What Is Causing My Hip Pain? It Could Be One of These 5 Causes

Hip pain is an all too common problem, and it doesn’t only affect those in their golden years. Anyone, from high school athletes to grandma and grandpa, can experience hip pain for many different reasons. The exact cause of your hip pain can be difficult to discern, but with the right knowledge, you and your doctor can find out the underlying condition based on your symptoms.

Ready for some relief from your hip pain? The first step is finding out what is causing it.

Bursitis

If your pain is concentrated on the outside of your hip or buttocks, it’s possible that you have bursitis. This condition is the result of inflammation in the fluid-filled sacs that protect your hip joints, known as bursa. The pain that results from bursitis is usually a day-to-day pain that is not necessarily associated with any specific physical activity, though repetitive motions can cause a flareup. It is most common in people over 60. However, even young adults can suffer from it.

For short term relief, you can try icing the affected area and resting.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis is another common cause of hip pain. Usually occurring in those who play sports and people who are physically active, tendonitis can affect the tendons, which attach muscle to bone, in the groin and hip flexors, causing pain in the pelvic area. Like bursitis, tendonitis develops over time from repetitive motions. For instance, soccer players often get tendonitis from kicking the ball over and over. If the area around your hips feels tender to the touch, this could be the cause of your hip pain.

Hip Impingement

Highly active people can also develop something known as hip impingement, which is essentially when the ball and socket of the hip joint experience abnormal wear and tear. Hip impingement limits movement and can even lead to osteoarthritis.

Labral Tear

The labrum, a ring of cartilage that surrounds the hip joint, has a very important function. It keeps the ball of the femur from popping out of its socket. When people suffer a labral tear, it is common for the pain to be accompanied by limited movement or a feeling that the joint is locking or catching on something.

Osteoarthritis

Perhaps the most common cause of hip pain on this list, osteoarthritis results after years of wear and tear on the hip joints. When you have osteoarthritis, your hip joints become stiff because your cartilage is breaking down. Marathon runners and those who play high-impact sports such as basketball are among the most affected because of the damage they sustain when running and jumping. Treatments include rest and icing the area that is in pain.

You Can Prevent Hip Pain from Getting Worse

You can reduce the pain you are experiencing by doing a few different things on your own. First, it helps to lower the amount of pressure that your hips have to endure, which means managing your weight. Second, low impact exercises that strengthen your back and legs can also prove effective at reducing pain symptoms. Finally, speak to your chiropractor about the pain you are experiencing.

Get in touch with me today so that we can discuss your symptoms and come up with a treatment plan that is right for you.