Hip arthritis is a painful condition. It can limit your movements due to the stiffness that also accompanies it. Patients who have hip arthritis describe the pain as a dull, aching pain in the pelvic region that is worse in the morning or after periods of inactivity. Experiencing these symptoms daily with no relief can rob you of joy in your day-to-day activities. Mild to moderate pain from hip arthritis may still respond to non-invasive treatment options. Aside from eating an anti-inflammatory diet, here are a few things you can do for your hip arthritis.
Lose Weight
Getting down to a normal weight can help ease the pain of arthritis. Excessive weight can put pressure on the joints of the hip, which accelerates the breakdown of the protective cartilage. With every pound you gain, it is equivalent to four pounds of pressure on your joints. Many hip arthritis patients have experienced great relief from their symptoms after losing 10 pounds.
Exercise Daily
In order to lose weight, you need to cut calorie consumption and increase physical activity. Exercise is necessary to lose weight. With exercise, your muscles become stronger. Weak muscles put pressure on the joints, which accelerates the breakdown of cartilage. Walking, swimming and cycling are examples of aerobic exercises you can do daily to help you get down to a healthy weight. The load off your joints can lead to a decrease in pain and stiffness, and improvement in balance and flexibility.
Seek Physical Therapy
Patients with hip arthritis can benefit from a physical therapy program that is tailored to their needs. Many physical therapists are experienced in treating patients with hip arthritis, guiding them through stretching, strengthening, and range-of-motion exercises that target pain and stiffness. Physical therapy exercises for hip arthritis patients should be gentle to prevent overworking the muscles and worsening joint pain. Exercises for hip arthritis include the standing iliotibial band stretch, hamstring stretch, hip extensions, and knee-to-chest and sit-and-stand exercises.
Other than exercises, physical therapists also use other therapeutic modalities to further improve a patient’s symptoms, such as temperature therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, ultrasound, and electric stimulation. With electrostimulation, the physical therapist places electrodes around the joint to deliver electric pulses through the skin.
Patients with hip arthritis feel better with movement, which is why movement is an important part of treatment. If you are experiencing hip pain, see your doctor as soon as possible. With arthritis, patients who seek early treatment usually experience good outcomes.
Arthritis Treatment in Clinton Township, MI
At Movement Orthopedics, our board-certified orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Carroll, and licensed physical therapists regularly treat patients with hip arthritis and help them move without pain and stiffness. Dr. Carroll specializes in minimally-invasive hip and knee procedures.
If you seek physical therapy services, we are pleased to inform you that we accept almost all insurances. If you have questions about our physical therapy services or would like to make an appointment with Dr. Carroll, please call (586) 436-3785 or use our online form to make an appointment
