Does Your Hip Hurt? The Cause of Your Hip Pain May Not Be What You Think.

The knee may be the largest joint in the human body, but the hip is the strongest joint. Unlike the knee, which is a hinge joint designed to move in one direction, the hip is a ball-and-socket joint, capable of moving front to back, side to side, and around in a circle.

To enable these types of movement and hold the bones in place, you have large, strong ligaments, tendons and muscles. In fact, the iliofemoral ligament, which connects the ilium (the largest bone of hip) to the femur (thigh bone), is the strongest ligament in the human body, with a tensile strength of 772 pounds. That means it would take more than 772 pounds of force to break that iliofemoral ligament.

Injuries that Cause Hip Pain

Despite its strength and durability, the hip joint is a common source of pain and discomfort. Of course, we constantly use our hips to stand, sit, walk, run, and play sports, so injuries that cause hip pain are common. Falls and accidents can also cause serious injury. The risk of these types of injuries increase with age as soft tissue breaks down and you lose strength, stability and flexibility.

Dislocation of the hip joint, fractures involving bones in the hip area, and strains and tears of the soft tissue can be extremely painful because of the size of the joint and the amount of weight supported by the hip, which can be five times your body weight.

Hip bursitis is the most common cause of hip pain. It can be caused by trauma or strain to the hip, repetitive motions (such as climbing stairs), poor posture, and bone spurs. Hip bursitis can also be caused by prolonged sitting, which is why it was called “weaver’s bottom” and “tailor’s bottom” years ago.

Hip bursitis is inflammation, irritation and/or swelling of the bursa, the fluid-filled sac that reduces friction between the moving tissues of the hip. It can occur on the outer hip and in the upper buttocks area. Hip bursitis usually causes dull, aching pain that makes it difficult to sleep, sit, and stand from a deep chair.

Diseases and Conditions that Cause Hip Pain

Like many painful conditions in specific areas of the body, the root cause might be someplace else. Hip pain can be caused by unhealthy conditions in other areas and different types of diseases. For example, hip pain is commonly traced back to:

• Osteoarthritis, when inflammation and cartilage breakdown cause joints to become sore and swollen
• Spinal issues, such as a pinched nerve or herniated disc
• Gynecological or pelvic floor issues in women
• Urological and gastrointestinal issues
• Prostate cancer

Pain in the back, pelvis or knee can also cause you to feel pain in the hip, whether it involves pressure on a nerve, a pulled muscle, or tendonitis. Injuries can cause you to compensate for weakened or injured body parts, causing imbalances that affect the way you feel and function.

Diagnosing the Cause of Hip Pain

Too many doctors simply prescribe medication to alleviate the pain. The problem is, pain isn’t the cause of the problem. Pain is the result. Medication might make the pain go away temporarily, but it won’t solve the problem.

At Natural Healthcare Center, we get to the root cause of your hip pain by performing a comprehensive exam, reviewing your diagnostic imaging and blood tests, and discussing your health history.

The fact is, there’s no single treatment for hip pain, especially when the pain is not caused by injury or trauma. There could be several factors contributing to your pain, so our team of clinicians work together to develop a personalized treatment plan focused on attacking the problem at the source.

If you’re experiencing hip pain, don’t accept it as a normal or a simple side effect of aging. Schedule a complimentary consultation at Natural Healthcare Center.