hip pain

The hips are one of the body’s largest joints. Hip pain may be on the outside of your hip, upper thigh or outer buttock. The pain may occur when resting, walking or participating in some kind of activity. Hip pain can be persistent and limit mobility and activities.

Even though the hip joint is durable, the joint can get worn down with age or usage, resulting in hip pain. Bones in the hip can break after a fall and lead to hip pain. Arthritis, hip fractures, bursitis, and tendinitis are common causes of hip pain. Arthritis leads to the breakdown of cartilage. It causes reduced range of motion of the hip, stiffness, and pain. Bursitis occurs when the bursae get inflamed. There’s friction from the tissues rubbing together. Usually, inflammation of bursae is a result of repetitive activities that irritate the hip joint. Tendinitis is inflammation of the tendons, which are thick bands of tissues that connect bones to the muscles. Like bursitis, it’s usually from overuse.

Research has shown that those with hip pain benefit from physical therapy. One study compared patients with manual techniques and mobilizations to people who just did exercises at home to reduce hip pain. The patients who went to physical therapy had twice the pain relief compared to those who didn’t undergo physical therapy. The manual techniques of physical therapists also improved daily mobility and the quality of life.

We design specific exercise programs to target hip pain. Patients may also undergo passive treatments, such as ice therapy, heat therapy or electrical stimulation to help reduce pain. All around, physical therapy takes a holistic and multi-faceted approach to help patients manage hip pain.