Lower Back
More often than not, pain in your hips can easily be misdiagnosed. The pain may actually be coming from your lower back as radiating pain. Since the nerves that control the legs start from the lower back, compromised nerves can cause pain in the hip.
Trochanteric Bursitis
Bursae are small, fluid-filled sacs that provide cushioning and lubrication between bones, tendons, and muscles near your joints. When a bursa becomes inflamed, this is called bursitis. It inhibits movement and causes pain in the afflicted area. Overuse, stress, and direct trauma to a joint are common causes of bursitis. Bursitis of the hip, or trochanteric bursitis, is frequently associated with a hip injury or arthritis. Pressure from standing or sitting for a long time is also a contributing factor.
Symptoms:
- Dull ache in the area around your hip– Stiffness in the joint
- Increased pain with movement
- Tenderness
- Unlike bursitis in other areas of the body, there is no visible swelling or redness of the skin. This is because the bursae are located beneath some of the bulkiest muscles in the body.
Avascular Necrosis of Hip
Results from interruption of the normal blood flow to the femoral head, or the “ball” that fits into the hip socket. If left untreated, this loss of blood flow to the hip ultimately causes the “ball” to die and collapse, leading to extreme pain, loss of hip motion, and eventually, severe arthritis.
Hip Fractures
A hip fracture is a break in the upper quarter of the femur (thigh) bone. The extent of the break depends on the forces that are involved.
Hip fractures most commonly occur from a fall or from a direct blow to the side of the hip. Some medical conditions such as osteoporosis, cancer, or stress injuries can weaken the bone and make the hip more susceptible to breaking. In severe cases, it is possible for the hip to break with the patient merely standing on the leg and twisting.
Total Hip Replacement
This is a surgery performed to replace all or part of the hip joint with an artificial device (prosthesis). Physical therapy is a necessity after this procedure has been performed in order to regain flexibility and strength in the joint. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint: a meeting of the “ball” end of the thighbone (femur) with the cup-shaped “socket” of the pelvic bone. A total hip prosthesis is surgically implanted to replace the damaged bone in the hip joint.
Symptoms:
- Wearing down of the hip joint and pain because of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, avascular necrosis, injury, and bone tumors
- Pain that causes sleepless nights
- Difficulty walking up or down stairs
- Little or no relief from pain medications
- Difficulty standing from a seated position
- Having to stop activities you enjoy, such as walking, because you’re in too much pain
