Hip, pelvis, and thigh injuries in runners

Runners frequently experience pain in the hip, pelvis, and thigh. The differential diagnosis is broad, and pain in these regions often presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Common conditions include muscle strain, proximal hamstring tendinopathy, greater trochanteric pain syndrome, snapping hip syndrome, iliopsoas bursitis/tendonitis, and femoroacetabular impingement. A detailed understanding of potential etiologies as well as performing a detailed history and physical examination is critical to establish a diagnosis and to initiate appropriate treatment. Physical therapy and running gait analysis with retraining are essential in treating hip, pelvic, and thigh pain in the runner. More high-quality and runner-specific research is needed to determine optimal treatments.