Hip Arthritis - Hip Pain - Back to Health Chiropractors

Hip Arthritis and Chiropractic Treatment

Hip osteoarthritis is a common type of osteoarthritis. Since the hip is a weightbearing joint, osteoarthritis can cause significant problems. About 1 in 4 Americans can expect to develop osteoarthritis of the hip during their lifetime, according to research presented at the 2006 American College of Rheumatology annual meeting. It is a relatively common condition in people over the age of 50.

Early diagnosis and treatment help manage hip osteoarthritis symptoms. An overview of hip osteoarthritis will help you understand hip osteoarthritis is caused by deterioration of articular cartilage and wear-and-tear of the hip joint.

Causes of hip arthritis

Over a lifetime with changes in posture and weight distribution there are corresponding changes in pressure in the hip joints. This results in damage and degeneration of the joint cartilage. Other predisposing factors to hip osteoarthritis include:

previous hip injury,
previous fracture, which changes hip alignment,
congenital and developmental hip disease,
subchondral bone that is too soft or too hard,
Avascular necrosis of the head of the femur.

Signs and symptoms of hip arthritis

Usually there are symptoms of stiffness, and pain that is getting progressively worse. Often the pain begins insidiously and becomes more constant over time.

The stiffness is usually worse at rest and is relieved by movement. The pain is often exacerbated in cold weather. Patients who have hip osteoarthritis have pain localised to the groin area and the front or side of the thigh. Morning stiffness for approximately 30 minutes, less duration than occurs with rheumatoid arthritis, is also characteristic of hip osteoarthritis. Most significantly, there is limited range of motion of the hip and pain during motion. The symptoms can worsen to the point that pain is constantly present.

Assessment

Your Back to Health chiropractor will begin by conducting a thorough history of what exactly has caused the injury. This will include questions on

The exact location of the pain
Exacerbating and relieving factors
Causes
Types of pain
Referral of pain
Family history etc. (Usually there is a history of gradual onset of intermittent pain)

You will then be offered an in depth physical examination which will look at all of the following factors:

General posture and flexibility.
Specific orthopedic tests to the hip and low back including:
- Fabere Patrick test
- Laguerres test
- Trendelenburg test
Muscle tests to determine the extent of weakness
Neurological assessment if required
Xrays of the hip and/or spine may be conducted depending on the extent of your problems and the examination findings.
Your Chiropractor will discuss with you exactly what examinations will be appropriate and will require your consent before undertaking an examination.

Once a diagnosis has been confirmed then specific treatment options can be discussed

Treatment of arthritis in the hip

The initial aim of treatment is to reduce the local inflammation around the hip,relieve pain and other osteoarthritis symptoms, preserve or improve joint function, and reduce physical disability

Rest: Until the pain subsides use relative (not absolute) rest and avoid any activities that will aggravate the condition.
Cryotherapy ( Ice): The use of ice is very effective in the first 2 to 3 days, although it is sometimes used for a longer period. Heat may be used on the muscles around the gluteal region.
Adjust and mobilise the hip, low back and other involved structures including the anke and the knee.
Gentle Soft tissue therapy (gentle drainage techniques).

After the pain and inflammation has subsided the aim of treatment is to rehabilitate the area of concern. Treatment now moves onto focus on these goals:

Adjust and mobilise the hip and possibly the low back and other involved structures in the spine.
Vigorous soft tissue therapy (active release therapy) followed by cryotherapy (ice) to the muscles around the hip.
Home exercises including stretches and exercise to the involved structures.
Lifestyle modification to eliminate aggravating the injury.
It is very important that once the condition is resolved the patient and the chiropractor work to prevent recurrence of the condition.
Podiatry may be a very important part of the overall assessment. If there are functional or structural changes within the feet that will change gait and therefore affect hip function. In these instances we refer you to our podiatrist Rob Hill.
Conservative, non-drug treatment options should be considered first. If satisfactory relief can be achieved using non-drug options, risk associated with medication side effects is avoided. Non-drug treatment options include:

Patient education and self-management programs
Weight loss if patient is overweight
Physical therapy for range of motion exercise, muscle strengthening, aerobic conditioning
Assistive devices
Taping and bracing
Lateral-wedged insoles
Occupational therapy for joint protection and energy conservation

If you suffer with hip pain and would like to find out how a chiropractor can help you then call 0207 000 1728 to make an appointment now.