Back Clinic Hip Pain & Disorders Team. These types of disorders are common complaints that can be caused by a variety of problems. The precise location of your hip pain can give more information about the underlying cause. The hip joint on its own tends to result in pain on the inside of your hip or groin area. Pain on the outside, upper thigh, or outer buttock is usually caused by ailments/problems with the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and soft tissues surrounding the hip joint. Hip pain can also be caused by diseases and conditions in other areas of your body, i.e. the lower back. The first thing is to identify where the pain is coming from.
The most important distinguishing factor is to find out if the hip is the cause of the pain. When hip pain comes from muscles, tendons, or ligament injuries, it typically comes from overuse or Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). This comes from overusing the hip muscles in the body i.e. iliopsoas tendinitis. This can come from tendon and ligament irritations, which typically are involved in snapping hip syndrome. It can come from inside the joint that is more characteristic of hip osteoarthritis. Each of these types of pain presents itself in slightly different ways, which is then the most important part in diagnosing what the cause is.
The skeletal joints can keep the body upright and stabilized while protecting the internal organs. The skeletal joints also are at risk of factors (normal and traumatic) that can impact the body, thus potentially causing painful symptoms to affect different body areas. Hip pain is among the most common complaints for many individuals, especially the elderly. To that point, when the body suffers from hip pain, it may involve pelvic pain and associated symptoms that mimic other issues within the body. Today’s article examines the causes of hip and pelvic pain, the symptoms related to hip and pelvic pain, and how chiropractic care may relieve hip and pelvic pain. We refer patients to certified providers specializing in osteopathic treatments to help many individuals with hip and pelvic pain. We also guide our patients by referring to our associated medical providers based on their examination when it’s appropriate. We find that education is the solution to asking our providers insightful questions. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer
The Causes Of Hip & Pelvic Pain
Do you experience stiffness located on your low back or hips? What about sciatic nerve pain that travels down your legs? Or have you been experiencing cramping around the pelvic regions of your body? Experiencing these symptoms may be the potential cause that you might be dealing with hip and pelvic pain. Even though hip pain is often associated with older individuals, it can affect many individuals of different ages. Studies reveal that the pathologies outside the hips may be the cause and referred pain, making diagnosing hip pain difficult. Hip pain causes could be overused joints and soft tissues that support the hips due to repetitive motions, strain from the multiple muscles that support the hips, or arthritic symptoms. Studies reveal that individuals who work in a desk job will potentially develop low back pain due to prolonged sitting, thus becoming associated with excessive mobility of the lumbar spine and decreased hip joint mobility.
Individuals with hip pain could risk developing pelvic pain associated with the overuse of joints and soft tissues. Now how pelvic pain correlates with hip pain, and what’s the causation? Studies reveal that the stabilizing muscles (iliopsoas, pectineus, obturator externus, gluteus minimus, and piriformis muscles) are overworked and become consequent hip and joint destabilization. This causes the affected muscles to become tired and weak and triggers sciatic nerve compression along the piriformis muscle. Pelvic pain associated with hip pain may cause dysfunctional musculoskeletal symptoms along the lower abdominals, hips, and lumbosacral back.
The Associated Symptoms Of Hip & Pelvic Pain
The factors involved with hip and pelvic pain could potentially have associated symptoms that might affect the body’s lower extremities. One of the most prominent symptoms of hip pain is groin pain, which could possibly be involved with pelvic pain since the ligaments and muscles that encompass the hips and groin may be weak and overused. Sometimes various underlying causes do contribute to hip and pelvic pain, causing associated symptoms that may confuse the individual in pain. Hip and pelvic pain may refer to low back and sciatic nerve pain since the lower spine and hips are close together; thus, pinpointing where the true source of pain is in the body’s lower half makes it confusing. Some of the symptoms associated with hip and pelvic pain include:
Low back pain
Muscle weakness
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
Bladder issues
Sciatic nerve pain
Piriformis syndrome
The 3 Common Causes Of Hip Pain-Video
Have you been dealing with muscle stiffness around or along your hips and lower back? Do you have bladder issues? Or have you experienced muscle weakness in the lower extremities of your body? Some of these symptoms could be associated with hip and pelvic pain. The video above explains the three common causes of hip pain, and interestingly, one of the causes of hip pain could potentially involve the lower back. Studies reveal that since the low back and hips are close to each other, alterations in the lumbopelvic region could potentially be involved with low back pain. Some of the issues associated with the alterations in the lumbopelvic area include:
Limited range of motion on hip rotation
Tissue injury
Stiff joint capsules
Micro/macro trauma
Fortunately, hip and pelvic pain management may help alleviate referred pain issues through chiropractic care.
Chiropractic Relief For Hip & Pelvic Pain
Individuals dealing with hip and pelvic pain may find relief through chiropractic care. The pelvis is a direct continuation of the spine as the sacrum (the five lowest fused vertebrae) and the pelvic girdle complex interact with the joints from the lower skeletal system. If there is pain in the lower body and the individual is unsure whether it is their back or hips, their first course of action is to visit their primary doctor or a chiropractor. Afterward, they will review the individual’s medical history while performing a series of physical exams like various movements to make an accurate diagnosis. Once the pain diagnosis is identified, chiropractors utilize total body alignment by restoring balance in the pelvis and the spine through manipulation. When the spine and hips suffer from a subluxation, it can cause unnecessary strain on the surrounding muscles around the spine and hips. To that point, realigning the spine from a chiropractic adjustment could reduce or eliminate the excessive stress affecting the surrounding muscles. Chiropractic care can also promote various therapies that increase balance along the hips and pelvic region, which include:
Stretching
Therapeutic massage
Physical activities/Exercise therapy
Nutrition
Whether the pain is located in the hips, low back, or pelvic regions, chiropractic care can help restore, address, and alleviate the pain while maintaining optimal long-lasting results.
Conclusion
The skeletal joints can help keep the body upright and stabilized while protecting the internal organs from normal and traumatic factors. When these factors begin to cause an impact on the body, the skeletal joints are at risk of developing pain along the musculoskeletal structure. Hip and pelvic pain have an overlapping relationship as they are amongst the most common complaints for many individuals. To that point, pain from the hips or the pelvic may mimic other issues associated with chronic disorders. Incorporating treatments like chiropractic care can help alleviate, address, and restore the body through spinal manipulation. This allows individuals to be pain-free and help restore balance in their joints.
References
Harris-Hayes, Marcie, et al. “Relationship between the Hip and Low Back Pain in Athletes Who Participate in Rotation-Related Sports.” Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699456/.
Lee, Dae Wook, et al. “Chronic Pelvic Pain Arising from Dysfunctional Stabilizing Muscles of the Hip Joint and Pelvis.” The Korean Journal of Pain, The Korean Pain Society, Oct. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5061646/.
Luthra, Jatinder Singh, et al. “Understanding Painful Hip in Young Adults: A Review Article.” Hip & Pelvis, Korean Hip Society, Sept. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6726866/.
Nishimura, Takaaki, and Ryo Miyachi. “Relationship between Low Back Pain and Lumbar and Hip Joint Movement in Desk Workers.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science, The Society of Physical Therapy Science, Oct. 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7590845/.
The body is exposed to various environmental factors daily. Whether it is the environment that a person is living, the foods being consumed, or the level of physical activities a person has plays a part in the body. Many individuals that want to live a healthier lifestyle will start small by incorporating nutritious foods they can add, sticking to an exercise regime they might enjoy, and finding time to meditate. Those who don’t want to change their lifestyle habits will continue eating foods that are high in fats, not exercising enough, or have problems sleeping. Over time, the body will be at risk of developing autoimmune disorders associated with musculoskeletal symptoms when exposed to environmental factors that impact a person’s lifestyle. Today’s article looks at an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammatory effects on the joints, known as polymyalgia rheumatica, the symptoms associated with this disorder, and how chiropractic care can help manage the symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica. We refer patients to certified providers specializing in autoimmune treatments to help many individuals with autoimmune diseases associated with musculoskeletal disorders. We also guide our patients by referring to our associated medical providers based on their examination when it’s appropriate. We find that education is the solution to asking our providers insightful questions. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer
What Is Polymyalgia Rheumatica?
Have you been experiencing pain along your shoulders, neck, hips, or thighs? Does your body feel stiff in the morning and better throughout the day? Or have you been experiencing a limited range of motion in certain areas of your body? Many of these symptoms are signs that you might be at risk of developing polymyalgia rheumatica in your joints. Polymyalgia rheumatica is defined as a rheumatic disorder that is common in elderly adults over the age of 50. Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory musculoskeletal disorder that induces muscle pain and stiffness around the joints, especially in the morning. Studies reveal that polymyalgia rheumatica is often characterized by aching muscle pain in the shoulders, pelvis, and neck; it can mimic other rheumatic diseases like RA (rheumatoid arthritis), SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus), and polymyositis. When the body is dealing with the inflammatory effects of polymyalgia rheumatica, many people believe they are dealing with a different disorder affecting their bodies. To that point, diagnosing polymyalgia rheumatica is difficult.
The Symptoms Associated With Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Since polymyalgia rheumatica can mimic other rheumatic diseases, some of the symptoms associated with this inflammatory musculoskeletal disorder are similar to other chronic common diseases in the body. Studies reveal that the cause of polymyalgia is unknown, but environmental and genetic factors contribute to this inflammatory disease. Another disease that shares similar symptoms with polymyalgia is a disease known as giant cell arteritis. Giant cell arteritis causes inflammatory effects along the lining of the arteries, and individuals with this disease may have polymyalgia rheumatica. Some of the symptoms associated with polymyalgia rheumatica include:
Shoulder pain
Pelvic pain
Limited range of motion
Muscle stiffness
Joint pain
Inflammation
Neck pain
An Overview Of Polymyalgia Rheumatica- Video
Have you been experiencing pain in some regions of your body, like the shoulders, pelvis, and neck? Do you feel muscle stiffness every morning, but does it get better throughout the day? Have you been dealing with joint inflammation? If you have been experiencing these musculoskeletal symptoms, you might be at risk of developing polymyalgia rheumatica. The video above gives an insightful overview of what polymyalgia is and the symptoms associated with this inflammatory musculoskeletal disorder. Polymyalgia rheumatica is an auto-inflammatory musculoskeletal disorder that affects many adults over 50 and causes muscle stiffness in the body’s neck, shoulder, and pelvic regions. This inflammatory musculoskeletal disorder does mimic other rheumatic disorders like RA (rheumatoid arthritis) and lupus. The symptoms associated with polymyalgia rheumatica are generally similar to other common chronic disorders, making diagnosis challenging to pinpoint. Luckily there are ways to manage polymyalgia rheumatica and its associated musculoskeletal symptoms.
Managing Polymyalgia Rheumatica With Chiropractic Care
Since the body is dealing with symptoms from polymyalgia rheumatica is challenging to diagnose since it mimics other rheumatic disorders and their associated symptoms. When the body is suffering from joint pain associated with polymyalgia rheumatica, the surrounding muscles, and ligaments that help stabilize the joints become inflamed and cause discomfort to the body. Fortunately, treatments like chiropractic care are available to help manage the joint inflammation associated with polymyalgia rheumatica. Chiropractic care utilizes spinal manipulation of the body by manipulating spinal subluxation or misalignment of the joints. Spinal manipulation helps the body relax and incorporates healing properties into the inflamed joints. Chiropractic care helps loosen up the stiff muscles and ligaments surrounding the joints to reduce pressure on the nerves and help bring the range of motion back to the joints. Many individuals who incorporate chiropractic care to help manage musculoskeletal symptoms associated with rheumatic disorders like polymyalgia rheumatica will be pain-free on their wellness journey.
Conclusion
Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory musculoskeletal disorder common in elderly adults that induces muscle pain and stiffness around the joints. This inflammatory musculoskeletal disorder affects the shoulder, neck, and pelvic region while mimicking other rheumatic disorders like RA (rheumatoid arthritis) and lupus. Since the body is exposed to various environmental daily, over time may be at risk of developing autoimmune diseases associated with musculoskeletal symptoms that can impact the individual. To that point, making it difficult to diagnose. Fortunately, treatments like chiropractic care can help manage the musculoskeletal symptoms associated with polymyalgia rheumatica. Chiropractic care can help reduce stiff joint inflammation by manipulating the body, causing the aching muscles to relax and increase their range of motion. Utilizing chiropractic care can help a person get back to their health and wellness journey.
References
Acharya, Saurav, and Rina Musa. “Polymyalgia Rheumatica – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 21 June 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537274/.
Al-Kaabi, Juma, et al. “Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Mimicking Polymyalgia Rheumatica in a Young Patient.” Oman Medical Journal, OMJ, July 2008, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3282323/.
Michet, Clement J, and Eric L Matteson. “Polymyalgia Rheumatica.” BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), BMJ Publishing Group Ltd., 5 Apr. 2008, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2287267/.
Milchert, Marcin, and Marek Brzosko. “Diagnosis of Polymyalgia Rheumatica Usually Means a Favourable Outcome for Your Patient.” The Indian Journal of Medical Research, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, May 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5644293/.
A pinched nerve in the hip can cause numbness, tingliness, weakness, and pain. A pinched/compressed nerve creates pressure that can result from a bone structural issue like hip misalignment or the nerve getting overly stretched, stuck, twisted, or kinked. The pressure obstructs the neural pathways and decreases neural activity. This causes pain. If discomfort or pain is present, chiropractic, physical rehabilitation, rest, exercise, and ice and heat can release and reset the nerve and help prevent re-injury.
Pinched Nerve In The Hip
A pinched or compressed nerve results from pressure being applied to the nerve. A pinched nerve in the hip often causes pain in the groin region, radiating down the inner thigh to the knee. The pain can feel like a dull ache or a sharp, burning pain. Individuals also report tightness, numbness, or a tingling sensation in the buttocks. The most common causes include:
Unhealthy posture.
Sitting for too long without moving around.
Misaligned bone or cartilage.
Muscle strain.
Pregnancy.
Obesity.
Inflamed tissue.
Herniated disc.
Arthritis.
Bone spurs.
Chiropractic
Different causes require different treatment approaches. For example, an obese individual could require chiropractic adjustments, specific exercises/stretches, and diet adjustments to address the whole body. The recommended treatment plans can vary but usually include:
Physical therapeutic massage.
Manipulative therapies of the joints and muscles.
Mobilization of the joints.
Soft tissue treatments.
Spinal decompression.
Exercise.
Walking and activity can worsen the pain when the hip presents with pain. This can cause the rest of the body to compensate by shifting the weight to the healthy side, which can cause even more pain in the back or legs or cause another injury. Regular chiropractic hip adjustments will improve posture, maintaining muscle and skeleton alignment that will prevent pinching nerves in the hip.
Chiropractic Hip Treatment
References
Ahuja, Vanita, et al. “Chronic hip pain in adults: Current knowledge and future prospective.” Journal of anaesthesiology, clinical pharmacology vol. 36,4 (2020): 450-457. doi:10.4103/joacp.JOACP_170_19
Christmas, Colleen, et al. “How common is hip pain among older adults? Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.” The Journal of family practice vol. 51,4 (2002): 345-8.
“Free Communications: Case Reports: Hip.” Journal of Athletic Training vol. 38,2 Suppl (2003): S.73–S.74.
When many individuals look for ways to relax after a stressful event in their daily lives, many people have an exercise regime that allows them to take their minds off of their hectic lives. When finding the proper exercise, it is best to consider that everybody is different and has different fitness levels. Many individuals could be dealing with chronic issues that affect them drastically and with so much pain in their bodies. When these chronic issues overlap with muscle and joint pain, it can make the body dysfunctional while potentially being involved in environmental factors. Yoga is a low-impact exercise that helps tone muscles, relax tension in the body, and focus on deep breathing. Today’s article looks at the benefits of yoga for the body, how chiropractic care works together with yoga, and different yoga poses can help manage various chronic issues. We refer patients to certified providers specializing in musculoskeletal treatments to help many individuals with musculoskeletal problems affecting their bodies. We also guide our patients by referring to our associated medical providers based on their examination when it’s appropriate. We find that education is the solution to asking our providers insightful questions. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer
The Benefits of Yoga For The Body
Have you been dealing with chronic stress affecting your quality of life? Have you been dealing with bladder or gut issues constantly? What about feeling muscle stiffness in your back, neck, shoulders, or pelvic regions? Some of these symptoms are signs that you could risk developing musculoskeletal problems associated with pain. Dealing with musculoskeletal issues related to pain can make a person feel miserable and have stress affecting their bodies. Yoga is a low-impact exercise that doesn’t put pressure on the joints and will provide a full-body workout through strengthening and stretching weak muscles. Yoga has many benefits for many individuals that are dealing with the following:
Studies reveal that environmental factors are involved in non-specified chronic pain in the spine, overlapping musculoskeletal disorders causing many individuals to try to find relief. Many individuals incorporate yoga because it is a safe and effective way to alleviate various forms of back, neck, or pelvic pain causing issues to the body. Yoga utilizes gentle stretching and strengthening of weak, injured muscles while increasing blood circulation to promote healing in the body.
Chiropractic Care & Yoga
When people are dealing with health conditions or injuries that have affected their bodies, it can make them feel frustrated and think their injuries are taking forever to heal. Many individuals don’t realize that incorporating yoga practices provides impressive health benefits while mirroring the similar foundations of chiropractic care. Both chiropractic care and yoga provide many beneficial results to an aching body that needs a good stretch and ready the body to heal itself naturally. Chiropractic care includes spinal manipulation to the spinal joints while reducing inflammation and strengthening weak muscles. Yoga allows the body to increase its flexibility and stamina, reduces stress and blood pressure, and provides a better sense of breathing and balance.
Yoga For Chronic Pain-Video
Have you felt muscle stiffness in your neck, back, or body? Have you felt sluggish or overly stressed from your day-to-day lives? Do you want to improve your balance? If you have been experiencing these issues affecting your quality of life, why not incorporate yoga as part of your exercise regime? The video above shows that yoga poses for chronic pain affect the body, including the neck, back, and pelvic regions. Studies reveal that yoga can help relieve intense neck pain while improving pain-related function disability. Yoga allows the muscles to not only relax but strengthen them as well. Yoga can also help improve the body’s range of motion through deep breathing and give more awareness of how the body holds tension in places a person hasn’t realized they were holding onto.
Yoga Poses For Different Issues
When a person does yoga, they will go through various poses and repeat them constantly as their body begins to get used to the movements. This allows the body to challenge itself and helps the individual focus more on deep breathing. A good example would be an individual taking a yoga class due to experiencing pelvic pain. By going through each yoga pose, many individuals suffering from pelvic pain will reduce the pain intensity while improving their quality of life. Below are some yoga poses that anyone can do to reduce pain associated with their back, neck, or pelvis.
Bridge Pose
Lie on your back
Bend both knees while placing the feet on the floor at hip-width apart
Arm on the sides with palms facing down
Press feet to the floor and lift the hips as you inhale
Engage the legs and buttock
Hold 4-8 breaths and exhale to lower the hips back to the ground slowly
Cobra Pose
Lie on your stomach with hands near the chest just under the shoulders and fingers facing forward
Keep elbows close to sides
Press hands on the floor and slowly lift your head, chest, and shoulders while slightly bending the elbows by inhaling
Exhale to go back down slow and rest your head
Cat-Cow
Be on all fours, hands under the shoulders and knees under hips (Think like a table)
Inhale to lower your core to the floor as your head looks up to the sky
Exhale slowly to lower your chin to the chest as you round your back
Continue fluid motion for a minute
Forward Bend
Be in a standing position, and feet are at a hip distance apart
Lengthen the body as you lean forward while keeping the knees slightly bended
Place hands on either legs, yoga block, or the floor (Whichever makes you comfortable)
Tuck the chin into the chest, letting the neck and head relax
Gently rock your head side to side to relieve tension in the neck and shoulders
Slowly roll up to a standing position allowing the arms and head to be the last to rise
Supine Spinal Twist
Lie on your back while your knees bent and feet flat on the floor
Extend arms out of the side and place palms down on the floor
As you inhale, breathe into the gut and lower limbs
Exhale to lower knees on the left side (Look at the opposite way to slowly stretch the neck and shoulder muscles)
Pay attention to the stretches for 5 breathes as well as the lengthening sensations on the ribs
Return the knees to the middle and repeat on the right side
Child’s Pose
Sit back on the heels with the knees together (For added support, you can use a rolled-up blanket under your knees)
Bend forward and walk hands in front of you
Gently rest your forehead on the floor
Keep arms extended in the front while focusing on relieving tension in the back as the upper body falls to the knees
Stay in that pose for 5 minutes
Conclusion
Incorporating yoga as part of an exercise regime allows the individual to focus on deep breathing while calming the mind. Yoga is a low-impact exercise that helps strengthen weak muscles associated with pain and inflammation. Yoga provides a full-body workout that benefits many people dealing with chronic pain. Utilizing yoga as part of a daily practice might help individuals learn to be calm and practice mindfulness.
Crow, Edith Meszaros, et al. “Effectiveness of Iyengar Yoga in Treating Spinal (Back and Neck) Pain: A Systematic Review.” International Journal of Yoga, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, Jan. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4278133/.
Li, Yunxia, et al. “Effects of Yoga on Patients with Chronic Nonspecific Neck Pain: A Prisma Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Medicine, Wolters Kluwer Health, Feb. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6407933/.
Saxena, Rahul, et al. “Effects of Yogic Intervention on Pain Scores and Quality of Life in Females with Chronic Pelvic Pain.” International Journal of Yoga, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5225749/.
The hips in the lower extremities of the body help stabilize the weight of the upper half while providing movement to the lower half. The hips also allow the body to twist, turn, and bend back and forth. The hip joints connect to the inside of the pelvic bone, while the pelvic bone is connected to the sacroiliac joint, which connects to the spine. When natural wear and tear affects the joints as the body ages, issues like hip pain and osteoarthritis associated with low back pain occur, causing various symptoms to arise in the body. Today’s article looks at osteoarthritis, how it impacts the hips, and how to manage hip osteoarthritis. We refer patients to certified providers specializing in musculoskeletal therapies to help those with hip pain and osteoarthritis. We also guide our patients by referring to our associated medical providers based on their examination when it’s appropriate. We find that education is the solution to asking our providers insightful questions. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer
What Is Osteoarthritis?
Have you been experiencing pain in your hips or lower back? How about muscle stiffness near the groin? Do symptoms associated with sciatica seem to flare up near your hips and the back of your leg? Many of these symptoms are signs that you could be at risk of developing osteoarthritis near your hips. While arthritis refers to inflammation of the body’s joints, osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that causes degeneration of the joint cartilage, triggering joint pain and functionality loss. Even though there are several hundred types of arthritis, osteoarthritis is one of the most common types that many people, especially older adults, are affected by. As the body becomes older naturally through age, the repairs from an injury begin to slow down, and the cartilage (the connective tissue that protects the bones from each other) will start to thin out, triggering bone rubbing together, causing inflammation to occur, bone spurs, and inevitable pain. Osteoarthritis is often associated with old age and is multifactorial as factors that can increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis include:
Sex
Age
Obesity
Joint injuries
Genetics
Bone deformities
How Does It Impact The Hips?
Since osteoarthritis affects the joints, how does it cause an impact on the hips? When health issues affect the body, it can cause painful symptoms to gradually worsen and become a risk of developing hip pain. Studies reveal that hip pain is common in all adults and activity levels in the anterior, lateral, or posterior regions near the hips.
Anterior hip pain: Causes referred pain (pain felt in one part of the body but is actually in a different location) associated with internal organ systems.
Lateral hip pain: Causes wear-and-tear pain on the soft muscle tissues on the sides of the hips.
Posterior hip pain: Causes referred pain associated with the lumbar spinal pathology like sciatic nerve entrapment correlating with a deep gluteal syndrome.
All these issues affecting the hips overlap with various issues associated with osteoarthritis. When hip pain originates from osteoarthritis, factors like minimal physical activity or slight movements while resting in bed can worsen due to the hip joints having limited or restricted movement. Studies reveal that hip pain is associated with simple movement impairments that make it difficult to diagnose due to referred pain from the spine, knees, or even the groin area.
How does hip osteoarthritis correlate with groin pain? Studies reveal that when a person is dealing with hip osteoarthritis, groin and buttock pain are slightly more common. The hip joint is behind the groin muscle, which is why groin pain overlaps with hip pain as the root. Hip and groin pain could also be involved with radiating pain down toward the knees in the body.
Exercises For Hip Osteoarthritis- Video
Are you experiencing bladder issues? How about stiffness near or around your hips and groin area? Do issues like low back and sciatica pain? Experiencing these issues could be signs of hip osteoarthritis affecting your lower body. Studies reveal that hip osteoarthritis is a significant source of morbidity, pain, gait abnormalities, and functional impairments potentially involved with other issues. Fortunately, there are ways to manage hip osteoarthritis, as the video above shows eight great exercises for hip osteoarthritis. Certain exercise moves for individuals with hip osteoarthritis can help strengthen the surrounding muscles around the joints while increasing joint mobility to reduce pain and stiffness. Exercising can also be beneficial to the individual as it can provide:
Increase blood circulation
Maintain weight
Provides energy boost
Improves sleep
Promotes muscle endurance
Other available therapies help manage hip osteoarthritis while alleviating associated symptoms affecting the body.
Managing Hip Osteoarthritis Pain
Many individuals suffering from hip osteoarthritis try to find ways to relieve the pain. While they can’t do anything to prevent wear and tear on the joints completely, there are ways to slow down the process and manage hip osteoarthritis in the body. Small changes like incorporating food can dampen inflammatory effects on the joints while providing nutrients to the body. An exercise regime can help strengthen the weak muscles supporting the joints while increasing mobility and range of motion. Treatments like spinal traction and chiropractic care relieve pain and stiffness from joint disorders like osteoarthritis. Chiropractic care provides spinal manipulation on the back and joints to be adjusted. While spinal traction helps the compressed discs lay off the pressure on the surrounding nerves associated with hip pain. Incorporating any of these can help slow the progression of hip osteoarthritis and bring back mobility to the hips.
Conclusion
The hips provide stability to the upper and lower parts of the body. While supporting the weight of the upper half and movement to the lower half, the hips can succumb to wear and tear in the body. When the hip joints begin to wear and tear slowly, it can lead to the progression of hip osteoarthritis, where the cartilage of the joints begins to cause the bones to rub against each other, triggering inflammation. Hip osteoarthritis makes diagnosing difficult because the referred pain from the spine, knees, or groin area overlaps the symptoms. All is not lost, as there are available treatments to manage hip osteoarthritis that can help slow the progress of this disorder and bring back the mobility of the lower half of the body.
References
Ahuja, Vanita, et al. “Chronic Hip Pain in Adults: Current Knowledge and Future Prospective.” Journal of Anaesthesiology, Clinical Pharmacology, Wolters Kluwer – Medknow, 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8022067/.
Khan, A M, et al. “Hip Osteoarthritis: Where Is the Pain?” Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Mar. 2004, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15005931/.
Kim, Chan, et al. “Association of Hip Pain with Radiographic Evidence of Hip Osteoarthritis: Diagnostic Test Study.” BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), BMJ Publishing Group Ltd., 2 Dec. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4667842/.
Sen, Rouhin, and John A Hurley. “Osteoarthritis – Statpearls – NCBI Bookshelf.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 1 May 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482326/.
Maintaining healthy joints is crucial to preventing injuries from affecting the body. Incorporating physical activities, eating healthy foods, staying hydrated, and getting a routine check-up are ways to ensure that the body is functional, including the joints. The joints in the body act like shock absorbers that soften the impact of any injuries that the body has sustained. However, as the body ages, so do the joints, causing them to become hardened and cause problems in the body. In today’s article, we will look at sacroiliac dysfunction, what issues it affects besides back pain, and how chiropractic care manages sacroiliac dysfunction. We refer patients to certified providers specializing in musculoskeletal therapies to help those with sacroiliac dysfunction. We also guide our patients by referring to our associated medical providers based on their examination when it’s appropriate. We find that education is the solution to asking our providers insightful questions. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer
What Is Sacroiliac Dysfunction?
Are you experiencing pain in the pelvis? Do your hips seem tighter than usual? Do you feel muscle stiffness when you twist from side to side? Some of these issues are signs that you might be experiencing sacroiliac dysfunction. Around the pelvic region lies the sacroiliac joint, a weight-bearing solid joint connecting the pelvis to the sacrum. It is surrounded by tough ligaments that support the body as it distributes the weight from the upper body to the lower body. However, like all the other joints in the body, any injury or condition can cause this joint to be unstable and succumb to the pain, causing sacroiliac dysfunction. Sacroiliac dysfunction or sacroiliac joint pain is defined as one of the potential causes of axial low back pain. When there are issues affecting the sacroiliac joints, it’s associated with about a quarter of most low back pain cases. This is due to the problems that overlap with pain associated with the low back. Studies reveal that dysfunction in the sacroiliac joint can relate to leg or back pain, making diagnosing the problem difficult. Back pain associated with sacroiliac dysfunction causes the pelvis to be hypermobile, causing the risk of developing radiating groin pain. Leg pain associated with sacroiliac dysfunction causes muscle tension and stiffness to the low back, legs, or buttock region, mimicking sciatica-like symptoms.
What Other Issues Does It Affect?
Many individuals may not realize that when they are experiencing sacroiliac dysfunction, symptoms show that they overlap with lumbar spine pathologies. However, sacroiliac dysfunction can also affect the pelvic region of the body. Studies reveal that when the muscles around the body’s pelvic area become inflamed or irritated, it can cause stiffness in the sacroiliac joints, thus developing the risk of pelvic pain. Pelvic pain is usually defined as non-menstrual pain that causes functional disability to the lower extremities. Around the pelvic region, the lower sacral nerves provide extensive neurologic connections to the structures throughout the pelvic area that maintain normal pelvic organ function. When issues like sacroiliac dysfunction become the risk of pelvic pain, it may potentially involve pelvic symptoms like constipation. Studies reveal that constipation is significantly associated with a high prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse and low urinary tract symptoms. Other issues that sacroiliac dysfunction correlates with are:
Ankylosing spondylitis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Inflammatory issues
Hip pain
Pelvic pain
Low back pain
Piriformis syndrome
An Overview Of Sacroiliac Joint Pain- Video
Are you experiencing radiating from your lower back down to your leg? How about stiffness in your hips? Are you feeling constipated or have a sense of fullness in your bladder? You may suffer from sacroiliac dysfunction in your pelvic region if you notice these symptoms. The video above explains how to understand sacroiliac joint pain. The sacroiliac joint connects the pelvis and sacrum, surrounded by tough ligaments and muscles that help support the body by distributing weight from the upper body to the lower body. When issues affect the sacroiliac joints can overlap other risk profiles like low back pain, leg pain, and pelvic pain. This can make diagnosing sacroiliac dysfunction difficult because the symptoms are similar to other issues. For example, hip pain is associated with piriformis syndrome while potentially being involved with sciatica. How would hip pain be correlated with piriformis syndrome? The piriformis muscle can become overused and injured and can entrap the sciatic nerve (which runs from the lumbar spine, through the hips, and down to the leg), causing radiating, throbbing pain. Other times referred pain in the low back can affect different areas in the body due to sacroiliac dysfunction. Luckily, there are treatments available to manage sacroiliac dysfunction.
How Chiropractic Care Manages Sacroiliac Dysfunction
When issues of sacroiliac dysfunction become associated with leg or back pain, physicians often misdiagnose it as a soft tissue issue rather than a joint issue. Many doctors might rule out various medical conditions before including sacroiliac dysfunction as part of the diagnosis. Some treatments like massage therapy can help loosen up the tight muscles surrounding the joints relieving the pain and discomfort. At the same time, chiropractic care utilizes spinal manipulation and mobilization to the affected spinal area. Since the sacroiliac joint is an essential part of the musculoskeletal system, chiropractors specialize in this area. Through practical, non-invasive methods, chiropractic care has proven to not only relieve pain in the spine but can also help rehabilitate the spine. Chiropractors are specially trained to guide the individual through several phases of care that help loosen the stiff muscles and strengthen the joints. Chiropractic care will help decrease the pain from returning to the body and let the individual return to their health and wellness journey.
Conclusion
Maintaining healthy joints is crucial to prevent injuries from affecting the body. The sacroiliac joints are part of the musculoskeletal system that connects the pelvic bone to the sacrum. This joint is surrounded by tough ligaments and muscles that support the upper and lower half of the body through weight distribution. When the sacroiliac joint becomes unstable, it can succumb to pain, thus becoming sacroiliac dysfunction. Sacroiliac dysfunction sometimes mimics low back and leg pain, making it difficult to diagnose. Co-morbidities like pelvic pain correlate to sacroiliac dysfunction, causing somato-visceral pain in different body areas. Treatments like chiropractic care can help strengthen the stiff muscles and joints in the body through spinal manipulation and mobilization in practical, non-invasive treatment. Chiropractic care can help rehabilitate the spine while decreasing the pain from returning to the body.
References
Jonely, Holly, et al. “Chronic Sacroiliac Joint and Pelvic Girdle Dysfunction in a 35-Year-Old Nulliparous Woman Successfully Managed with Multimodal and Multidisciplinary Approach.” The Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, Maney Publishing, Feb. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4459139/.
Raj, Marc A, et al. “Sacroiliac Joint Pain.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 12 Feb. 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470299/.
Singh, Prashant, et al. “Pelvic Floor Symptom Related Distress in Chronic Constipation Correlates with a Diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation and Constipation Severity but Not Pelvic Floor Dyssynergia.” Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, Korean Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, 31 Jan. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6326213/.
The muscles in our body help us be active when we want to be, rest and repair after activities, and continue to provide everyday movements that help keep the body functioning correctly. For athletes and the general population, physical training and eating healthy foods help deliver fuel to not only the internal organs but also help support the muscles, ligaments, and skeletal joints from injuries. As many individuals start to think about their health and wellness, many factors tend to pop up that can cause them to halt their health and wellness journey. Issues like stress, accidents, traumatic events, and lifestyle habits can affect the body and, over time, can become the risk of developing into chronic problems. An example would be where a person is experiencing hip pain associated with piriformis syndrome. Today’s article looks at piriformis syndrome, how it can cause more than hip pain, and how there are available treatments for piriformis syndrome. We refer patients to certified providers specializing in musculoskeletal therapies to help those with piriformis syndrome. We also guide our patients by referring to our associated medical providers based on their examination when it’s appropriate. We find that education is the solution to asking our providers insightful questions. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer
What Is Piriformis Syndrome?
Have you been experiencing pain radiating from the buttock down to your legs? Does it hurt when you are sitting down? Or are you feeling tingling sensations and numbness on your butt and thighs? Some of these symptoms might be signs that you might be experiencing piriformis syndrome. Research studies have defined piriformis syndrome as a clinical condition where everyday stress affecting the body causes the piriformis muscle (the small muscle deep in the buttock region) to become tight and irritates the sciatic nerve. When that sciatic nerve becomes aggravated, it can become the risk of developing into sciatica. Many individuals don’t realize that the sciatic nerve also gets affected when their piriformis muscles in the buttock region become overused and tight through strenuous activities. This is due to the belief that any unusual traumatic abnormality in the piriformis muscle will be associated with sciatica symptoms. However, when a person is experiencing buttock pain that travels down the leg caused by the affected piriformis muscle, many will rule out some of the more common causes of sciatica like nerve root impingement triggered by disc herniation.
Surprisingly, three primary causing factors can be associated with piriformis syndrome. The first causing factor is myofascial trigger points may be the results of referred pain (pain or discomfort from another body location). The second causing factor is nerve entrapment against the greater sciatic foramen passing through the various piriformis muscles. And finally, the third causing factor is sacroiliac joint dysfunction due to piriformis muscle spasm. Studies reveal that the piriformis muscle helps stabilize the sacroiliac joint; when the small muscle starts to become irritated, it causes pain in the buttock region. But how does sacroiliac dysfunction relates to piriformis syndrome? Well, since low back pain is associated with sacroiliac dysfunction, the pain will often radiate down to the knee and the groin muscles while becoming a risk of developing piriformis syndrome.
Piriformis Syndrome Causes More Than Hip Pain?
Due to its broad size in the greater sciatic foramen, the piriformis muscle can become overused and tight, thus becoming piriformis syndrome. Piriformis syndrome can also become a risk to the numerous vessels and nerves that exit out in the pelvis region and may become compressed, causing more than just hip pain. Studies reveal that piriformis syndrome may be masquerading as ischiofemoral impingement triggering extra-articular hip pain by entrapping the quadratus femoris muscle causing groin pain. Another cause that piriformis syndrome is associated with is chronic pelvic pain. How does chronic pelvic pain correlate with piriformis syndrome? Chronic pelvic pain is a non-cyclic pain localized in the pelvis, potentially involving the surrounding muscles like the piriformis muscle supporting the irritated hip joint and pelvis region. Piriformis syndrome could also be an overlapping condition risk of developing other health issues like fibromyalgia in many people. Some conditions have common symptoms associated with piriformis syndrome, including:
Tingling sensations
Numbness
Muscle tenderness
Pain while sitting
Discomfort while exercising
The Difference Between Sciatica & Piriformis Syndrome-Video
Have you found it challenging to be comfortable while sitting down doing leisure activities? How about radiating pain that travels down your leg? Or do your hips feel tight and stiff? Experiencing these symptoms means that you might suffer from piriformis syndrome. The video above explains the difference between piriformis syndrome and sciatica. Studies reveal that piriformis syndrome is classically defined as sciatic pain; however, it is not sciatica. Sciatica is caused by compressed sciatic nerve due to herniated disc in the lumbar spine. In contrast, piriformis syndrome is caused when a traumatic injury or an underlying condition causes the piriformis muscle to spasm and aggravate the sciatic nerve. Various factors like prolonged sitting, repetitive movements that involve the legs, and even extensive stair climbing can cause the piriformis muscle to be easily damaged or injured, causing piriformis syndrome. Fortunately, there are ways to alleviate sciatic nerve pain and improve piriformis syndrome.
Treatments Available For Piriformis Syndrome
Many treatments are accessible to manage the pain and discomfort caused by piriformis syndrome for suffering individuals. Some people take over-the-counter medicine to decrease the pain, while others utilize a hot/cold pack on the affected area to relieve discomfort. The symptoms associated with piriformis syndrome usually go away without any additional treatment; however, if the pain or discomfort is still there, many people might benefit from alternative options for treatment, like chiropractic care, physical therapy, or even spinal decompression. Whether it is through gentle stretching, spinal manipulation, or decompression, these treatments are for anyone dealing with piriformis syndrome and its associated symptoms. Physical therapy can help decrease the painful symptoms associated with piriformis syndrome through gentle stretches that help return a person’s range of motion. Chiropractic care incorporates spinal adjustments and manual manipulations to treat various injuries or conditions. Spinal decompression uses traction to gently pull on the spine to release the aggravated nerve from causing pain. The relief can gradually restore a person’s natural health while managing its associated symptoms with various treatments available for individuals with piriformis syndrome.
Conclusion
Piriformis syndrome is a condition where everyday stress affects the piriformis muscle in the buttock region to become irritated and tight while aggravating the sciatic nerve. Many think traumatic abnormalities affecting their piriformis muscle will be associated with sciatica symptoms. However, sciatica is due to nerve root compression triggered by disc herniation. Piriformis syndrome is where that small muscle is overused from various factors that cause more than hip and butt pain. Some overlapping conditions associated with piriformis syndrome can become mediators for groin and pelvic pain. Fortunately, chiropractic care, physical therapy, and decompression can help restore the body gradually by managing piriformis syndrome and its associated symptoms.
References
Hicks, Brandon L., et al. “Piriformis Syndrome.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 21 Apr. 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448172/.
Ro, Tae Hoon, and Lance Edmonds. “Diagnosis and Management of Piriformis Syndrome: A Rare Anatomic Variant Analyzed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging.” Journal of Clinical Imaging Science, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, 21 Feb. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5843966/.
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