Hip & Knee Pain Relief
Looking for Hip and Knee Pain Relief? Look No Further.
Creaky knees? Achy hips when you stand or walk? Difficult to stand up from sitting or, heaven forbid, getting up from the floor? Those stairs giving you Hell? There is actually a really great solution to these problems: Physical therapy!
It turns out that very often knee and hip pain is successfully treated by specific stretching and strengthening exercises. We will look at your strength and flexibility along with the alignment of your entire lower “chain” from the feet up to the back. While you are healing, we can give you support with taping and orthotics. We will work on your tight tissues and educate you on how to proceed with your strengthening exercises. In many cases, we will eliminate the need for harmful pain-management drugs or invasive surgical correction and get you functional again.
If you are looking for hip and knee pain relief, look no further – schedule a consultation with Grelot Physical Therapy today.
Why am I experiencing hip and knee pain?
Your hips and knees are two different types of joints: the hips are ball-and-socket joints that act as a support for your upper body weight, while the knees are hinge joints that allow for the forward-and-backward motions within the joint. Numerous muscles and tissues maintain their proper function and mobility, and when things aren’t working correctly, you may experience hip or knee pain.
The pain may be originating in the joints themselves – however, it is also possible that the pain may be coming from another part of the body. For example, a problem with the hip joint may transmit a pain signal to the knees, and vice versa. Also, the lower back may refer to pain and abnormal sensation to the legs and be perceived as a primary knee or hip pain. Since the hips and knees are both parts of the same kinetic chain that must function together in harmony in order for your body and posture to function properly. If one part of the kinetic chain is out of balance, stress and deterioration may be placed on another.
Common causes of hip and knee pain:
The function of your hips and knees are very similar: to help you stand and walk, run and jump. Therefore they can be subject to many of the same injuries, stress, disorders, and diseases. Injuries can be acute or from overuse.
Some of the most common causes of hip and knee pain include:
- Arthritis. There are several types of arthritis, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, both of which can cause significant pain to the hips and the knees. Arthritis causes inflammation, which causes the joints to swell and increases the amount of friction in the joints, causing the cartilage to wear down even worse than before. When the problem is caused by arthritis, the pain typically grows worse over time and doesn’t go away with traditional over the counter treatment options. However specific exercises tend to be very helpful.
- Fractures. It is imperative after any injury and in particular after fractures that you rehabilitate the injured body part. The pain may go away as you heal up, but it will come back sooner or later if you don’t strengthen the area back to normal.
- Tendinitis. Inflammation in your tendons can be very debilitating. A good physical therapist can identify the causes of the irritation and guide you towards your path of healing and becoming pain-free again.
- Cartilage injuries. Cartilage injuries can affect either the hips or knees. For example, hip pain can be caused by cartilage injuries known as labral tears, while meniscus tears are common in the knee.
- Referred pain. Pain may also develop as a result of referred pain from a pinched sciatic nerve since the nerve travels through both areas.
- Weak or tight muscles. For example, if you have a weak gluteus medius muscle and tight hip flexor muscles, this can cause the hip to rotate inward without you realizing it. Because of this, abnormal stress can be put on the knees, resulting in painful conditions, such as patellofemoral stress syndrome or iliotibial band friction syndrome.
- Muscle imbalances and abnormal gait. These can cause abnormal stress and premature wear-and-tear to be put on your hips and knees, which can result in painful symptoms of arthritis.
Find relief with Grelot Physical Therapy:
At Grelot Physical Therapy, we are equipped to treat any hip or knee pain you may be experiencing. At your initial appointment, you will be greeted by one of our Mobile physical therapists, who will examine your hips and knees for any structural damage or misalignment. They will also evaluate your gait, stance, posture, and range of motion. After your evaluation is complete, your physical therapist will design a personalized treatment plan, based on your needs and goals. Treatment plans will focus on relieving pain, normalizing joint function, and relieving any abnormal stresses on your hips and knees.
Your treatment plan will include targeted stretches and exercises, aimed at stabilizing any weakness in the hips and knees. The exercises may vary depending on your condition; for example, research has demonstrated that those suffering from kneecap pain tend to respond better to exercises that focus on strengthening both the hips and knees, rather than just focusing on the knees alone. Core strengthening exercises targeting the lower abdominal muscle groups, lower back muscle groups, or pelvic muscles may also be prescribed. Core exercises are aimed at improving your posture and equalizing the weight load on both sides of your body.
You may be prescribed with additional treatments as our physical therapist deems fit, such as massage therapy, taping, ice, and heat therapy, dry needling or other soft tissue treatments. These are all aimed at alleviating your pain and promoting the healing of your damaged hip and/or knee issues.
If you are suffering from hip and/or knee pain, don’t hesitate to contact Grelot Physical Therapy today for a consultation. Treatment plans will be discussed with one of our licensed Mobile physical therapists, so you don’t have to wait for relief.
