Osteopath for Hip Pain
In below article we will discuss symptoms, different causes and estimated recovery time. At Wellthy Clinic we offer combined treatments to give your body the best chance to optimise your recovery.
Where is Hip Pain Felt?
It can be felt deep into the hip joint but can also refer into your buttock, groin and sometimes down the front of your thigh. Pain referrals are common to your groin pain and are similar to lower back pain. Therefore important to gain a diagnosis from our Osteopath to establish the cause of your symptoms.
What Causes Hip Pain?
The most common causes are osteoarthritis especially in older adults. Osteoarthritis alternative treatment leads to inflammation of the hip joint and the breakdown of cartilage that cushions of your hip bones. Hip bursitis, bursae are fluid filled sacs which can become inflammed and cause pain. Tendinitis is where the tendons that attach your bones to muscles become inflammed again. Both bursitis and tendinitis are generally associated with repetitive overuse movements. Muscular strains (especially your hip flexor muscle) can become inflammed and be painful on hip movements.
Less Common Causes
Hip fractures are more common with age where the bones can become weaker and can break with falls. Avascular necrosis of the hip is where the blood flow to the hip slows and the tissue dies. This is more likely to happen following a fracture or a dislocation. Kidney or digestion referral, inflammatory and vascular conditions and potentially cancer are other differentials.
Hip labral tear, where the ring of cartilage within the hip joint (labrum) has torn. Athletes who have experienced a fall or a trauma with fast twisting movements are at higher risk of experiencing this problem. Or it could simply be a running injury from bad form, or an old injury aggravating the hip. It is therefore important to gain a specific diagnosis in order to know how best to treat your condition.
What Does Bursitis in the Hip Feel Like?
Joint pain and tenderness, there may also be swelling and feel warmth around the affected area. It will feel like a sharp pain for the first few days and then be dull and achy in nature afterwards. You will notice it more when going from a seated to a standing position. After prolonged sitting and when sleeping on the affected side. A bursitis can resolve relatively quickly (hours or days) or it can take longer (weeks and sometimes months). A bursitis can going away and then returning again with particular positions or movements. It would be best to see an Osteopath to gain a plan to optimise your healing process.
How Do I know if Hip Pain is Osteoarthritis?
A pain that feels deep inside the hip joint and can refer to your groin, buttock and thigh. You will feel joint stiffness worse in the morning or after prolonged sitting. You will experience a reduced hip range of motion typically when you spread the legs apart. Extend the leg straight back, or to point toes inward and move the entire leg in that direction. Your hip pain will be feel better with short rest but you will feel stiff after longer periods of rest. Typically hip osteoarthritis is more common for older people (60+ years old) and being overweight. In addition, female more than males, past history of hip trauma and with a family history of osteoarthritis.
What Doctor Helps with Hip Pain?
It’s not necessary to see your GP for a diagnosis for the majority of cases. Manual therapists (Osteopaths, physiotherapists or chiropractors) are able to diagnose hip pain. They will take a full case history and perform a physical examination with testing. Give you a diagnosis so you understand the cause of your pains. If the manual therapist then feel you require extra information a scan or GP referral will be made.
Can an Osteopath Help with Hip Pain?
Yes absolutely but it depends on the injury and condition of your hip joint. For hip pain treatment, a Sports Osteopath London will address the whole posture to get other areas moving more freely (typically knees, cranial osteopath for back pain, osteopath for shoulder pain and your other hip). This will reduce pressure onto your hip by distributing the forces more evenly. Osteopaths will use a combination of muscular stretching, joint articulations and joint manipulations (only when appropriate) techniques to increase the functionality of movement and reduce pain. Cranial Osteopathy techniques can be very useful for patients with hip pain as there are very useful for pelvic balancing. You will be advised on how best to self manage your tensions. Be given both muscular stretching and strengthening exercises. Our musculoskeletal health nutritionist specialist can also advise on how best to optimise healing times.
How Do I Know if my Hip Pain is Serious?
It depends how it started and normally how limited your hip movements are. If have experienced a fall or accident and feel a deep pain in the hip that you should go to A&E and request a scan to gain further information.
Should I keep Walking with Hip pain?
Yes if the pain is not too severe then light exercise has shown to be beneficial for people with hip OA for reduced knee pain and physical function (Cochrane 2018). At Wellthy Clinic we big advocates for meaningful movement and Pilates exercises are a superb for rehabilitation. The combination of stretching and strengthening exercises help increase blood flow to optimise inflammatory processes. In addition, increase functionality of joints, strengthens muscles and self empowers you to feel a little bit better. Exercises will be graded depending on the severity of your symptoms, regularly reviewed and changed to ensure progression.
Can Exercise Programmes Aid Recovery?
Chronic ongoing pains can affect all domains of people’s lives. People’s beliefs about chronic pain shape their attitudes and behaviours about how to manage their pain. Without adequate information and advice from healthcare professionals, people do not know what they should and should not do. Therefore they avoid activity for fear of causing harm. Participation in exercise programmes may slightly improve physical function, depression and pain. Furthermore gaining reassurance and clear advice about the value of exercise in controlling symptoms will encourage greater exercise participation, which brings a range of health benefits (Cochrane Library 2018). Our Pilates Rehabilitation exercises may speed up recovery.
How Long Should Hip Pain Last?
From an osteopath’s perspective typically an acute (experienced for less than 6 weeks) mechanical hip pain lasts 3-4 weeks. However longer lasting pains, depending on the cause and the individual will either take longer to recover. In both cases having a structured Rehabilitation plan will enable you to take control of your tensions would be worthwhile.
More Resources for Osteopathy for Pain
References
Cochrane Library (2019) Paracetamol versus placebo for knee and hip osteoarthritis https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013273/full?highlightAbstract=knee%7Cpain
Cochrane Library (2018) Exercise interventions and patient beliefs for people with hip, knee or hip and knee osteoarthritis: a mixed methods review https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010842.pub2/full?highlightAbstract=knee%7Cpain
Matthew Glithero
He is a dynamic Osteopath who delivers bespoke treatments aimed to reducing pain. Helping you feel better and empowering you to pro-actively manage your own symptoms.