoyable for you; consult your doctor if the pain persists or worsens, and before attempting to self-treat any injury.
Anatomy
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint with the head of the femur, or thigh bone, fitting snugly in place into a concave socket in the pelvis called the acetabulum, the Sports Injury Clinic website explains. Three ligaments are chiefly responsible for stabilizing the joint: the iliofemoral, pubofemoral and ischiofemoral ligaments. Surrounding the hip is a group of muscles which attach or cover the the joint such as the gluteals, quadriceps, hamstrings and groin muscles.
Types and Causes
The most common cause of hip pain due to cycling is iliotibial band syndrome. The IT band is a thick area of tissue located along the outside of the leg from the hip to the knee, according to the Cycling Performance Tips website. When the IT band tightens up it can rub over bony outcroppings on the hip or knee, causing pain; muscular imbalances of the quadriceps or hamstrings can make this pain worse. The three tendons of your hip can develop tendinitis as a response to a workload that is increased too quickly, the MedlinePlus online medical encyclopedia warns. In addition to the physical causes, the positioning of certain elements of your bike such as the saddle, length of the cranks or riding position can also result in pain.
Treatment
If your hip pain is nagging rather than debilitating, you may be able to treat it at home by following certain guidelines. Take a break for cycling and other activities that aggravate the injury for a couple days until the pain is more manageable. Use an over-the-counter pain medication containing acetaminophen or ibuprofen to combat pain and inflammation. Sleep on the non-injured hip and with a pillow in between your knees, Cycling Performance Tips suggests.
Prevention
To help avoid any further hip problems, you should follow a training schedule where you don't increase your overall mileage by more than 10 percent per week. You should stretch before and after a cycling workout. Make sure your seat is positioned so that with the lowest pedal at the 6 o'clock position, your knee is bent at a 30- to 35-degree angle, the Brian Mac Sports Coach website advises. The position of your seat forward or backward should be such that when the pedals are aligned at the 3 o'clock position, your knee falls over the axle of the pedal.
