Move Comfortably Once Again with the Help of Physical Therapy
Do your weight-bearing joints seem to be turning into pain-bearing joints lately? It may be unable to perform your work, play sports, manage household chores, or even find a comfortable sitting or sleeping position if your hip or knee can’t support your body weight without causing annoying aches and agonizing pains.
These restrictions and frustrations can lead to the use of potentially dangerous painkillers or the consideration of joint replacement surgery. Fortunately, physical therapy – the natural path to pain control – works well with many types of hip and knee pain.
To learn more about the benefits of physical therapy for hip and knee pain, contact our clinic today. We’d be more than happy to set up an appointment for you!
Causes of hip or knee pain
Over the course of a lifetime, the hips and knees do a lot of work. Not only when you’re standing still, but even when you walk, run, climb, or leap, these joints must endure the majority of your body weight. It’s no surprise, then, that the knee and hip joints will suffer from a number of ailments and injuries.
Your pain and stiffness may be caused by a variety of reasons:
- Strains, sprains, and ruptures – The knee and hip joints can move thanks to muscles, tendons and ligaments. Repetitive motion or acute injuries can cause a strain (damage to muscles or tendons) or a sprain (hyperextension of a ligament). Athletes are vulnerable to ruptures of the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament).
- “Runner’s knee” – An unstable kneecap can lead to chronic knee pain. This condition is known as patellofemoral syndrome or “runner’s knee.”
- Bursitis – Both the hips and knees have fluid-filled sacs called bursae that prevent friction between bones and soft tissues. Unfortunately, these sacs can become inflamed from overuse, a painful condition called bursitis.
- Osteoarthritis – Osteoarthritis is a degeneration of the cartilage that normally keeps the bone ends in a joint from rubbing together. The resulting friction causes chronic pain and inflammation.
Hip or knee pain may be aggravated by a variety of health or lifestyle issues. A good example is carrying extra weight. A hip or knee may be overworked due to musculoskeletal misalignment or postural imbalance. Muscle weakness may result from a lack of exercise, setting the stage for chronic strain and joint dysfunction.
Should I choose physical therapy over drugs?
If your doctor has prescribed you pain relievers it is best to follow the guidance of your doctor. However, you are welcome to discuss physical therapy with your doctor as well.
If you find that your pain level has decreased through physical therapy, you can discuss reducing your pain reliever usage with your primary physician.
You may get pain relief when you are at the physical therapist and going through treatment, but what about when you go home? A major goal of your physical therapist is to heal your injuries over the long term.
The various exercises and treatments they use with you will steadily improve your condition so that you experience less pain on a daily basis. As your body gets stronger and more mobile, you are likely to experience less pain in your hips and knees.
How can physical therapy relieve my hip and knee pains?
Research shows that patients who rehab their hip or knee pain with physical therapy within 15 days of symptom onset have less need for pain injections, medications, or surgical intervention.
Getting relief from knee or hip pain doesn’t necessarily involve the use of heavy drugs such as opiates or procedures such as joint replacement surgery. Physical therapy can improve your joint function while also easing your pain and stiffness.
Our physical therapist can prescribe exercises aimed at addressing your specific condition, such as:
- Step exercises
- Hip flexion, extension, or abductor exercises
- Mini-squats
- Heel-to-buttock-exercises
- Hip rotations
- Knee lifts
- Hamstring curls
- Leg lifts
Even basic activities like walking can help maintain mobility and relieve pain in arthritic knees and hips. To help normalize your musculoskeletal equilibrium, our physical therapist can prescribe heat/ice therapy, ultrasound therapy, massage therapy, laser therapy, or orthotic footwear.
Get rid of your pain today
The sooner you seek physical therapy for knee or hip pain, the better. Whatever stage of pain you’re in, it’s never too late to benefit from physical therapy!
Contact our physical therapist to get started on a customized treatment plan today.
