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Rehabilitating Hip Injuries

By Dr. Virginia Nsitem
PRIDE Pain Specialist

Do you experience hip pain lying on your side? Do you have difficulty walking with a full stride due to hip pain? Do you have difficulty rising from a seated position due to hip pain?

This article will discuss the how to rehabilitate hip injuries.

The Hip Joint

  • The hip is one of the largest weight-bearing joints in the body! The hip joint is formed from two bones: the top of the thigh bone (femur) that is shaped like a ball, and the smooth socket of the pelvis (acetabulum). The two fit together like a ball and socket!
  • The hip joint is surrounded by large muscles that help with movement and stability. The hip muscles include the gluteal muscles (buttocks), the adductor (inner thigh) muscles, the hip rotator muscles, and the hip flexor muscles.
  • Two major nerves associated with the hip include the sciatic nerve (at the back of the hip) and the femoral nerve (at the front of the hip).
  • The ball and socket hip joint is surrounded by ligaments that form a type of capsule around the joint. The capsule contains fluids which help lubricate the hip joint. There are also small sacs of fluid (bursa) that cushion areas where muscles and tendons come into contact with the hip bones.

Typical hip problems include:

  1. Osteoarthritis: A frequent cause of hip pain is the wear and tear of the hip joint. This can cause groin pain with walking, sitting, climbing stairs, and lying down on the affected hip.
  2. Tendonitis: The tendons of the hip muscles can become irritated and inflamed from repetitive or strenuous activity. This causes pain with movements at the hip such as bending the leg at the hip, moving the hip outward or inward, and walking comfortably.
  3. Muscle strains: Groin pulls are an example of a hip muscle strain. This injury is caused by too much stress on the muscles at the groin (inner thigh).
  4. Bursitis: The fluid-filled sac that prevents the muscles and tendons from rubbing on the bone can become inflamed. This causes pain with lying on the affected hip.
  5. Nerve pain: Irritation of the nerves at the hip can refer pain to the hip joint and surrounding area. The sciatic nerve can actually be irritated in the low back region and cause hip pain!
  6. Fracture: This occurs usually after trauma (falls and accidents) and is often seen in those who suffer from osteoporosis (decreased bone density).

What treatments are helpful?

The first step to addressing hip pain is getting a proper diagnosis. It is important to see your chiropractor or physician for a full evaluation. You may be referred for follow-up tests such as an x-ray or ultrasound.

For common conditions such as some of the ones listed above, your therapy program may include Laser therapy and ice for pain relief and healing, chiropractic techniques to promote proper movement of the hip joint, massage therapy, and a specific stretching and strengthening exercise program. You may also be educated on ways to modify your daily activities to prevent a recurrence of the pain.

Dr. Virginia Nsitem is a chiropractor specializing in laser therapy for muscle, joint, and nerve injuries, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences in Canada. She may be reached at (905) 275-4993, or by email at totalhealth@bellnet.ca.

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