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Regardless of the intensity, type or duration, hip and back pain can be disruptive to your life. No matter how you are affected, these pains can be frustrating, impacting your normal daily routine, training regimen, and lifestyle. Particularly for those who may need to spend most of their day sitting, hip and low back discomfort can even influence your work performance! Our team recognizes how these aches and pains can affect you and that’s why we created CORESHORTS™ to help. Learn how to manage hip and low back pain! 

Managing Your Daily Routine When in Pain 

There are several things you can do as part of your daily routine to help improve your hip and low back pain. 

Listen to your body 

Do not overwork your muscles to the point of injury/re-injury. If a certain exercise or activity is causing pain, stop, rest, and modify it. Remember that there is a difference between discomfort and pain. Make modifications so you can exercise safely and help your muscles gain strength. 

Get up and move 

If you have a sedentary job or are idle, set alerts to get up and move or stretch briefly. Also try to increase your heart rate with a brisk walk during a longer break. This activity will help loosen your spinal joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. A quick change of pace and influx of endorphins may also help lift your mood!  

Posture Matters  

If you do find yourself sitting throughout the day, make sure to watch your posture. Slouching or hunching over a computer are common causes of back pain. If needed, find a chair with good lumbar and mid back support or use a pillow for support. 

If you are still experiencing hip and low back pain after trying to manage your symptoms at home, make sure to speak with your health care professional for further advice on how to safely manage your discomfort.  

At-Home Treatment for Back & Hip Pain 

There are many natural and “over the counter” NSAIDs pain and anti-inflammatory options available for the treatment of minor aches and pains. This can come as a pill or as an ointment. If you have any health concerns with medication you should always consult your doctor for advice. 

Other at-home treatments for persistent low back and hip pains may include: 

• Icing the injury (PRICE- Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) to reduce inflammation  
• Heat to improve mobility 
• Physical Therapy, Chiropractic, Massage Therapy 
• Specific stretching, stability, and strengthening exercises as recommended by your health care professional 

Related > Core Stability Exercises for Runners and Athletes 

 Scott Arfield, Glasgow Rangers and Canadian International

Can I work out with constant or intermittent hip and back pain? 

Yes, it’s likely you can still work out while experiencing pain in the back and hips. Many people experience either constant or intermittent pain. If any exercise or activity results in spasm or it exacerbates the pain in either intensity, duration, or location then please do not continue the exercise. However, gentle movement is very important for recovery.  - until you are recovered - it’s best to stick with more low-impact aerobic exercises. These exercises will keep your muscles strong without adding trauma or further aggravation like high-intensity workouts might. You’ll keep both feet on the ground mostly, providing support to your body during the movement.  

The best exercise to promote recovery is walking. Not just strolling but actually a deliberate walk that utilizes an optimal stride length and arm swing. This allows for gentle motion as the shoulder and pelvic girdle work together. Progress the walks by 5 minute increments starting from 10 minutes. You should be able to at least successfully have three walks at that duration before increasing your time that way you never jump ahead too far. Points to consider - find your stride, it should be comfortable not too fast, don’t add hills - start out on flat ground. Walking can either be done outside or indoor on a treadmill. 

Another functional exercise is the “chair squat” - try to stay upright and slowly sit down into a chair then without having a forward lurch try to stand up out of the chair. Make sure the chair is against a wall so it doesn’t slide away. Repeat 3 - 5 times and progress as tolerated a few times per day. 

Bonus: These exercises are low impact on your knee joints, too! Don’t forget recovery - a foam roller is a good addition to a home gym as it can help to improve mobility, while also rejuvenating your muscles, and some post-workout soreness. 

While you are recovering, exercising and continuing to maintain normal function, wearing a pair of CORESHORTS™ can helps to stabilize those impacted muscle groups and joints. CORESHORTS are designed to improve optimal movement and stability for both injury recovery and return to normal function and activity. There are three versions available depending on how much support you need.  

Preventing Back and Hip Injuries 

While there’s no full-proof way to prevent injuries, wearing the right gear certainly helps! CORESHORTS™ were specifically designed by a Sports Physical Therapist to support the low back, pelvis, hip, and groin areas, all while optimizing motion control and stability.  

Low Back and Hip Stability

Through a patented “X” technology, CORESHORTS™ helps to reduce the risk of strain in the most common places for sports-related injuries and promotes recovery. The compression provided by the Core Activation System “X” enhances core support and offers increased stability. These are not your typical three cylinder compression shorts - the diagonal “X” is the key! 

If you are looking for a unique anatomically correct solution to sports injuries, look no further. Our shorts are used and backed by professional athletes and associations, including the NHL, NFL, MLS, MLB, and many sports in the NCAA. By using CORESHORTS™, you will feel a difference in your athletic performance and a reduction in your injuries and recovery time. Try them out for yourself today and experience the difference!

Dedicated athletes are used to pushing their bodies to the limit, stretching their endurance, strength, and technique. But injuries can really challenge an athlete’s patience. The first question that we often hear from injured athletes is when can I train, play, run, lift, etc. again? The mental pain that can be caused by an injury and the loss of your sport can feel more devastating than the injury itself. It’s important that the steps you take to recover from a sports injury address both your physical and mental health. Try some of the following sports injury recovery tips from your friends at CORESHORTS™ and get on your way to healing!  

First Steps to Sports Injury Recovery 

The first steps in recovery after evaluating a sports injury are often to use cold therapy and compression for initial treatment. Use the mnemonic “PRICE,” which stands for protect, rest, ice, compression, and elevation, to help reduce the swelling and pain accompanied with a soft tissue injury. The objective of using PRICE is to reduce the negative effects of inflammation (even though inflammation is one of the first steps in healing) and kickstart the healing process as soon as possible after an injury occurs. 

Pro Tip: Compression helps control swelling in the area of an injury. The variable compression ratings produced by our three versions of CORESHORTS™ can help protect and support the recovery of low back, groin, hip, and pelvic injuries.  

Understand Your Injury + Allow Healing  

If your injury is minor, such as a grade 1 sprain or strain, it will take two to four weeks away from competitive sport to allow time for rehabilitation, and recovery to promote healing. If needed, it may be of value to support the injured area with a splint, brace, or compression apparatus as recommended by the treating therapist. Continuing to use your injured body part under the guidance of a therapist will help prevent the injury from becoming a chronic problem.

Keep in mind that a lack of improvement or worsening pain warrants a trip to your sports therapist. Pain should never be ignored, and some injuries might require imaging and further evaluation by a Sports Medicine Physician. Be sure to follow your doctor’s advice closely. Don’t cut corners, and work as hard in your rehab as you usually do in your training regimen.  

Start Slow  

As the pain subsides and your injury heals, small movements of the joints and injured area can help restore your range of motion.  

A key component to recovery is the use of a graduated resistance program that will help strengthen your muscles. Resistance training also needs to be supported with exercises to improve balance, reflex control, and endurance in both the injured tissues and all those surrounding them. This kind of training will prepare your body to get back to your sport!  

Be careful though, do not start to stretch or use an injured body part without supervision from a physiotherapist, sports therapist, or doctor. Working the injured area prematurely can cause further injury and a longer recovery. That being said, light stretching can help your muscles stay loose while you heal. Just don’t overdo it or push your muscles too far if stretching causes pain to your injury. 

Eat a Healthy Diet + Hydrate  

Just as weightlifters eat ample protein on rest days to help their muscles recover, you should add more lean protein to your diet when you are in recovery from a sports injury. Adjusting your diet can help your body build more tissue and heal faster.  

Protein-rich foods like meat and fish help enhance your body’s muscle-building process. Leafy dark greens and citrus fruits can help boost vitamin C, which in turn produces collagen that rebuilds tissues. Eating foods rich in Omega -3 fats, such as fish, walnuts, chia seeds, spinach, and flax, can help limit inflammation and speed up recovery. There are also many supplements and plant-based options that will also work to enhance recovery. 

It’s easier to forget to adequately hydrate when you aren’t training or exercising regularly due to an injury. While you might not be participating in strenuous exercise and sweating a lot, your body is still hard at work healing and building new tissue to repair what was injured. Good hydration also helps to reduce muscle soreness and to flush toxins out of your body. 

Pro Tip: Drink water and natural fruit juice instead of sports drinks with added salt and electrolytes, especially if your injury is still swelling. Too much salt in your diet can cause you to retain water and increase swelling.  

Stay Active, If Possible 

Going from 100 percent to nothing can be quite a challenge, especially for serious athletes that are used to playing their sports nearly every day. The good news is that you don't have to completely give up physical activity because you are injured. While your injured body part does need time to heal, it is actually beneficial to add some light cardio throughout the week to your recovery plan, injury permitting.  

Getting your blood pumping boosts your immune system and reduces inflammation, two very important aspects of recovery. Try to incorporate various bouts of light exercise into your day while recovering. Exercises to consider could include swimming, light floor exercises, and simple yoga or stretching, depending on where your injury is and its severity.  

Sleep  

Sleep is one of the most important aspects of recovery from injury. Getting at least 7 to 9 hours of good sleep helps conserve your body’s energy for healing. As you sleep, more blood flows to your muscles, bringing oxygen and other nutrients that assist in repair. Sleep also produces HGH which helps build new tissue at a fast rate.  

The key here is to not just lounge around the house and rest, it's to actually sleep! Nap in the afternoon, and make sure that your house is cool at night to allow for deep restful sleep. The more time you spend sleeping, the more time your body has to heal! 

Emotional Well-Being  

A sports injury can be devastating, as it sidelines us from the things that we love to do. Believe it or not, your emotions play an important role in your healing process. Allow yourself to be sad, don't hide your feelings. This isn’t a time to be “macho” or “strong.” Don’t spend too much time on what “could have been.” Yes, a sports injury can disrupt plans, but your reality after injury is to heal so you can get back out there.  

Regardless of whether you have a long road of recovery ahead of you or just a few weeks, a good attitude can help speed up your recovery. Now is the time to set small attainable goals for yourself as you recover. These goals can be as simple as one additional rep with a resistance band or stretching your muscles a little bit farther each day. 

Remember that your injury is temporary. Try to stay positive, no matter what! Allow yourself to heal properly and be patient with the healing process. 

Prevention is Key 

We know how hard it is to be injured. No athlete likes to be sitting at home or watching from the sidelines. Fortunately, many types of sports injuries can be reduced or avoided. Make sure to warm-up before each workout. Include cardio, active stretching, and sport-specific preparation into your warm-up routine to adequately get your body ready for strenuous activity or exercise. 

Our recovery tips, along with the advice of your therapist or doctor, should have you back on the field, out running, lifting, or playing whatever sport it is that you love to do with a higher degree of safety and within an optimal recovery time.  

If you recently suffered a low back, groin, pelvic, or hip injury, our patented CORESHORTS™ utilizes a series of angled elastics (Core Activation System) to help you recover from injury and stabilize your low back, pelvis, and hips as you return to strenuous exercise and full function. Check out our line of CORESHORTS™ today! 

Range of motion: The full movement potential of a joint, usually its range of flexion and extension.

When you have a limited range of motion (ROM), your overall performance of desired activities is also limited. If you are training for a big race, hockey game, or triathlon, limited ROM can lead to overcompensation and possible injury. Weeks (or months) of rehab isn’t worth it the chance, that’s why we’re sharing ways to increase your ROM. 

Limited Range of Motion 

It’s nearly instinctual to stretch...until you get that pain in your back or shoulder. Limited ROM simply refers to a joint in your body that has a reduction in its ability to function properly. Example: a knee may lack 10 degrees of full extension due to a past sports injury.  

The reduced motion may be a mechanical problem with the specific joint, or it may be the result of past injury or disease. Most commonly, health issues such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other types of arthritis may impact your ROM. 

Stretching can be used to improve ROM of joints, and, as we’re sure you’ve noticed in your training regimen, is also a preventative measure. Why? If ROM is limited asymmetrically in the hamstrings, then your body can overcompensate, and it could lead to a pelvic torsion and lower back pain. When this occurs, you are taking chances with risking injury.  

CORESHORTSTM patented technology not only helps top athletes prevent injury, but it allows people who have injuries from compensating for lack of ROM and mobility. Check out our selection of premium compression shorts!

Why is full ROM important? 

A joint MUST go through its full ROM daily to remain healthy. If movement is limited, synovial fluid, which is a nutrient-rich and internal lubricating fluid, cannot properly circulate to protect your joints. Eventually, this will cause stiffness, joint and/or muscle dysfunction, and joint deterioration. 

A full ROM will increase flexibility, strength, muscle tone, and will help expend more calories. Other benefits of ROM exercises include: 

• Improved Circulation 
• Enhanced Muscle Strength 
• Maintained or Increased Flexibility
• Reduced Pain and Stiffness 
• Better Sports Performance 
• Decreased Injury Potential 

Pro athletes, amateurs, and elite weekend warriors alike all agree that compression shorts prevent injury and also enhance performance. The purpose and design of CORESHORTS™ are what differentiates them from regular compression shorts and makes them UNIQUE! Experience better performance and prevent possible injury by finding out which tier of compression best suits you. 

Ways to Improve Range of Motion

Here are four stretching methods to improve your ROM: 

 
Static Stretching  

Static stretching is basically holding muscle tissue in an elongated form.  At minimum, you should hold the stretch for 30- to 60-seconds at a mild to moderate discomfort level.  

Remember: Static stretching before athletic training may cause loss of performance.  When gaining ROM, then static stretching should be performed, after activity or separately. 

Dynamic Stretching 

Active stretching is where you are moving in and out of your available ROM. Think side lunges, trunk twists, and toy soldier kicks. When integrated into your warm-up, dynamic stretching can improve ROM. 

Myofascial Release  

Foam rolling may also help improve joint ROM. Unlike static stretching, it can be performed before or after training. Many athletes will choose foam rolling for post-workout to help with recovery time.   

Hold/Relax 

This form of stretching is called Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF). It’s a quick and effective method to increase ROM. While there are several types of PNF stretches, the hold/relax technique is easiest. All you do is move the joint or muscle to a point of feeling a light stretch and then hold for about 10 seconds.  After that, progress further a little more into the stretch and hold for about another 30 seconds.   

Remember: Stretching is critical to maintaining joint flexibility and ROM.  However, you should only feel a mild stretch, not pain!

Stability Starts with CORESHORTS™ 

Experience the difference of CORESHORTS™. Our Core Activation System "X" provides enhanced core support, improved stability, and optimizing ROM. 

Our patented core activation system features:  

• Revolutionary X band design (which mimics the functional anatomy of the body's core area to boost performance) 
• Anti-odor technology prevents the growth of odor-causing microbes
• Smooth, chafe-free flatlock seam construction 

Three levels available to suit any level of athlete - stability starts at CORESHORTS ™!