Welcome to the Running Explain podcast. I'm Elizabeth, a marathoner, running coach, and answer seeker.

When I became a new runner at the age of 29, I had so many questions, but it felt like I was on my

own to figure all of the answers. So now I'm here to answer all your running questions to help make

you a better, smarter, faster, runner.

There's no question too simple and no topic too complex.

So let's get started.

My guest this week is running specific sports physical therapist, Dr. Lisa Mitro.

You might be familiar with one of her many informative reels on Instagram

at doctor.lisa.dpt. She is a go-to resource for all things physical therapy and running.

Why does this hurt? Why is this happening to me? And today we are talking specifically about

your hip flexors. Why they feel tight, why they're weak,

what you can do about it, and why you should care about your hip flexors in general as a runner.

Dr. Lisa Mitro, welcome to the show. I'm excited to have you here.

Yeah, I'm excited to be here. This is going to be a fun episode.

So before we get started, I always like to learn here. This is going to be a fun episode. So before we get started,

I always like to learn a little bit about my guests. So go ahead and tell us about yourself.

How'd you become a runner and a physical therapist? Yeah. So I actually knew I wanted to become a physical therapist in high school a little early on. I had the opportunity to go to a technical center, my senior year of high school,

and I took a sports medicine class, so I knew that's exactly what I wanted to do.

I thought it was so fun.

I didn't have to take physics in high school, but jokes on me because I had to take two physics in college,

but I knew early on, like, working with athletes and specifically, like, the sports medicine

field, I just had so much interest in it and really just, like, as an athlete in college, like,

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