By: Adam Renelt, DC
Updated 1/25/2024
Where Does Hip Pain Come From?
Many people wonder if chiropractic care can help people with hip pain. Hip pain is a common reason that patients visit one of our chiropractors in Sioux Falls. The hips, pelvis and lower back all work together to allow us to be able to perform many functions. This includes bending, walking, twisting and other movements. Hip pain can come from any one of these three areas. The true anatomical hip joints occur where the femur bone of the legs meets the pelvis to form a joint. This is the joint where hip replacements occur if severe arthritis is present. The sacroiliac joint is also part of the pelvis and can refer pain to the hip, groin, buttocks or knee. The lumbar, or lower back, vertebra can also refer pain to the hips or groin regions.
Anatomy of the Hip Joint
The true anatomical hip joint is where the femur, or thigh bone, meets the bones of the pelvis. The femur has a rounded head that sits into a hole in the pelvis that is called the acetabulum. This joint is considered to be a “ball and socket” joint and it allows a large range of motion to be performed by the thigh bone. The joint has cartilage coating both the femoral head and the acetabulum. There is also a feature of cartilage called a labrum that forms a ring around the outside of the joint. There are also multiple ligaments binding the joint together as well. There are also a variety of muscles that attach to various points of the joint that apply force to the bones to create movement. Hip pain could be caused by problems of any of the above-mentioned tissues and, in some cases, the problem may involve multiple aspects of the joint.
How Does a Chiropractor Decide Where the Pain is Coming From?
Chiropractors are trained evaluate the hip, the pelvis and the lower back to determine where the pain is coming from. Sometimes the pain may be caused by only one region and other times it may be from a combination of multiple problem regions. A visit will typically start with a history of your symptoms. Duration of symptoms, history of trauma and what activities make your hip feel better or worse may help determine where the problem area is. A chiropractic evaluation, X-rays, orthopedic tests and muscle testing are some of the tools we may use to narrow down where the pain is coming from.
How Can Chiropractic Help Hip Pain?
A chiropractor is often able to help hip pain, but treatment may vary based on what is causing the symptoms. Chiropractic adjustments, muscle work, postural recommendations and at home exercises are just some of the things that your chiropractor may recommend. Typically, our goal is to help improve the function of the joints so that pain is less likely to occur. Chiropractic care cannot heal arthritis itself but can often help the symptoms of arthritis. Even if someone has been recommended to have hip replacement surgery they may get some symptom relief with chiropractic care.
What Should I Do Next?
If you are looking for relief from hip pain, please contact us to schedule an appointment in our Sioux Falls location. Often, we will be able to help your symptoms and help you to function better. If our chiropractors don’t think that they can help your situation, they will let you know if you should consult with another health care provider that may be able to help your hip pain.