The knee is considered a hinge joint while the hip is a ball-and-socket joint. They are both complex joints with a network of muscles, tendons, ligaments, bone, and cartilage all working together to keep you moving.
With this many moving parts, it’s not surprising that as we age or engage in strenuous activity that we sometimes experience pain. When you’re suffering from hip or knee pain it can make doing even the most basic daily activities difficult.
Understanding the causes of hip and knee problems is often the key to effectively treating them. If you’re struggling with hip or knee pain a physical therapist can help you reduce or even eliminate the amount of pain you’re experiencing.
Physical therapy can offer a non-invasive solution for both hip and knee pain. A physical therapist would likely begin by conducting an evaluation. For knee pain an evaluation would probably focus on the area from the hip to the foot. An evaluation for hip pain would likely include a spinal evaluation as well. For both types of pain an evaluation might include range of motion and strength measurements. The physical therapist may also do a gait evaluation and mobility tests.
A tailor made physical therapy program would then be created for your specific needs.
Pain Medication – Prescription pain meds are sometimes used to treat knee and hip pain. Medication normally doesn’t solve the issue, but only temporarily reduces the pain. Medications, even over-the-counter meds, can be addictive and expensive.
Surgery – Recovery from surgery can be painful and extensive. There’s always the chance of infection and sometimes surgery simply doesn’t produce the intended results. While surgery may be effective in some cases, it’s not without its drawbacks and should be used as a last resort.
Hip and knee pain can be caused by a great number of problems. Some of these are related to musculoskeletal misalignment, poor posture, and/or excess weight; others occur as the result of natural aging or unhealthy sports/work habits. Your hip or knee pain may stem from:
Our physical therapist can often tell the cause of your hip or knee pain from its location. For example, pain along the inside of the hip is more likely to be caused by a problem with the bones or cartilage. Pain along the outer side is typically caused by a problem in the muscles, tendons or ligaments.
For the best results, it’s important to follow all your physical therapist’s instructions, including any stretches or exercises that can be done at home. Physical therapy can help you find lasting relief from hip or knee pain – contact SOS Physio today to get started!
