People frequently come to physical therapy with different complaints involving the hip. The number one complaint being pain localized to the hip joint and muscles surrounding the joint. Some people also experience stiffness in and around the hip and even the lower back. These issues create difficulty moving the joint and generalized weakness in the affected leg.
Hip pain affects people from all walks of life. Unfortunately, because the hip is a weight-bearing joint, most people find difficulty in creating lasting relief for their symptoms.
The most common symptoms of hip issues include pain in either the front, side or back of the hip. The pain may also localize in the lower back, groin or buttocks. When this happens, it common for people to ignore the actual hip joint and therefore, not address the inherent weakness or tightness or poor mechanics of this joint that is causing these issues.
In addition to pain, you may also experience:
-Snapping
-Clicking
-Weakness
-Difficulty walking
-Difficulty standing up or sitting down
-Radiating numbness and tingling
-Symptoms that seem to constantly change location in the upper leg.
Having pain or stiffness in your hip can cause difficulty with the following functional activities:
- Walking
- Going up and down stairs
- Squatting
- Standing up from a chair
- Standing for prolonged periods of time
While various hip injuries have different causes, common issues include age, activity level and type, trauma, weakness and poor movement patterns. As with most issues of pain, the common reaction is to cover up the problem with a band-aid such as taking some painkillers or stopping whatever activity bothers you as much as possible- but it doesn’t have to be this way!
IT band syndrome is a common hip issue that is not as widely known as arthritis, strains or tendonitis of the hip muscles. The IT band or iliotibial band is a thick band of connective tissue called fascia that aids the lateral hip musculature and assists with stabilizing the knee. The symptoms of IT band syndrome include pain along the outside of the leg and occasionally a snapping sensation with activities such as running or jumping. Contributing factors include weakness in the hips and muscles down the back of the body from the lower back and down, friction or compression of the tissues and muscle tightness. If you don’t address this problem, the pain will get worse and will further limit your activity. This reduces your ability to remain physically active and to complete activities that you enjoy.
You may be asking how physical therapy can help your hip. A skilled clinician will evaluate your specific deficits and develop an individualized plan to help return you to your activities. By using a targeted approach of appropriate manual therapy techniques and exercises, our aim is to not only reduce your pain, but to address the root causes and give you the tools to take care of your hip in the long term. Don’t go for the band-aid approach; come to Loudoun Sports Therapy Center! Call our office today at 703-450-4300 and handle your hip problems for good!
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