Hip Pain

Pain in the hip can be debilitating. Even simple movements that we take for granted such as climbing a flight of stairs can become a seemingly impossible task. Sharp shooting pain that comes and goes is not uncommon. Some patients report gradually increasing pain in the hip during long term sitting, while others don’t notice the pain until they try to stand up. But where is that pain coming from? The hip joint is designed to withstand repeated motion and a fair amount of wear and tear. … If your hips are sore, come see us to help determine what is causing your pain, resolve it and prevent it from happening again.

Osteoarthritis of the Hip

Osteoarthritis of the hip is what we call the gradual wear and tear of the hip joint from aging. Usually patient will describe this pain as a deep ache that gradually worsens. X-Rays are useful to visualize the joint to see how much wear and tear is present. While most adults have some level of wear of their hips, if there is a significant amount, it is usually a good idea to see an orthopedic doctor, especially if conservative care is not helping. At Superior Spine Care we can help determine if your pain is from osteoarthritis and your best course of action is to see an orthopedic doctor, or if the hip pain is caused by something treatable with chiropractic care, physical therapy and/or massage therapy.

Most Hip Pain Caused by Movement Problem

For most of our patients, osteoarthritis is not the case. More often, the hip pain is coming from a biomechanical problem elsewhere in the body. In other words, there is a movement problem in the leg or the pelvis that is putting stress on the hip. Sometimes this dysfunction is coming from the ankle or foot. If you think of the ankle, knee, and hip as a “chain” of joints that have to work together, you can see how one area can affect another. If there is a restriction in the ankle it will become out of sync with the hip, and cause irritation of the hip. This irritation over time can lead to swelling and pain.

Realignment of Pelvis, Hip, Knee and Ankle

Other times this movement problem is coming from the lower back and pelvis itself. If the pelvis is “twisted” or if a problem in the lower back is causing the body to carry weight more on one side than the other, this causes one hip to become irritated. The hips are the two load bearing joints of the pelvis, and if they aren’t in balance with each other, the joint with more stress on it will become painful and swollen. By gently realigning the joints of the pelvis, hip, knee, and ankle, it allows the chain to move freely and reduce the stress on the hips.

Give us a call today to schedule an evaluation to see if we can help with your hip pain.