What’s Wrong With My Hip?

Have you been having hip pain that doesn’t seem to go away; that no amount of stretching or foam rolling takes care of? There are many structures in and around the hip that can be involved; Labrum, IT band/Glutes (I put these together because Gluteus Medius Tendinopathy is often misdiagnosed as IT Band Syndrome, but we will leave that for another day), and hip flexors to name a few.

We also have to be aware that a common referral pattern for the low back is into the hip, so screening for Lumbar Spine injury is important as well. As in previous posts, ruling out a fracture by using signs such as excessive swelling, extreme tenderness on bony areas, and severe difficulty walking is needed before moving on to musculoskeletal treatment. 

In the event that there is no fracture present, and we can be sure there are no symptoms coming from the low back, we can then move on to treating common hip disorders such as hip impingement, arthritis, or tendonitis.

For this, here are a couple of pain-relieving mobility exercises to take pressure off of the hip and prime the body for the stability and strength phases of healing.

Figure-Four Stretch: Place affected leg on other leg resting on the table as shown.  Stretch to tolerance, pushing down using hand as needed to increase intensity of stretch (Maintain any pain under 4/10 level). Hold 30 seconds and perform 3 times

Lateral Hip Mobilization: Place a resistance band around the inside aspect of the affected hip.  Then pull the knee towards the opposite shoulder to feel a stretch in the outside part of the affected hip, and a slight “gapping” sensation on the inside part of the hip (Maintain any pain under 4/10). Hold for 30-60 seconds and repeat 3 times

Lastly, make sure to take into consideration activity modification. If you do not allow the tissues to properly heal (6-8 weeks) then it will just keep getting irritated and prevent you from doing the activities you love! Laying off the gym or modifying exercises temporarily is worth preventing long-term damage!

Best Regards,

Dr. James