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Mon Sept. 9th 2024
Hip pain can develop with a sudden injury but also can develop over a period of time, with no obvious reason. The pain will be worse with sports and dynamic activities, but can also be felt at rest such as when sitting or standing. Hip pain is felt in the inner or outside thigh and in the area in the front of the hips.
We know that the hip joint is made up of a complex group of interconnected tendons and muscles and bones. These muscles, tendons and bones combined need to work in the correct biomechanical pattern or hip pain can occur regularly, particularly in sportspeople or people that do an activity or movement repeatedly. Your lower back will also play a huge part in how the hip joint functions.
Your hip needs good flexibility, strength and requires a strong stable base to function. This base is usually provided by your pelvis and lower back. Pain and inflammation will develop if you keep using your hip while it is injured. You will develop altered walking, running and movement patterns. This in turn creates a “muscle imbalance,” reinforcing your poor movement patterns causing further pain and inflammation, often in your hips and lower back.
A poor walking/ running style (gait) or poor biomechanics will become a habit and you will be consistently in pain and have a stiff tight hip joint, and potentially lower back. If you keep this “bad habit” you will continue to aggravate and irritate the hip and your pain will persist and will potentially get worse.
Treatment of your hip pain will make you feel better. It’s what you would expect when you are in pain. However, if you have the pain treated (massage, mobilization, medications) but do not correct your posture, biomechanics and strength deficits, you are only receiving a “temporary relief” from your pain, and it is likely that your pain will reoccur. This is only short-term relief, and not a long-term solution. It may be that you need to see a specialist for an opinion about surgery.
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