Hip arthritis is a debilitating condition, often caused by wear and tear and overuse of the hip joint. Swollen and stiff hip joints can prevent you from walking properly or from living life to the fullest.
At Specialized Physical Therapy, we help recognize the signs and symptoms of hip arthritis and develop a treatment plan to help you work towards recovery. We do this by providing personalized manual physical therapy and instruct you in the proper exercises to limit the symptoms of hip arthritis.
Physical Therapy for Hip Arthritis Overview
Hip arthritis occurs in the hip joint after daily ‘wear and tear’ of the cartilage. This joint is positioned between the femur (i.e. thighbone) and the acetabulum (i.e. cup-shaped socket). The cartilage acts as a barrier between the two bones. It glides when the hips move into flexion, extension, rotation, abduction, and adduction. In turn, it prevents the joint bones from rubbing into each other.
Frequent movement, degeneration due to age, and excessive pressure might cause it to wear off. When that happens, the joint suffers from excessive wear and tear. The bones grind into each other, causing hip pain, swelling, tender muscles, and weakness. Hip movements become challenging as the symptoms increase.
Early intervention with physical therapy for hip arthritis can prevent you from losing the complete range of motion, function, and strength. We use manual therapy, exercises, massage, and other modalities to help you regain lost mobility and muscle strength.
Arthritis Hip Pain Symptoms
Common arthritis hip pain symptoms include:
- A dull ache that increases with movement
- Stiffness and limited range of motion
- Hip pain worsens after straining activity (i.e. exercise, long walks, climbing too many flights of stairs, squats)
- Swelling or tenderness felt in the hip region
- Pain referred into the groin, and pain in the buttock and outside of the hip
- A clicking or catching sound when you move
Many times when you stop performing routine activities (i.e. walking, sitting for excessive periods, running), the symptoms may ease. In severe cases, a person might start walking with a limp or become dependent on a walking stick or cane to reduce body/weight or pressure on the affected hip.
Causes of Hip Arthritis
- Age
- Everyday wear and tear
- Naturally deformed joints or developmental dysplasia of the hip
- Hip injury
- A genetic defect in the cartilage
- Overexertion of the hip joint caused by repetitive movements
- Excessive weight, obesity
Diagnosis
Our physical therapists conduct a comprehensive physical evaluation before treatment. The initial consultation revolves around understanding your symptoms and when they occurred. We also compare your medical history and family history to rule out genetic conditions.
Hip mobility, muscle strength, flexibility, and functionality limitations are measured and documented. We observe how you to ascend and descend stairs, walk on level and uneven surfaces, and bend in different directions while sitting and standing. These activities allow us to identify the pain pattern and mobility issues currently affecting your activities of daily living (ADL’s).
Treatment and Physical Therapy Exercises for Hip Arthritis
We specialize in providing personalized physical therapy for hip arthritis. Every patient receives a detailed home exercise program and manual mobilization techniques addressing the hip joint’s range of motion and trunk mobility. Combining treatment techniques allows us to focus on different aspects of your hip condition.
Our strengthening and stretching physical therapy exercises for hip arthritis improve muscle strength and mobility. These therapy sessions help to reduce joint stiffness and inflammation. Accompanied with supervised therapy, we teach you how to alleviate joint pain and improve joint health.
If you are dealing with hip arthritis, don’t hesitate to seek expert advice. We can help lead you towards recovery.
Visit or call Specialized Physical Therapy clinic in Fair Lawn, New Jersey @ 201-773-8851, so we can create a customized physical therapy for arthritis today.