Hip Pain and Causes
Hip pain is very common among all ages and can cause mild to severe discomfort when performing daily activities such as standing, walking, squatting, bending, and climbing stairs. Hip pain can be described as dull, achy, sharp, shooting, or tingling. Muscle strains, tendinitis, or bursitis can occur outside the hip joint and femoral acetabular impingement (FAI), labral tears or osteoarthritis can occur inside the hip joint. The hip joint, also referred to as the femoral acetabular joint, is extremely important because it helps connect the upper body to the lower extremities. It is responsible for dissipating loads from the upper body to the lower body, while providing stability, trunk control, and balance. While the hips are designed to support our bodyweight, every hip is different in terms of alignment and orientation. As movement experts, a physical therapist not only treats conditions such as strains, tendinitis, bursitis, and osteoarthritis, but also assesses each patient’s biomechanics to treat underlying impairments that can cause hip pain.
Common causes of hip pain include:
How can Physical Therapy help?
A PT will perform a thorough evaluation to determine the structure that is injured or painful, but more importantly why it is injured or painful. Your past medical history will be reviewed to determine any possible underlying causes of pain. The problem is often coming from another non-painful part of the body. If you keep putting air in a tire without fixing the gash, then you will continue to have a problem. For example, progressive hip impingement (FAI) can be the result of stiffness and/or weakness in the core, low back, hip, knee, or ankle. Your PT will design a treatment program to correct any of these underlying mobility or strength deficits, so your problem doesn’t return once the painful structure is healed. For more information on different treatments we offer click here. – The goal of physical therapy is to get patients moving pain free, so that they can perform activities they enjoy and live life the fullest!
Knee Pain and Causes
The knee is arguably the most injured joint in the body. It is a complex joint that takes the brunt of compressive forces during standing, walking, and running. Even in people not experiencing pain, the knee can make sounds like Rice Krispies Cereal: Snap, crackle, and pop. Knee injuries can occur at any age and are the result of sudden trauma, overuse, lack of use, or underlying conditions such as arthritis. Pain can be felt around the kneecap, behind the knee, or inside the joint. Common injuries include muscle strains, ligament sprains, patella femoral pain syndrome, patellar tendinitis, IT band syndrome, bursitis, meniscal injuries, and osteoarthritis. Each can have a negative effect on everyday activities such as standing, walking, squatting, climbing stairs, and even getting in and out of a car. Luckily, most knee injuries respond very well to physical therapy and conservative management.
Common knee injuries include:
How can Physical Therapy help?
A PT will perform a thorough evaluation to determine the structure that is injured or painful, but more importantly why it is injured or painful. The problem is often coming from another non-painful part of the body. Remember, a great deal of compressive and shear force is placed on the knee with everyday activity. If other structures in the leg are not functioning optimally, these forces will increase, leading to injury. For example, patellar femoral pain can be the result of stiffness in the hip or ankle and/or weakness in the gluteal muscles. IT Band Syndrome stems for hip stiffness and/or weakness in either the gluteals or the tensor fascia late (TFL). Your PT will design a treatment program to correct any of these underlying mobility or strength deficits, so your problem doesn’t return once the painful structure is healed. For more information on different treatments we offer click here. – The goal of physical therapy is to get patients moving pain free, so that they can perform activities they enjoy and live life the fullest!
Foot/Ankle Pain and Causes
From elite athletes to a person walking on the street, ankle and foot injuries can happen to anyone, at any time. The ankle/foot complex consists of 26 bones and over 30 joints, all of which are vital in helping people get around. The ankle and foot have three major functions: 1) An adaptor that conforms to terrain and provides balances strategies. 2) A rigid lever to allow individuals to propel themselves from point A to point B. 3) A shock absorber to transmit forces when the ground is contacted. Examples of injuries to the ankle and foot include ankle sprains, calf strains, Achilles tendinitis, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, calcaneal bursitis, and bunions over the big toe. Overuse injuries can cause pain upon waking up or after prolonged activities. Sudden, acute injuries, such as ankle sprains, can occur out of nowhere, like stepping awkwardly on a curb. Physical therapy will treat the injured structure, as well as address any underlying impairments that may have led to the injury.
How can Physical Therapy help?
A PT will perform a thorough evaluation to determine the structure that is injured or painful, but more importantly why it is injured or painful. The problem is often coming from another non-painful part of the body. If other structures in the leg are not functioning optimally, the ankle and foot will be forced to compensate, leading to injury. For example, a bunion at the first ray can be the result of weakness in the gluteal muscles and/or deep muscles that rotate the hip. This leads to overpronation when walking (the arch of the foot collapses) and excessive stress at the base of the big toe. Your PT will design a treatment program to correct any of these underlying mobility or strength deficits, so your problem doesn’t return once the painful structure is healed. For more information on different treatments we offer click here. – The goal of physical therapy is to get patients moving pain free, so that they can perform activities they enjoy and live life the fullest!