Hip bursitis is an inflammation (or irritation) that causes extreme pain and reduces the normal range of motion. It typically occurs in older people (aged 40+) who are engaged in high-risk physical activities that place additional stress on the hip joint.
Specialized Physical Therapy offers effective physical therapy for hip bursitis. Our manual therapy services and home exercise program are tailored to treat individual symptoms for optimal results.
Physical Therapy for Hip Bursitis Overview
Hip bursae are small sacs present next to the synovial cells in your hip joint. Like the synovial lining, these fluid-filled sacs create a cushion-like effect when you move your legs. Thereby, it reduces friction and prevents excessive wear and tear of hip muscles.
However, repetitive movement, overuse of hip joints, prolonged kneeling/standing, and sudden injury can irritate the bursae sacs. Due to this, the affected area becomes inflamed and become swollen.
Early symptoms of hips bursitis include pain, tenderness, and restricted movement. Without treatment, the hip pain can increase, leading to severe hip pain and mobility issues.
Symptoms of Hip Bursitis
Common symptoms of hip bursitis include:
- Swollen hip joint
- Tenderness on the lateral side of your hip
- Hip pain that increases in intensity when you move
- Reduced mobility
In case of infection (i.e. septic bursitis), these symptoms may be present:
- Fever
- A burning sensation in the infected site
- Redness and swelling in the affected area
Without intervention, your condition can worsen, leading to:
- Severe hip pain which inhibits movement
- Prolonged hip pain that may last longer than two weeks
- Excessive inflammation or rash in the targeted site
- Sharp and shooting hip pain
Early intervention can prevent debilitative hip pain and restore the prior level of functioning in the affected joint. That’s why we recommend physical therapy for hip bursitis as soon as they experience the first signs of hip bursitis.
Causes of Hip Arthritis
Common risk factors include:
- People aged 40 and above are at a higher risk because of degenerating muscles and bones.
- Repetitive hip joint movement and overuse
- Excessive strain on hip muscles
- Sitting or standing incorrectly for prolonged periods
- Traumatic hip injury due to collision, accident, or sudden movement
- High-risk physical activities (i.e. skiing, soccer, gardening, manual labor, bicycling, running)
- Unequal leg length can place excessive strain on the hip bursa due to the imbalanced movements
- Spinal injury (or diseases) that affects the lower lumbar back
- Side-effects of certain medications
- Medical conditions such as hip arthritis (or osteopenia) can place additional strain on the hip joint
Physical therapy for hip bursitis aims to reduce risk factors and provide pain relief.
Diagnosis
Your physical therapy for hip bursitis begins with a comprehensive physical evaluation and diagnosis. We start with some questions concerning your symptoms, pain patterns, and intensity. After that, we compare the current condition with your medical history and daily activities.
Apart from this, we test your hip flexibility, strength, and movement through a series of physical exams. During this time, we may ask you to climb stairs, stand, sit, and walk to observe how the physical symptoms restrict your movements. We perform a few more tests to determine the main cause of your condition and locate the affected area to create the best physical therapy for hip bursitis treatment plan.
Treatment and Physical Therapy Exercises for Hip Bursitis
Specialized Physical Therapy develops a personalized treatment plan for your hip bursitis physical therapy sessions. We use the initial evaluation to choose the best treatment for hip bursitis for you with therapy techniques and exercises that can alleviate your hip pain.
Our program features in-person and at-home manual therapy and physical therapy exercises for hip bursitis. The Home Exercise Program (HEP) promotes independent treatment and natural recovery. Most treatments involve daily stretching, postural training, and strengthening exercises. All of them support flexibility, muscle strength and reduce hip pain. When that happens, you start regaining optimal range of motion and mobility.
As a consequence, you return to your normal routine a lot faster than expected.
Get your life back on track with Specialized Physical Therapy. Call us @ 201-773-8851 today to schedule a consultation for the best treatment for hip bursitis for you.