Hip Pain

What are the symptoms of Hip Pain?

Symptoms of hip pain can range in severity from mild discomfort to severe pain which impacts your day to day life. Depending on the underlying cause of your hip pain, you may feel discomfort or stiffness in the following areas:

• Thigh

• Groin

• Inside the hip joint

• Outside of the hip joint

• Buttocks

• Side of hip

• Lower back

• Shooting pain down the back of the leg (sciatica)

• Knee and lower back pain

Hip pain may get worse after activity and you may also experience a reduced range of movement. You may find that you are limping or adjusting your gait due to persistent hip pain.

What are the causes of Hip Pain?

There are many causes of hip pain, and your Chiropractor will do a careful physical examination of your entire musculoskeletal system to understand what's causing your pain.

Your chiropractor will evaluate the lumbar spine, the pelvic bones, and joints, as well as the hip socket itself to understand what is affected and what needs to be corrected in order to resolve the symptoms. The chiropractor will pay particular attention to the alignment of the lumbar spine and the sacroiliac joints, which are the major weight-bearing joints in the body. In fact, many people think they have hip pain, but it's actually the sacroiliac strain that's referring to your hip.

Sometimes when there is an underlying lower back problem, it can change the way you sit or stand and put more pressure on either hip. Incorrect posture can cause hip pain. Similarly, if there is a lower back problem, pain can radiate into the hips, buttocks and down the legs. This is commonly referred to as sciatica.

Hip pain may be the result of knee, ankle and foot problems such as foot pronation (flat feet) or having an irregular leg length. When you have an imbalance or instability in your pelvis or joints, it can cause the muscles in the region to work incorrectly and create hip pain problems. Pelvic imbalance is often the cause of injuries in the hip region especially in athletes and very active people. Leg length irregularity may create more chronic problems like arthritis in the knees and hips which develop over time if left untreated.

Having pain in the ball-and-socket joint of the hip is also a very common problem. Often this pain is caused by arthritis or other kinds of injuries that have degraded the cartilage in the joint space and allowed the bones to touch each other.

The most common causes for Hip Problems that we provide treatment and relief for at our West Ashley Charleston clinic are:

• Lumbar (Back) Referred Hip Pain

• Sciatica

• Incorrect Posture

• Irregular leg length

• Osteoarthritis

• Overuse, trauma and sports injury.

How can Hip Pain be diagnosed and treated?

At JP Chiropractic, West Ashley Charleston, we diagnose hip pain by taking a comprehensive medical history, performing a physical examination including a postural check as well as examining your ability to perform certain movements.

We may also use diagnostic imaging like x-rays to determine what treatment is appropriate for the treatment of your hip pain problems.

Treatment to provide relief for your hip pain will depend on the results of a thorough examination by your Chiropractor. At JP Chiropractic Charleston we offer relief from hip pain through:

• chiropractic manipulation

• chiropractic mobilization

• postural correction

• exercise programs

• lifestyle changes such as exercise and behavioral changes

• prescription of customized orthotics or heel lifts to correct structural imbalances of the feet and pelvis.

What exercises can help with Hip Pain?

If you are experiencing hip pain problems, it is crucial to consult with your Chiropractor about appropriate exercise, as an inappropriate activity may make the problem worse. We offer a comprehensive exercise program as part of a holistic hip pain treatment regime designed to help relieve your pain.