What is the Fastest Way to Relieve Hip Pain?

Hip pain is one that can occur for many reasons from muscle pull, Arthritis, bursitis or any other cause. The patient needs to be taken through emergent intervention to regain basic fitness and eliminate pain. In this article, the author explores what is the fastest way to relieve hip pain using  various physiotherapy methods for patients suffering from hip pain that brings about the quickest results.

Understanding Hip Pain

Hip pain is often categorized based on its location: caudal or dorsal, ventral, medial, or lateral. For each such type, there is a proper way that has to be implemented in order to provide proper treatment. 
 

Hip Pain Common Cause

Muscle Strain: Another source of hip joint pain was a result of pull of the hip muscles as a result of overuse or applying sudden force on it.

Osteoarthritis: Structural changes, abnormal tissue processes and changes in the composition of the synovial fluid.

Bursitis: Generation of fluids in the thin fluid-filled sacs which are located around the hip joint.

Labral Tear: This can cause injury to the increasing articular cartilage in the acetabular region of the hip socket.

Sciatica: Shooting pain that is inflicted on the lower back and traveling down the buttock area.

Hip Fracture: The most common form of this type of fracture is usually observed in elderly patients with osteoporosis.

Fastest way to relieve hip pain Advanced Physiotherapy Techniques

Manual Therapy for Hip Pain

Joint Mobilization: Swinging of the exercising body part in small ranges with the aim of easing bending of the joints and relieving pain. Posterior-anterior glides, lateral distractions, and other manipulations may increase the range of the referenced joint.

Soft Tissue Manipulation: Myofascial release, deep tissue work, and trigger point therapy for the purpose of easing muscular hardness and boosting blood circulation. This can be useful in cutting out pain that comes with muscle pulls or bursitis to a large extent.

Mirror Image Massage Technique

Another way to relieve hip pain is te mirror image massage. This should be done on the self, though sometimes it is easier to have someone do it on you for better results. 
 

Steps for Hip Pain Massage
 

Press and Massage the Opposite Side: Next here is going to do three things.

First, you are going to use your hand on the other side of mirror image and rub this area only. If you were going to do it yourself, you could take a tennis ball or a racket ball and lay it on this side.” It’s easier not to press on the side that aches; instead, make progress on the opposite side. The side of the mirror opposite, that is the side where the pain exists, is going to be very sensitive. Grilled, rare, and boy do you have a treat waiting for you; just how tender this is could leave you rather shocked. The way we know we got the exact opposite spot is by the tenderness 
 

Our latest effort appeared close of trying to find the point of contact or the center of tenderness we intend work out. Rub this area for approximately two minutes.

Work on Muscles Above the Hip: 

The hip joint is a bi-joint joint and one member of a bone with another, there are numerous muscles involved in that. For if she hurts, over here, it means that this muscle is involved in a pull above the hip or in this area, like right up in here. 

This is a muscle that will become rigid and is going to be painfully sore. Rub it again and I think you ought to place that body part on the foam roller for further treatment. Another option is to shave up to the crotch area, which is also not very sensible to go for.

Electrotherapy For Hip Pain

TENS for Hip Pain 

Relieving pain by blocking the paths is its primary function. TENS units can be used at home to allow for constant pain relief without having to worry about repeated visits to a doctor.

Ultrasound Therapy: Enhances tissue repair and inflammation reduction getting to deep heat application. It is specifically helpful in case of tendonitis and bursitis and can even be used to diagnose arthritis, sprains and fractures early.

Dry Needling For Hip Pain

Directs pressure on sensitive areas of the muscles where tightness is prevalent to release tension and enhance circulation. Gentle strokes are suitable for long term hip pain specifically arising from muscle tension and looming.

Cryotherapy and Heat Therapy

Ice Packs: Anti-inflammatory, reduces the sensation of pain, particularly acute, as well as assisting with recovery from strenuous training.

Heat Packs: Helps to reduce muscle tension & improves circulation, commonly used for chronic pain & muscle spasm of hip.

Hydrotherapy for Hip Pain

Some forms of exercises carried out in water aiming at strengthening the muscles round the hip region while being relieves on the joint when performing the exercises. Floating water also allows for easier and comfortable movements for the joints and muscles hence being effective in building strength.

Tape a Painful Hip
 

Taping or the use of stretchy therapeutic tape which affords muscles and joints a more secure wrapper without compromising on mobility. Strapping can help in minimization of pain, circulation, and as a source of proprioceptive information.

Case Study

The study featured a 45-year-old patient with severe lateral hip pain as a result of trochanteric bursitis. Manual therapy involved joint mobilization, muscle strengthening and proprioceptive training and ultrasound treatment was given. In this case, the patient has expressed improvement in their level of pain, which has reduced to 70% and better mobility after three sessions.

Physiotherapy Hip Pain:
 

Initial Assessment: Initial examination should consist of assessment of the pain and swelling on the hip joint, as well as the degrees of flexion and abduction of the hip.

Manual Therapy: Specification: Concurrent massotance including joint mobilization and soft tissue manipulation once a week.

Therapeutic Exercises: As for the daily mvmt, we were advised by the physiotherapist to do stretching and strengthening exercises at home.

Electrotherapy: Ultrasound therapy as a form of treatment, given twice a week.

Follow-up: Frequency: A minimum of a 2-week interval was advised to monitor patients’ progress and make necessary alterations.

Preventative Measures

Ergonomics: Correct sitting positions and adjustments foreseen to eliminate stress on the hips. Instruction on using chairs with proper lumbar support and proper desk height can assist in it.

Activity Modification: Gradual uptake of activities especially on the physical regimes to avoid injuries due to strains. Maintaining and stretching can help reduce the risks of muscle pulls for the players or the participating athletes.

Footwear: Proper shoes to cushioning to help ease off the pressure exerted on the hip joint. If the patient has some biomechanical problems, it may be suggested that he/she wears customized orthotics.

If you are healthcare professional reading this article, don’t miss out to enroll to our master class on hip assessment and differential diagnosis of hip pain. This Cpd course for physio is helpful masterpiece for your clinical practice. Here is the link to the physio cpd course for hip pain physiotherapy.

Conclusion

The way of getting immediate and long-lasting positive impact on hip pain management includes variety of options, such as manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, electrotherapy, and lifestyle changes. As effective as they are for managing pain, these advanced physiotherapy techniques also promote the optimised function of the hip. Alway consult a qualified physiotherapist for management of patients conditions at request.

Other Points to Consider When Having a Hip Referred Pain :
 

If the mentioned above techniques are ineffective to eliminate the aching in the hip area, it is possible that the pain has an origin from other cause. For instance, in female sex, the hip pain may be an overflow pain or referred pain from an ovarian cyst. The ovary in particular will relay pain on that side of the hip if there is a cyst on it. However, pain might also stem from the sacroiliac joint in the back Also, pain might stem from structures in the spinal canal such as; In such situations, one should seek professional advice as the case maybe, to address issues of other related conditions such as estrogen dominance that call for the use of appropriate supplements such as iodine.

References

1. Journal Articles:
   1. Smith, J., & Brown, L. (2022). "The Efficacy of Manual Therapy in Treating Hip Pain: A Systematic Review." Journal of Physiotherapy.
   2. Johnson, P., & Lee, H. (2021). "Therapeutic Exercises for Hip Pain Relief: A Meta-Analysis." Physiotherapy Research International.
2. Textbooks:
   1. "Orthopedic Physical Assessment" by David J. Magee.
   2. "Clinical Orthopedic Rehabilitation: An Evidence-Based Approach" by S. Brent Brotzman and Robert C. Manske.
3. Professional Guidelines:
   1. American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) guidelines on hip pain management.
   2. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on osteoarthritis treatment.

Author : Dr. Khadija Fareed (DPT, MS Pain Management, PPTA)