Persistent hip pain

The two most common causes of persisting hip pain are; hip impingement and hip dysplasia.  

Impingement (Femoroacetabular Impingement) is where the ball and socket shape do not match well: CAM – when the ball has a wider neck, meaning the ball is more of an oval. PINCER - when the socket has an extra lip of bone that limits movement of the femur. Both of these structural conditions limit hip range of movements, usually hip flexion (bringing your knee up to your chest). Limited hip flexion will affect things like crouching/squatting, sitting in low chairs, and driving. 

Dysplasia (Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip) is: reduced cartilage coverage, usually due to an altered orientation of the femur to the pelvis. E.g. the femur head can be slightly rotated forwards (femoral anteversion), this might mean the person feels more comfortable with their toe inwards, but during activities that require hip external rotation (hip turned outwards) such as; dancing, change of direction sports, getting in/out of cars, this becomes a problem. 

These conditions can be identified with a physiotherapy assessment in combination with X-ray. Once a diagnosis is made, a specific treatment plan can lead to a very successful outcome.  

 If you have pain in your hip, give us a call, we’d love to help 😊