Hip and knee pain can keep your joints from working normally and can cause more than just discomfort. You can experience a lack of mobility, joint weakness, inability to bear weight, and more. Types of hip and knee pain that we treat are Iliotibial Band (ITB) Syndrome, Hip Bursitis, Piriformis Syndrome, Hip Joint Pain, Patella Femoral Syndrome, Knee Ligament Injuries, Knee Meniscus, and Osteoarthritis.
Do you often experience hip pain? The Results PT team receives questions all the time has addressed some common questions below.
How about knee pain? That pain can be irritating, too. The Results PT team answers some of your frequently asked questions about knee pain at the link below.
ITB is one of the most common and easiest to treat running injuries. Iliotibial Band Syndrome occurs when the iliotibial band rubs against the outside of the knee joint, causing friction, pain, and inflammation. It is typically treated with physical therapy, including strengthening and corrective exercises. Repetitive action will usually make it worse. Some symptoms of ITB are a tight, inflamed, stiff, or achy feeling from the shin to the hip.
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Hip impingement, or technically known as femoroacetabular impingement, involves a change in the shape of the surface of the hip joint.
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Gluteus Medius Tendinopathy is a painful condition of the hip that can be can limit one’s ability to stand, walk, use stairs or run.
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You can recognize Hip Bursitis by an aching or nagging pain outside of the hip. It is also known as Trochanteric Bursitis or ITB Friction Syndrome. Hip Bursitis occurs when tight hip flexor muscles and weak gluteal muscles cause the bursa (lubricating fluid sacs) to rub up against the hip bone. This creates inflammation and pain, as the muscles are imbalanced. Ultrasound, ice, steroid injections, and electrical stimulation can be used to treat the pain from Hip Bursitis. However, you need to treat the underlying muscle imbalance in order to actually treat the condition. This can be done with comprehensive manual therapy and an exercise plan.
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Hip Joint Pain is generally felt as pain in the groin or front of the thigh. Some hip joint pain can be caused by arthritic changes, hip capsular tightness, labral tears, and hip impingement syndrome. Activities such as running, golf, soccer, as well as prior trauma, obesity, and more can cause hip joint pain. The main way to treat hip joint pain is through physical therapy. Motion and stretching exercises can help to restore mobility when paired with gentle joint distraction. You may be prescribed anti-inflammatory or steroid medication as well.
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Hip Labral Tears are the result of damage being done to the labrum which acts as a cushion for the hip joint. The labrum plays an essential role in letting your hip move smoothly and without pain.
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Are you a runner or other endurance athlete who has recently increased mileage and is now having pain on your outer thigh or outer part of your knee? Does it hurt worse going down stairs? Is there popping or snapping at your outer knee with these activities?
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Also known as Hoffa’s syndrome or fat pad syndrome, the Infrapatellar fat pads (IFP) are two wedge-shaped fatty structures situated below the kneecap (patella), lying on either side of the patellar tendon (just underneath the knee cap).
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When you injure your knee ligament, you may experience immediate pain and swelling, as well as possibly not being able to bear weight or move normally. There are four ligaments in the knee, and they can be easily sprained or torn when exposed to trauma or excessive twisting/stretching. Recovery and treatment depend on the severity of the injury. If you have a grade 1 or 2 tear, surgery isn’t necessary, and you can achieve full recovery through personal therapy. If you have a grade 3 tear, you will likely need knee surgery.
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Knee Meniscus injuries can be traumatic or degenerative. A traumatic meniscal injury can be caused by a high impact activity, such as being tackled, sudden twisting or bending, and more. A degenerative meniscal injury happens when the meniscus gradually thins, then is torn by a relatively small force. You will often hear a “pop” when you tear your meniscus. You will experience swelling and stiffness. You may initially be able to bear weight on it. Your knee may also lock or give-way, both of which are common. For a large tear, surgery is often needed. If surgery isn’t necessary, you can go through physical therapy, focusing on joint mobilization techniques.
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Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is caused by prior trauma, surgery, or gradual wear and tear. Symptoms of OA can include stiffness, a deep ache, weakness in the muscle, and the inability to do activities you once were able to do, such as squatting, climbing stairs, standing for long periods of time, and more. Treatment can include joint mobilization of the knee, ice and electrical stimulation, and surgery. Complete knee replacement surgery is usually only needed in the most severe of cases.
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Patellar Tendinopathy
Symptoms for Patella Femoral Syndrome include pain around or under the kneecap. This can also include a grinding or popping sensation. This is typically caused by poor tracking of the kneecap on the femur. After identifying contributing factors to your problem, corrective exercises and manual therapy is typically used to correct the issue. You may need to tape the patella to help re-educate an improved tracking mechanism.
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If you are experiencing an aching pain down the posterior thigh and deep in the buttock, you may have Piriformis Syndrome. This pain is typically caused by tightening of the piriformis muscle, often stemming from poor gluteal, abdominal, and core strength. Treatment for Piriformis Syndrome needs to address the underlying issues, such as hip muscle imbalance or lumbar spine problems. You can get relief from the tightness and pain by myofascial release of the muscle.
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We treat all kinds of different hip and knee pain conditions at our physiotherapy clinics near you and across the United States. We have hundreds of PT clinics near you to help you alleviate your pain and help you get back to doing the things you love most. If you would like to set up an appointment to treat your hip and knee pain at one of our physiotherapy clinics, please schedule an appointment by filling out our online form. We look forward to meeting you!