Chiropractic Care for Hip Pain
By Dr. Weston Hopkins, Chiropractor, Natural Health Center
Many people are unaware that chiropractors can help with hip pain. In fact, hip pain is actually the third-most common complaint that we see at our Anchorage chiropractic office!
Causes of hip pan
Hip pain is very common and is said to affect about 15 percent of the population. Hip pain can be nagging and stubborn due the fact that it has many different causes. Causes of hip pain include:
• Arthritis
• Torn cartilage
• Bursitis
• Fracture
• Strength imbalance
• Tight muscles
• Referral from the low back
• Loss of range of motion
Understanding the anatomy of the hip
The hip joint consists of a “ball” on the head of your femur (thigh bone) and a socket in your pelvis. On top of the bone is cartilage to smooth the surface. Around the inside of the socket is the labrum (a piece of cartilage) that helps hold your leg bone in the socket. Surrounding this are numerous ligaments and muscles which help stabilize and move your hip.
Smith & Nephew, FAL, via Wikimedia Commons
Using chiropractic to treat hip pain
The many different causes of hip pain are why a thorough chiropractic examination is important. This helps your chiropractor arrive at the correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment. A thorough hip exam at our office will include:
• Specific range of motion testing
• Specific strength testing
• Evaluation of movement patterns
• Ruling out other common sources of referred pain, such as the low back
In certain cases, an X-ray or MRI may be warranted to further evaluate the hip.
Chiropractic treatment for hip pain depends on the specific cause, but can include:
• Soft tissue muscle release to relax the surrounding muscles
• Low-force joint mobilizations to improve joint motion
• Spinal adjustments (if necessary) to relieve pain
• Targeted exercises to strengthen the area
Bottom line: Yes, we can help with your hip pain. Hip hip hooray!
If you have any questions regarding the benefits of chiropractic care for hip pain, please contact our team at the Natural Health Center in Anchorage today to schedule a visit.
About Dr. Weston Hopkins, Chiropractor, Natural Health Center
Dr. Hopkins is a licensed chiropractor at Natural Health Center in Anchorage, Alaska. He is certified in Active Release Technique (ART) and Functional Range Release (FR), and is also a Functional Range Conditioning (FRC) Mobility Specialist. Dr. Hopkins’ goal is to get you out of pain as quickly as possible so you can return to your activity of choice.
Learn more about Dr. Hopkins or contact us to schedule your appointment.