Hip Pain: So you Literally Have a Pain in your Butt

I’m referring to the ache in the back of your hip that’s been there for a few weeks.

First, you thought it would just go away. Next, you talked to a family member or friend, who recommended “rubbing this cream on it.” Then, you Googled it. Some methods worked, others made your hip pain worse…so what’s next?

Time to see your Athletico Physical Therapist[1].

Have you had frequent hip pain?

Are you losing flexibility and strength when walking or changing direction?  This could be due to degenerative changes in the hip joint. That literal pain in the butt can occur around the groin, outside of the hip, or somewhere in the buttock.

The hip is a very robust ball and socket joint that sits on either side of the pelvis. Since weight bearing on your feet is essential for walking, the hip joint needs to be sturdy. The ball and socket style joint provides the needed range of motion, while the large surface area of the hip joint helps distribute forces to the Sacroiliac (SI) Joint and back, required for sitting, walking, stair climbing, and running[2].

Covering the socket joint of the hip is an incredibly smooth cartilage that allows the ball to glide freely. With age, this cartilage begins to erode. This can limit the hip’s range of motion. As noted above, the forces that are transmitted through the hip joint are shared with the SI Joint and low back. If the hip has limited mobility, these body parts can compensate for this lost motion to achieve the desired movement. This compensation, when repeated, can lead to pain in the lumbar, pelvis, and hip.

What does this mean? Hip pain may be a product of isolated dysfunction of wear and tear or a regional problem[3]. Those experiencing this may benefit from manual therapy, as the hip has been shown to respond well to hands on techniques[4]. This treatment option may be included as part of an individualized treatment plan determined by a physical therapist following a thorough evaluation.

So what are you waiting for? Get rid of that pain in the butt by visiting your nearest Athletico Physical Therapy location.

Click to Request an Appointment Today

The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.

[1]Gabriela Hernández-Molina, Stephan Reichenbach, Bin Zhang, Michael Lavalley and David T. Felson. Effect of therapeutic exercise for hip osteoarthritis pain: Results of a meta-analysis. Arthritis Care & Research.  Volume 59, Issue 9, pages 1221–1228, 15 September 2008
[2]http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1898964-overview
[3]Altenberg AR. Acetabular labrum tears. A Cause of Hip Pain and Degenerative Arthritis. Southern Medical Journal.  1977, 70(2): 174-175.
[4]Hugo L. Hoeksma, Joost Dekker, H. Karel Ronday, Annet Heering, Nico Van Der Lubbe, Cees Vel, Ferdinand C. Breedveld and Cornelia H. M. Van Den Ende. Comparison of manual therapy and exercise therapy in osteoarthritis of the hip: A randomized clinical trial. Arthritis Care & Research.  Vol 51, Issue 5, pages 722–729, 15 October 2004.