Hip pain can have many causes. Worn out joint cartilage – arthrosis, trapped structures – impingement, inflammation, overstrain, leg axis malposition, too weak muscles, bursitis and other diseases painfully restrict the joint with every step. Various physiotherapy measures alleviate the symptoms, but it is important to work on the cause in order to achieve long-term success.
Physiotherapeutic measures
The physiotherapy for hip pain is primarily aimed at helping the patient in a conservative way by means of therapy to eliminate the hip pain or to enable the fastest possible and good rehabilitation after previous surgery. Which form of therapy is best suited depends on many factors. These generally include the cause of the hip pain.
It can be innate changes at the hip joint, age-conditioned signs of wear, metabolic illnesses, inflammations, as for example a bursitis of the hip, accidents, rheumatic illnesses or problems at the spinal column. The physiotherapist will then draw up a therapy plan individually tailored to the patient, taking into account the patient’s medical history and the results of the examination (ultrasound, X-ray, MRI, etc. ), so that the patient can quickly become pain-free again and master everyday life without any problems.
Of course, the cooperation and discipline of the patient is always essential for successful physiotherapeutic treatment. If necessary, the patient may have to make some changes in his or her everyday life to be able to live without hip pain in the future. The most important contents of the physiotherapeutic treatment of hip pain are Have you had surgery on your hip?
- Manual therapy
- Physical therapy
- Strengthening, stretching and loosening
- Gangschule
- Self help for everyday life
Manual therapy is an essential component in the treatment of hip pain. Through learned grips, the joint itself can be mobilized in certain patterns and directions. The joint partners are moved against each other in order to optimize the joint play and expand it according to the goal.
Pressure and traction stimuli in the joint stimulate the production and distribution of the important synovial fluid. Structures are relieved and space is created. Manual therapy is mainly carried out passively and is practiced by specially trained therapists.
Goals and appropriate measures are determined according to the individual problems and feelings of the patient. Also possibly affected nerves can be mobilized in manual therapy. Physical therapy in the context of physiotherapy includes cold and heat applications, currents (electrotherapy), ultrasound, water therapy and massages – basically all techniques that use physical influences.
They are a mostly passive support in the recovery process and are usually perceived as pleasant measures. With most joint injuries or diseases, the surrounding musculature is also affected. This can be loosened and relaxed through heat therapy and massages.
Ultrasound is often used when tendons are affected that lie close to the surface of the skin. Electrotherapeutic currents can penetrate deeper into the tissue and have many positive effects. Depending on the system, they can influence pain, loosen muscles, increase blood circulation and thus stimulate healing processes, they can stimulate nerves in their function and help muscles to contract.
Many hip problems are related to muscles that are too weak. The gait pattern changes and joint partners no longer slide optimally on each other, which over time leads to painful wear and tear. So it is important not only after the onset of hip pain, but also as a preventive measure to strengthen the buttock and hip muscles.
The gluteal muscles can be easily trained using your own body weight, without the need for additional equipment or aids. Exercises are learned together with the treating physiotherapist and can finally be integrated into everyday life as a home exercise program. A strong muscle corset keeps the pelvis in balance and ensures stability for daily movements.
In addition to building strength, a gait training program is important as part of the physiotherapy for hip pain. The gait pattern is analyzed with the treating therapist and optimized during gait training. The gait analysis can filter out muscles that are too weak and problem areas.During gait training, a mirror can be pulled to help, and resistors can be placed on the body to give the patient a feeling for a physiologically correct gait pattern.
The goal is that the patient internalizes the feeling of bearing a uniform load. Even after operations, such as the insertion of an artificial hip joint in cases of severe arthrosis, a gait training program is prescribed to help the patient relearn normal gait patterns and loads. Persistent pain is an extreme restriction in everyday life and quality of life.
No matter how varied the causes of hip pain may be, it is important that the patient knows how to help himself or herself outside the therapy sessions. Correct everyday handling is learned through the course of therapy. In addition, the patient is given exercises for strengthening, stretching and relieving, as well as postures that can be adopted in case of severe pain.
Tips such as cold and heat applications are given to reduce the pain and loosen any surrounding tense muscles. Also the handling of a Blackroll (self-massage roll) is learned in the therapy, which the patient can easily do at home every day and as needed. Active cooperation of the patient is important to fight hip pain in the long term.
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