Hip pain can be extremely worrying and debilitating as any restriction in movement impacts on your quality of life.
Pain from the hip joint may be felt in front of the hip, as groin pain, across the outside of the hip or in the buttock. You may find the pain difficult to describe and if severe may keep you awake in nights.
Reduction in the range of movement at the hip joint may occur quite gradually. You may get pain in the lower back as it tries to compensate.
Early treatment will produce better results, as improvements in tension and posture limit further damage to nerves and joints. Hip pain can result from
- Arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the common cause of hip problems. Hip replacement is a good solution for advanced cases in older people but unusual in younger people or in the early stages. We help by reducing tension in the muscles around the joint and improving mobility.
- Soft Tissue Problems. The ligaments, muscles, tendons and fluids round the joint are all involved in keeping the hip working. The hip will stop functioning well and give pain when one or more of these become inflamed through injury or overuse. Massage and stretching will address the causes of pain.
- Nerve Irritation. Pressure on a nerve can cause permanent damage so it is vital to address the underlying condition that’s causing the problem. By using massaging and other hands on techniques, our aim would be to reduce muscle spasm, swelling and increase the space for the trapped nerve.
- Fracture. Can be the result of injury or occur due to osteoporosis linked to a fall during old age.
There are other causes such as dislocations or certain conditions diagnosed in childhood, but these are rare.
What to Expect
We will discuss your medical history, look at your posture and ask you to move your hips and legs in different directions, checking which movements are causing a problem.
Where appropriate you may need screening for osteoporosis or an X-ray to confirm our diagnosis.
We may discuss exercises designed to maintain your range of hip movement, and other steps to take to reduce hip pain.