The hip is the joint of the body where the thigh bone and pelvis bone meet, often called ball-and-socket joints. The hip joint is generally very stable, as it takes a great force to injure a healthy hip. However, issues such as sports injuries, overuse damage, and falling may lead to very serious hip pain. From bursitis to strains to fractures, hip pain is something that must be taken very seriously. While treatment for hip pain is often rest and physical therapy, more serious injuries may require surgery. Hip replacement are performed relatively often in the United States, with recent statistics as high as 300,000 hip replacements per year.
In general, hip pain comes with age. Nevertheless, active individuals and athletes are certainly vulnerable to hip injuries, especially when involved in high-impact, competitive sports. At Campbell Sports Rehab and Spine Center, our team of skilled chiropractors and experienced physical therapists are highly-trained to address your hip pain. Building a treatment plan around your personal needs, we ensure that our patients are able to recover in the quickest time possible. Our medical professionals handle the following hip pain:
Hip pain, whether acute or chronic, may develop in the groin or the middle of the thigh. In fact, many times hip pain is an indication of a back injury depending upon the injury details of the hurt individual. As such, it is imperative to speak with a hip pain specialist in order to determine the cause of the injury and the best plan of action for recovery treatment. Being proactive in your approach to treating hip pain will help to reduce pain, strengthen core muscles, and prevent future soreness.
Hip Flexor Strain
The groups of muscles that serve to move the hip forward while walking and running are known as the hip flexors. Both kicking and sprinting apply a great deal of stress to the hip flexors, as hip flexor strains are common injuries for professional athletes continually applying such pressure. The word “strain” can indicate any injury to the hip flexor from the most minor, a stretch in the hip flexors, to the most severe, which is a tear in the muscle tissue of the hip flexors. Overly forceful contractions typically cause hip flexor strains and treatment generally surrounds rest, ice, and physical rehabilitation.
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Hamstring Strain
From runners to football players to skaters, hamstring strains are amongst the most common and painful of athlete injuries. The hamstring refers to the three muscles running along the back of the thigh, allowing for the leg to bend at the knee. When one or more the three muscles are stretched too far, a hamstring strain is likely to occur. Even worse, severe stretches to these muscles may result in a tear as indicated by the level of pain. Teens going through growth spurts are particularly vulnerable to hamstring strains, in addition to those who neglect to stretch properly before strenuous exercise. Treatment for hamstring strains ranges from rest, ice, elevation and compression to stretching and strengthening exercises in physical therapy.
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Quadriceps Strain
Serving to extend and bend the leg, the quadriceps is the group of four muscles located in the front of the upper thigh which work with the hamstring for movement. Athletes typically maintain very strong quadriceps, as this muscle group is essential to high-speed sports. Unfortunately, quadriceps strains are very common sports injuries. More often than not, quadriceps strains occur when the athlete attempts to accelerate, placing too much force on the muscles. Therefore, athletes such as runners, hurdlers, and sprinters are most susceptible to this type of damage. Treatment for quadriceps strains typically requires physical therapy to rehabilitate the muscles while regaining strength and normal range of motion.
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Sciatica
Sciatica is one of the most common injuries suffered by adults today. In fact, research suggests that nearly 40 percent of people will suffer from sciatica or pain of the sciatic nerve during some time in their life. The sciatic nerve runs from either side of the body’s lower spine, continues to travel all the way through the pelvis and buttocks, and then passes the backside of each upper leg as it then splits by the knee into branches that reach down to the feet. While sciatica pain varies significantly, irritation to this nerve is often troublesome due to the length of the nerve and the many number of muscles and joints that it may cause pain in. For the most part, sciatica can be treated with over-the-counter medications as well as treatment and exercises to reduce the pain. However, when sciatica is severe, sufferers may need to undergo surgery to correct the issue.
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Adductor (Groin) Strain
The pectineus, the gracillis, adductor brevis and adductor longus, and adductor magnus make up the five adductor muscles located in the groin. The movement “adduction” refers to the legs pulling back towards the midline, a comment movement used extensively in sports such as sprinting, football, etc. When a sport requires a fast change in direction, an adductor (groin) strain is likely to occur, particularly when the muscles have not been warmed up appropriately. Ranging from a minor tear to a full rupture, adductor (groin) strains are treated in a variety of ways. Seeking the care of a sports injury specialist is imperative in order to take advantage of a recovery treatment plan that stretches and strengthens the groin.
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Bursitis
Hip bursitis is known as inflammation of the bursae located around the hip. The greater trochanter, which is the bony point of the hip, is the location where the muscles attach for hip joint movement. The trochanter has a large bursa overlying it, which becomes hip bursitis when irritated. A fluid-filled sac known as the bursa serves to protect the tendons and located between the two bones. When the space between the bones and the bursa narrows, there is not enough room for normal motion. As a result, irritation is caused to both the bursa and the tendons and causes swelling. Therefore, the first step to treating bursitis involves reducing the inflammation. Physical therapy is then utilized to help return the hip bursitis patient back to normal activities.
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Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD)
Degenerative joint disease (DJD) more often referred to as osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common joint disorders suffered today. Most often caused by either wear and tear or aging, degenerative joint disease refers to the breaking down of cartilage that serves as a cushion to the bones at the joint. When the cartilage is broken down the bones are unable to glide over one another smoothly, causing pain and discomfort. As the ligaments and muscles become stiffer and weaker, the hip often swells. While there is technically no “cure” for degenerative joint disease (DJD), physical therapy plays an enormous role in reducing pain and swelling while improving overall range of motion.
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Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS)
Commonly linked to running, iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) is a leading cause of pain for runners in the lateral knee. The iliotibial band refers to the thick band of fascia located on the lateral side of the knee which extends over the knee and hip from the outside of the pelvis and inserted right below the knee. A vital element is providing support for runners, injury to the iliotibial band is very painful. Deemed one of the most common overuse injuries for runners, iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) comes from any activity that requires the leg to turn inwardly, most often running. Treating iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) involves immediate rest in addition to stretching and electronic stimulation via physical therapy to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
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Athletes suffering from hip pain are encouraged to seek medical care immediately. When it comes to hip pain, the sooner the injury is addressed indicates a shorter recovery period. Through physical therapy and chiropractic care at Campbell Sports Rehab and Spine Center, our patients are able to improve their range of motion and strength in their hip, all while reducing pain and discomfort. Please contact our sports injury experts at your earliest convenience to schedule an appointment.