It’s important to know all about hip injuries because they are quite common. At North Boulder Physical Therapy, we know that due to a variety of reasons and situations, hip injuries can happen at any age, but tend to be particularly common in people who are over 65 years old.
Let’s look at the various types of hip injuries as discussed on the Arthritis Foundation website. If you have any of the issues listed below or have already been working with your doctor for treatment, we’d love to be a part of your team and provide the physical therapy needed to help you with rehabilitation.
Snapping Hip Syndrome
Just like it sounds, snapping hip syndrome is a condition that causes a snapping sensation in the hip, sometimes with an audible noise. It causes pain when the hip is extended and occurs when the bands of connective tissue in your hip thicken and catch as they slide back and forth across the top of the leg bone (femur). When this happens, the bursa also becomes inflamed and painful. Snapping hip syndrome sometimes occurs in athletes whose sport requires the repetitive and vigorous use of the hip area. This includes runners, weightlifters, ballet dancers, soccer players, and gymnasts.
Broken Hip
Somewhat common among older people and women with osteoporosis, a broken hip is a serious condition. Even younger people can experience a broken hip, but it usually takes a severe trauma, like a car accident to happen. But, for people with osteoporosis whose bones are weak, sometimes even a minor fall can break the hip bone.
Dislocation
Sometimes your hip becomes dislocated. That means the ball at the top of the leg bone (femur) slips out of its socket. A dislocation causes a lot of pain and you won’t be able to move your leg. This is usually the result of a severe trauma such as a car accident or a very hard fall. Some people are born with a shallow hip socket or hip dysplasia, which is a congenital deformity that causes a misalignment of the hip joint. If you have these issues, a hip dislocation is more common. If the ligaments around the hip are damaged, that can also cause the hip to become dislocated.
Bursitis
What is bursitis? It is the swelling and inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs, called the bursa, that lubricate and cushion the hip joints. It can be very painful. When the inflammation of a bursa is located in between the bony bump on the side of the hip (the greater trochanter) and the tendon that passes over it, it can cause the hip and the outside of the thigh to be extremely painful. This is called trochanteric bursitis and it is aggravated when people walk or participate in any activity that makes the tendon move over the bone.
Labral Tear
With the repetitive use of the hip, a hip labral tear can occur, causing damage to the cartilage around the bony edge of the pelvis socket. It often happens in the early stages of osteoarthritis. A labral tear can also be caused by an injury from an accident or fall that causes the joint to twist.
At North Boulder Physical Therapy, we can assist you with your painful hip problems and help you learn all about hip injuries so you can recognize the symptoms and seek medical attention. To learn more about how we can help you, please get in touch.
