Staff Writer
Most people know chiropractors help patients with back and neck pain, but many don’t realize they can help with extremity problems as well. Whenever people start ramping up or resuming physical activities, many of them will feel pain in areas that haven’t been worked in a while. Hip pain is one of those areas.
Understanding the Types of Hip Pain
There are different types of hip pain, and it typically comes from sources such as bone, muscle, tendon, cartilage, or nerves. Generally, a person will complain of pain located at the side of their leg into the groin or in the buttocks area. Again, due to the multiple sources of pain generators, the pain can be anywhere in or around the hip or leg area.
Common Causes of Hip Pain
Regardless of the cause, hip pain is a driving force when it comes to physician office visits per year. One study shows 30-40% of adults who play sports experience chronic hip pain. Between 12-15% of adults over the age of 60 reports having hip pain.
To obtain an accurate diagnosis, your chiropractor will take a comprehensive case history and perform an assessment that typically includes
Depending on your diagnosis, there are multiple treatment options offered by doctors of chiropractic. Examples include manual therapy using soft tissue methods, laser therapy, radial pulse wave therapy, interferential therapy, ultrasound, K-taping, manual techniques, and active care exercises.
Chiropractors have expert training in joint manipulation and mobilization techniques related to the spine and other regions of the body such as the hip. Hip mobilizations combined with stretching have been shown to reduce the pain those with hip arthritis may have and increase the range of motion associated with the hip joint.
Another treatment method chiropractors may recommend is rehabilitation exercises. Some hip pain conditions may require an orthopedic consultation and possible surgical remedies. Fortunately, a chiropractor’s “conservative care first” approach, meaning non-drug, non-surgical treatments, has very good outcomes.
In a 2017 survey included in the report Chiropractic: A Safe and Cost-Effective Approach to Health, 97% of patients said they would use chiropractic care again for musculoskeletal-related conditions.
3 Self Help Tips For Preventing Hip Pain
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC), founded in 1922, is a private, nonprofit, chiropractic and health science-focused university in Overland Park, Kansas. The CUKC on-campus Chiropractic Health Center is open to the public and treats patients from Kansas City’s 15-county metro area. Our goal is to provide care and solutions for a better, more productive life for our patients.