How Physical Therapy Tackles Hip Pain
You want to take care of some chores or go for a walk — but hip pain is keeping you on the couch. If this sounds familiar, know that you don’t have to suffer! At Recovery Physical Therapy, our physical therapists will guide you through a simple process to address your hip pain so you can get active again.
This newsletter will take you through that process, from understanding your symptoms to the outcomes you can expect from physical therapy. Still have questions? Call us to schedule an appointment!
Pinpoint Your Symptoms
There are several potential reasons why someone might develop hip pain. To treat your pain effectively, we need to pinpoint what that cause could be.
When you visit us for your initial appointment, one of the first things we’ll do is ask you to share your symptoms. “Hip pain” often causes a lot more than just pain, and being able to describe your pain, mobility limitations, and other concerns helps us get a clearer picture of your condition.
For example, you know that your hip hurts. But when do you experience pain (i.e., during activity)? Does your pain come and go? Where do you experience pain? Is it just in your hip, or do you feel it elsewhere? Is the pain a dull ache? Sharp and shooting?
Make sure to share additional symptoms you might be experiencing, too. Here are some common ones:
- Stiffness/limited range of motion in your hip
- Weakness throughout the lower extremities
- Mobility issues, including walking, going up or down stairs, or struggling to stand up
- Difficulty performing everyday tasks, such as putting on your shoes — and let us know which ones
Identify a Cause and Develop a Treatment Plan
Thanks to your detailed symptom description — as well as a health history and comprehensive physical exam — your therapist should be able to determine the underlying cause of your hip pain.
If you’re 55 or older, there’s a good chance your hip pain stems from osteoarthritis. This degenerative condition causes cartilage and bone tissue to break down, leading to pain and restricted mobility.
However, hip pain can also stem from an injury. If you’re an athlete or particularly active person, you may have suffered an acute injury, such as a labral tear, in which a ring of cartilage in the hip socket becomes damaged. You may have also sprained your hip — that is, damaged the ligaments that hold the joint together.
However, even if you haven’t had an obvious injury, an injury could still be to blame. Overuse injuries are injuries that develop gradually and, in the hip, generally affect the soft tissue — your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. They usually occur due to repetitive movements or improper biomechanics.
Your treatment plan will vary based on the underlying cause of your pain, but in most cases, we aim to…
- Help manage acute pain with manual therapy, modalities, or gentle stretches.
- Improve mobility and range of motion through targeted stretches and exercises.
- Build strength in the muscles surrounding the hip to support the joint.
- Restore your ability to perform everyday movements, such as going upstairs — and for the athletes, we’ll help restore your ability to perform sport-specific movements.
Understand Your Outcomes
As with treatments, your exact outcomes will vary based on the underlying cause. However, other factors can come into play, too, such as age, health status, and the amount of time you can spend with physical therapy (whether in the clinic or performing home exercise programs).
For example, osteoarthritis has no cure, but you can manage your symptoms with regular physical activity. If you stick with your prescribed exercise program, you can minimize pain, slow the progression of your condition, and delay or even avoid surgery.
If you suffered an injury, you likely will be able to resolve your hip pain, usually within 1-3 months. However, if your injury was severe, full rehabilitation — the point at which you’ve fully restored strength and function — may take longer. Continuing any prescribed exercises is important even if you no longer feel pain.
Start Your Own Journey to Hip Pain Relief Today
No matter the reason for your hip pain, the physical therapists at Recovery Physical Therapy will guide you toward lasting relief. Call us today to schedule an appointment to get started!
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This Crock Pot Irish Stew is a hearty, comforting classic that’s perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Slow-cooked and full of rich flavor, it’s an easy, cozy meal to enjoy with family and friends. 🍀
Enjoy This Seasonal Recipe!
Best St. Patrick’s Day Crock Pot Irish Stew
- 2 lbs beef chuck roast, cubed
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 1 envelope onion soup mix
- 2 (10¾ oz) cans tomato soup
- 1 soup can water
- 16 oz frozen peas
- salt and pepper, to taste
- parsley, for garnish
- Combine beef, potatoes, carrots, soup mix, tomato soup, can of water, salt and pepper in Crock Pot.
- Cook on LOW 8 hours.
- Add frozen peas and ¼ cup water.
- Cook on LOW 1 additional hour.
- Garnish with parsley.
Five Tips for Spring Sports Success
1. Get a Pre-Season Assessment
Pre-participation exams are required for young athletes, but athletes of all ages can benefit from a comprehensive evaluation to help them understand potential injury risks, including biomechanical issues, muscular imbalances, and other areas of improvement. An in-depth evaluation will help you better direct your pre-season training.
2. Develop a Dynamic Warmup
Do you have a go-to warm up routine? Now’s the time to develop one, and make sure you’re incorporating dynamic movements into your routine. Instead of holding a stretch, dynamic movements like leg swings, arm circles, and walking lunges increase your heart rate, get your joints moving, and sends blood flowing to your muscles.
3. Condition Your Body With Strength Training
If you neglected your training over the winter, now’s a good time to start restoring muscle strength, a crucial factor for success in any sport. Focus on exercises that target the muscles you use the most. For example, a soccer player might focus on strengthening their core and lower body.
4. Improve Cardiovascular Endurance
Of course, many sports don’t only require strength—you need stamina, too! Running, cycling, or swimming are excellent ways to boost your cardiovascular health and improve endurance. If you haven’t kept up with your cardio, make sure to gradually ease into training. Start with moderate-intensity exercises (like brisk walking or jogging) and then build the intensity as you get closer to the start of the season.
5. Rest and Recover
Training is important, but so is rest. If you want to avoid overtraining and repetitive use injuries, you need to give your body time to recover. Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night and take rest days between workouts to help your muscles repair and grow.
It’s Going to Be a Great Spring Sports Season!
Whatever spring sports you prefer, preparation is the key to success. We hope these tips get you started, but if you’d like more personalized guidance, don’t hesitate to call Recovery Physical Therapy today!
Our Patients Get Great Results
“My PT, Disha, is very balanced in her coaching. She holds me accountable for doing at-home exercises, while providing accommodations for exercises I struggle with. She has been a catalyst in my recovery and is always a pleasure to work with. The receptionists here are kind, organized, and efficient”
– Alana.
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Exercise of the Month
SIDE LYING HIP ABDUCTION
Begin by lying on your side with your head supported by a pillow, hips stacked, and your bottom knee bent at 45 degrees to provide a stable base. Bracing your abdominals, slowly lift your top leg, keeping your foot parallel to the ground, hold as instructed, and then slowly lower your leg back to the floor.
3 Sets, 10 Reps. (Materials needed: pillow)
