Hip Physical Therapy
Are you looking for hip injury physical therapy services? OneRehab expert therapists will help you effectively rehab your hip!
Types of Hip Injuries That Could Require Physical Therapy
Several injuries that require physical therapy affect the hips. Hip physical therapy controls symptoms while improving general functional mobility. We provide an intensive program to decrease or eliminate hip pain while enhancing the range of motion on the hip leading to normal function. The most common hip injuries include:
- Early/mild arthritis
- Hip impingement (Femoroacetabular impingement)
- Muscle strains (IT band, groin, hip flexor)
- Sacroiliac joint pain
The hip joint is a ball and socket made up of the femur (the thigh) and the pelvis. Many ligaments support these bones providing joint stability. Many muscles are also attached to the joint, helping in movement.
Pain on the hip can result from various issues. Sometimes, the pain can come suddenly and for no apparent reason. Other times recreational activities such as sports can put a strain on the hip. Also, a patient can have other underlying medical conditions. We provide physical therapy to patients to help them improve hip conditions despite the cause. Rehab your hips today!
Early/mild arthritis
Arthritis is one of the primary causes of pain in the hip. It is a progressive condition that starts gradually becoming worse with time. Arthritis refers to joint inflammation. It leads to pain and swelling in the joint.
Types of Arthritis
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis refers to arthritis of the bones. It is a common type of this condition described as the joints’ wear and tear. It is common among the elderly. The hip compromises the femoral head, which is ball-shaped, fitting inside the acetabular socket. Smooth cartilage is lined in this hip socket, allowing comfortable joint movement.
If the smooth cartilage wears and tears, it leaves a rough surface. As the ball and socket grind against it, it causes pain. Osteoarthritis can lead to a damaged hip joint over time.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
It is a systematic disorder that affects the whole body, not just the hip joint. An immune system response leads to inflammation of a unique capsule surrounding the hip joint to protect it. There is a special lining known as the synovial lining covering the capsule, and it contains a lubricant or joint fluid, helping it move smoothly. Rheumatoid arthritis leads to inflammation or swelling in this synovial lining leading to pain.
Ankylosing spondylitis
It is a chronic inflammation occurring on the spine and the sacroiliac joint leading to hip inflammation.
Symptoms of Arthritis
- Hip joint pain, which can include the outer thigh, groin, or buttocks
- Pain in the morning becoming less with activity
- Pain that can be aggravated by extended or vigorous activity
- Walking with a limp or difficulty walking
- Stiffness, or locking in the hip limiting motion range
Treatment and Management
Medication
Ibuprofen and other over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can manage pain and relieve swelling in the joint. A patient can also take analgesics, which also help with the pain. Steroid injections can also treat pain and ease inflammation.
Lifestyle Changes
Arthritis is a progressive condition that can is manageable through various lifestyle changes. Physical therapy for hip arthritis can increase the range of motion and improve muscle strength for muscles around the hip. We have the best therapists helping patients relieve stress, build strength, increase flexibility, and regain full motion range.
Other lifestyle changes include using assistive devices when the condition is advanced. Such devices can include a cane or a walker. We help our patients learn how to use those devices effectively as they continue with physical therapy.
Lifestyle Changes
Arthritis is a progressive condition that can is manageable through various lifestyle changes. Physical therapy for hip arthritis can increase the range of motion and improve muscle strength for muscles around the hip. We have the best therapists helping patients relieve stress, build strength, increase flexibility, and regain full motion range.
Other lifestyle changes include using assistive devices when the condition is advanced. Such devices can include a cane or a walker. We help our patients learn how to use those devices effectively as they continue with physical therapy.
Surgical Treatment for Hip Arthritis
The options available here include total hip replacement and hip resurfacing. They help patients manage pain. Physical therapy aids in recovery after these procedures.
Patient Wellbeing is Our Primary Concern
Get customized hip injury therapy treatment at an affordable cost. Contact OneRehab today.
Hip Impingement (Femoroacetabular Impingement)
The femoral head glides smoothly within the hip socket. However, when there is a problem within the hip socket, it can interfere with this smooth action. This abnormal tearing leading to contact between the femoral head and the socket leads to increased friction, causing pain. This condition is referred to as hip impingement or FAI (femoroacetabular impingement).
What are the Symptoms?
Hip impingement, in its first few years, does not lead to pain. Its symptoms are also mild in its onset.
- Stiffness in the hip, thigh, or groin
- Limited range of motion
- Pain in the groin area mostly after flexing the hip (running, sitting for long, or jumping.
- Feeling pain in the groin, thigh, or hip when resting.
What are the Causes?
When the femoral head or neck are deformed or the socket covers a more significant femoral head area, the condition can occur. Repetitive bumping of the femur on the socket acetabulum’s rim over time causes cartilage and labral damage.
The deformity can result from structural deformity at birth, or it can become abnormal during development. Repetitively performing certain activities that involve leg movement beyond the normal range can also lead to hip impingement.
Types of Hip Impingement
Cam Impingement occurs when the femoral head is not fully round, thus interfering with smooth movement within the socket.
Pincer Impingement: This is a result of the femoral head getting excess coverage from the acetabulum. Both conditions can exist at the same time or individually.
Symptoms
- Thigh, hip, or groin stiffness
- Difficulties with flexing the hip beyond the right angle
- Experiencing groin pain after flexing the hip
- Pain that occurs in the groin area when resting
Hip Injury Treatment and Management
Some types of surgeries can correct the condition. Patients can also take pain medications, which help relieve pain and deal with inflammation. Hip labrum physical therapy helps in strengthening the muscles that support the hip. Our therapists specialize in hip recovery, and they can design an exercise program suited to a patient’s need.
Muscle Strains (IT Band, Groin, Hip Flexor)
Hip flexor muscles refer to a group of muscles attached to the hip joint allowing movement of the joint. They are useful for everyday activities. An injury to the muscles in this area can be partial or lead to extreme tearing of the muscles or tendon.
Signs and Symptoms
- Experiencing pain in the groin or front of the hip
- Weakness, tenderness, or pain when walking or climbing stairs
- Pulling sensation in the hip or groin
- Pain as you lift your knee to your chest
- Swelling and bruising
- Muscle spasms
- Pain as you walk
- Visible deformity on muscles
Treatment and Management
During the early stages of an injury, the RICE method is helpful as a home treatment. Resting the hip from unnecessary activities can help in recovery. Applying an icepack as soon as one faces an injury can help relieve the pain. Compressing the hip with an elastic bandage can aid in reducing swelling. Elevating the hip can also help reduce any swelling.
It is good to visit a physician in severe injuries, especially if the pain occurs out of the blue. Other treatment methods involve hip injury physical therapy. At OneRehab, we specialize in providing the best personalized care to manage hip pain from muscle strains.
Sacroiliac Joint Pain
The sacroiliac joint has little motion, and it connects the iliac crests (hip bones) to the sacrum, a triangular bone between the tailbone (coccyx) and the lumbar spine.
The sacroiliac joint’s main job is to absorb shock between the pelvis, legs, and upper body. An inflammation affecting that joint is referred to as sacroiliitis. It can lead to pain in the buttocks and lower back extending to the legs.
Symptoms
- Experiencing pain after standing for long, running, climbing stairs, or taking a large stride
- Lower back pain
- Pain spreading to the buttocks, hip, or groin
- Stiffness and decreased range of motion in the hips and lower back, pelvis, and groin
Symptoms
- Traumatic injury
- Arthritis
- Pregnancy
- Infections in rare cases
Treatment and Management
The cause of the pain can determine the treatment approach. Pain-relievers can help in managing the pain. Patients with muscle spasms can use muscle relaxers to alleviate the condition.
Doctors can use surgical and other non-invasive methods to treat the condition. They range from corticosteroids injections, which help in pain and inflammation management. They can also implant an electrical stimulator in the sacrum to reduce pain. Using radiofrequency energy can also help damage the nerve tissue leading to pain.
Physical Therapy for Hip Pain & Injury
You can benefit from physical therapy for hip pain, which helps control your symptoms and improve your overall mobility. At OneRehab, our program focuses on reducing or eliminating pain to improve your range of motion and strength. As a result, you regain functional mobility.
When you visit our clinic, we conduct assessments and evaluations. The goal is to ensure a correct diagnosis. We gather information concerning the condition by interviewing you. We ask for details about the history, the aggravating and relieving factors, and look at your medical history.
The hip therapy evaluation will entail:
Evaluating Your Gait
Gait evaluation entails assessing how you walk. Whether you are coming in for physical therapy for hip bursitis, or hip injury, or replacement, how you walk can tell us the extent of the condition, helping us define an individualized treatment plan. Our trained therapist will notice even the slightest change in gait leading to proper management. We can also conduct a video gait analysis to identify even the slightest issues that may be causing you pain.
Palpation
A physiotherapist also uses hands to evaluate the extent of the condition. They touch various hip structures, helping determine if there are any abnormalities. They can also determine if the hip area is still painful to touch.
Measuring Range of Motion
After an injury, sickness, or surgery on the hip, the range of motion around that area is affected. Before attempting hip-strengthening exercises physical therapy, the PT will assess how you bend or rotate the hip. They can use special equipment to measure the hip joint movement, which can help determine the correct treatment approach.
Measure Strength
Before coming up with an individualized therapy for hip pain, the PT needs to determine the strength of the hip. Since there are various muscular attachments around the hip, measuring strength helps determine if imbalance or weakness is causing the pain.
Mobility Tests
During the first visit, the physical therapist can request you to climb stairs, walk, or run. The goal is to test how hip pain affects functional mobility.
Other Tests
The body organs are interconnected, and they work together for improved and normal function. The therapist can request you to perform certain maneuvers to assess how other structures affect mobility. They can test the lower back and the spine to see if they are the source of the hip pain.
Physical Therapy Exercises for Hip Pain - Rehab For Hips
Once the therapists perform the evaluation, they can now create a custom-designed treatment plan. First, they can use ice packs or heat to reduce inflammation. This is a feel-good temporary treatment, and active pain management is required to resolve the problem fully.
Physical therapy exercises can help with hip bursitis, labral tear, hip flexor tendonitis, and many other conditions. They help to increase strength and hip mobility.
Apart from doing the exercises at the clinic, you need to continue the same at home to achieve the best results. Follow the advice from the therapist on how to safely conduct the exercises to avoid re-injury. These exercises include:
- Hamstring Stretch
- Hip Flexor Stretch
- Straight Leg Raising
- Bridge
- Hip Hikers
- Squats
- Modified planks
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1761 International Pkwy Suite 135, Richardson, TX 75081, United States
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