Your Grand Rapids Chiropractor asks: Do you feel pain in one or both hips whenever you twist them or when you cross your legs? Does the pain keep you awake at night and make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep? When you get out of bed in the morning, or when you get out of your car, are you stiff and do you find it hard, at first, to move your legs? If you answered in the affirmative to any or all of these questions, it is likely that you have imbalances and alignment problems in the lower part of your body that in addition to creating hip pain can, over time, bring about degenerative hip joint disease if not treated.
Even though hip pain and related problems are often signs of age-related degenerative conditions, especially osteoarthritis of the hip joint, osteoarthritis isn’t always the “culprit.” In fact, rather than being the original cause of the problem, osteoarthritis of the hip joint can be the ultimate result of damage to your hips at a previous time.
Gait changes caused by biomechanical injury such as an ankle sprain or knee strain, can generate hip pain. Furthermore, your gait may shift to counterbalance new body demands such as a job change, an alteration in the way you sit, a new sport or activity, or if you start driving for long periods of time on a regular basis..
In addition, gait asymmetries can occur from leg length dissimilarities, foot pronation (walking like a duck), even carrying a baby or small child on your hip. The point is, anything that generates an asymmetry or imbalance when you are in motion can cause painful hip problems.
Your Chiropractor can help in many of these areas. Along with your adjustments, as part of the chiropractic management of your hip problem, she may suggest that you wear orthotics. She will also offer appropriate progressive rehabilitative exercises that include muscle stretching and strengthening.
Hip pain won’t disappear on its own. Hip pain indicates that something needs to be corrected. Get out of pain, get back in balance, and get your life back now! Call Our office. We know what to do to help you!