Hip Pain

The hip joint is one of the most stable joints in the body. This means that when there is a problem it can be even more challenging to take care of it on your own.

Due to its proximity to the low back, one of the keys in the treatment of hip pain is to ensure the pain isn’t a referral from the back.

Pain is often located in the groin, buttock, or the outside of the hip. However, it can also travel down the front or side of the thigh (or the back of the thigh in the case of a hamstring injury), occasionally all the way to the foot.

Hip pain often leads to pain with:

  • Walking

  • Sitting

  • Squatting

  • Crossing your legs

  • Pivoting on the affected leg

  • Going up and down steps

  • A limp with walking

Common Diagnosis We Treat:

  • Total Hip Replacement

  • Post-operative Hip Fracture

  • Osteoarthritis

  • Bursitis

  • Gluteal Tendonitis

  • Hamstring Strains

  • Femoral Acetabular Impingement (FAI)

  • Labral Tears

  • Piriformis Syndrome

  • Athletic Pubalgia (Sports Hernia)

Is it your hip? Or is it your back? Talk to a Physical Therapist who has both the expertise and time to diagnosis this without relying on imaging.

FAQ’s for Hip Pain

I’m “Bone on Bone” There’s Nothing You Can Do…

Not necessarily. Both manual therapy and exercise have been shown to be effective in helping with pain associated with osteoarthritis with long term pain relief. The earlier you address these issues, the better PT is able to help. Don’t wait until the pain is unbearable. Even if it seems trivial at the time, exercise and healthy choices early on can make positive long term changes. 

I’m Not Having Pain Anymore, I Don’t Need PT

One of the best examples of how this may not be the case is evident with hamstring strains (and really muscle strains in general). About one third of hamstring strains will reoccur within the first year. Evidence shows us that despite pain subsiding, significant weakness remains in the injured tissue, setting it up for future injury. This not only occurs after strains, but after surgery and trauma as well. 

What If It’s Not Really Bursitis?

Tired of having to go get injections every few months in your hip due to recurring pain? Often pain here is diagnosed as “Hip Bursitis” or “Trochanteric Bursitis” however recent research suggests this may not actually be the cause of your pain. More than likely, it is actually a tendon on the outside of your hip causing the problem. That’s why the problem continues to reoccur, as the cause of the issue has not been addressed. Add that to the fact that repetitive injections in any joint and tendon can actually speed up the progression of arthritis and degeneration. Maybe it’s time to consider a different, exercise based approach?

References