We see a large variety of hip injuries here at West Pennant Hills Physiotherapy and Sports Injuries Centre. There are many structures within the hip, such as the muscles, tendons, bursa, and the joints themselves, which may be a cause of hip pain. Hip pain can also be referred to from other areas such as the lumbar spine and sacroiliac joint.
How Does Physiotherapy Assist In Hip Pain?
Physiotherapy aims to reduce your pain through massage and joint mobilisations. We also use ultrasound, heat packs and TENS for pain relief and to help relax all the muscles. We will prescribe you with stretches and strengthening exercises to rehabilitate your hip back to its optimal function. We give advice on strategies you can adopt at home to help manage the pain. We will also provide advice on appropriate rest, exercise and sport options while you are undergoing your hip rehabilitation. Some of the more common conditions that we see are described in detail below.
What Is Bursitis, And How Does Physiotherapy Treat It?
Trochanteric bursitis is inflammation of the bursa, which is a fluid-filled sac that provides cushioning where tendons pass over the hip bone. Bursitis is often caused by repeated compression of the bursa resulting in inflammation and pain and is usually associated with weakness of the gluteal muscles and even tears. Physiotherapy aims to improve your pain through soft tissue massage and manual therapy. We use ultrasound, heat packs and TENS for pain relief. We prescribe you with an exercise program targeted to improve any muscle weaknesses or imbalances that you may have. We work on your flexibility, strength, endurance and stability. We give you advice on activity modifications and what you can do at home to help ease the pain. Treatment is progressed to include specific exercises to get you ready for sport or gym based programs. We will advise you on appropriate rest as well as alternative exercise while the hip is healing and when it is safe to restart your normal activities.
What Is Gluteal Tendinopathy And How Does It Occur?
Gluteal tendinopathy is often misdiagnosed as trochanteric bursitis, as both conditions involve pain being felt on the outside of the hip. Gluteal tendinopathy is caused by irritation, degeneration or tearing of the hip muscles tendons where they attach to the hip bone. The muscles that are most commonly affected are the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus, which act as important stabilises of the hip joint. When the tendons are exposed to excessive load, particularly compression, they begin to break down, leading to pain.
What Are The Symptoms Of Gluteal Tendinopathy? How Do We Treat It?
Common symptoms include pain on the outside of the hip, pain when lying on the affected side, pain getting out of the car, pain with sitting cross-legged and with prolonged walking. Physiotherapy helps to alleviate your pain through soft tissue massage, ultrasound, heat packs and TENS. Our approach to the management of lateral hip pain has a large emphasis on strengthening. Recruiting the deep gluteal muscles is essential in learning to move correctly and is effective in improving pain. It is important to address and correct poor movement patterns, and any underlying muscle weaknesses. Tendons require appropriate gradual loading to become stronger and more resilient. We also give you advice on what you can do at home to help relieve your pain and what exercise you can safely do while your hip is healing. We will provide a program that will strengthen your hip muscles, and gradually introduce exercises appropriate to your sport or activity. We will advise you when it is safe to return to exercise, sport, or your favourite activity. We also offer two Physio Matwork classes per week in the Practice, which targets these deep gluteal muscles.
What Is Osteoarthritis And How Does It Affect You?
Hip osteoarthritis is a condition that affects the cartilage in your hip joint. The cartilage breaks down and wears away, and can deteriorate to the stage where you have bone rubbing on bone. This happens gradually over time. Risk factors for developing osteoarthritis include age, previous joint injury, muscle weakness, being overweight, genetics, stresses on the joints due to work or sport. You will often experience pain at the front of the hip which can radiate down to the knee, stiffness particularly in the morning, reduced range of motion, and weakness in the hip muscles.
How Is Osteoarthritis Treated?
Physiotherapy can help to alleviate your pain through gentle massage and joint mobilisations. We prescribe you with stretches to help increase your flexibility, and strength work to target any muscle weaknesses or imbalances that you may have. We also use ultrasound, heat packs and TENS for pain relief. In severe cases with extensive deterioration, a total hip replacement may be necessary. Physiotherapy is important both before and after surgery to ensure that the hip is strong enough pre-operatively, and to give you a thorough post-operative rehabilitation program to strengthen your hip and allow you to resume an active lifestyle.
What Is A Labral Injury?
The labrum is the layer of cartilage that runs around your hip joint socket. It helps to deepen the socket and stabilise the hip. The labrum can be torn which can cause pain, clicking or catching. The labrum can tear from trauma such as a fall or a sporting injury, or it can also be damaged by repetitive trauma in sports that require frequent rotation of the hip. Pain can be felt in the groin, the side of the hip, or deep in the buttock region. In severe cases, surgery may be required to repair the torn labrum. Physiotherapy is essential pre and post-operatively to help you safely return to sport. The majority of cases can be treated conservatively. Physiotherapy helps to relieve your pain through soft tissue massage and joint mobilisations. We use ultrasound, heat packs and TENS for pain relief. We give you important advice on what positions are safe for the hip, exercises that are safe to do while you are off sport, and when it is safe to return to sport. We prescribe you with a comprehensive exercise program to help improve your range of motion, strength and stability, aiming to get you back to your functional activities and sport.
What Is Considered A Groin Strain?
A groin strain is a tear to any of your groin muscles, usually one of the hip adductor muscles. They usually occur with high-speed activities such as changes of direction, kicking or sprinting. Physiotherapy aims to relieve your pain through soft tissue massage, ultrasound, heat packs and TENS. We give you advice on how long you need to stay off sport, and when it is safe to return. We prescribe you with exercises that are safe to do while you’re off sport to help target your flexibility, strength and endurance. We make your exercises sports-specific so that you are better able to handle all the challenges that your sport requires. It is important that this type of injury is rehabilitated properly, as groin strains can reoccur if they aren’t treated correctly. The exercise program must include all aspects of fitness including flexibility, power and endurance. Our comprehensive rehabilitation program will help to return you to your sport or other activities as quickly as possible and help to prevent further recurrences.