Have you ever felt joint pain, swelling, and tenderness around your hip? Is the pain sharper and more noticeable when you get out of bed or stand up after sitting in a chair? If you answered yes, you might be dealing with hip bursitis.
What Is Hip Bursitis?
Our body has several saclike cavities that are filled with fluid near the bony joint areas. These are called bursa; they help muscles and tendons move over joints more efficiently by reducing friction. Sometimes, the bursa become tender and swollen. This affects the movement of the joint, making moving it very painful. This condition is called bursitis. Bursitis doesn’t just occur in the hip, but can happen in the knee, shoulder, and elbow joints.
The condition can be acute with a short-lived, sharp pain which flares over days or hours or chronic with long-lasting pain that switches between sharp to dull with time. Chronic bursitis can last from days to weeks and often makes a comeback if not treated properly. Acute bursitis can develop into chronic bursitis in case of a hip injury.
If not treated immediately, the bursa can become thick and even more swollen, which increases the pain and stiffness of the joints. This can lead to restricted movement of the joint and can even cause atrophy in the surrounding muscles.
How to Treat Hip Bursitis
The main aim of the treatment for any form of bursitis is to control the inflammation caused by this condition. As with any medical problem, the best course of action is to consult a doctor before you start any treatments. Most doctors recommend the following steps for treating hip bursitis:
Rest:
One of the main causes of hip bursitis is overuse of muscles. So the first step towards treating is to avoid any activity that aggravates the hip muscles or contributes towards the inflammation. Getting proper rest can help reduce the inflammation by alleviating the pressure from the joint.
NSAIDs:
Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), Corticosteroids, and Analgesics can help reduce the swelling and relieve the pain associated with the condition. These medications also help diminish inflammation and tenderness of the surrounding muscles. However, certain anti-inflammatory medications can have adverse effects, so they should be used with extreme caution and only with proper professional medical guidance.
Ice:
Icing the affected area can help alleviate symptoms such as swelling, joint pain, and stiff muscles. Icing can also help control the inflammation by encouraging the flow of the blood to the affected area.
Physical Therapy:
In some cases of hip bursitis, the pain and swelling can cause the muscles to atrophy. Doctors recommend physical therapy when this happens. Physical therapy should only be conducted once the pain is subsided and the swelling has gone down.
Specifically designed exercises can help regain the movement of the joints and help relieve the stiffness of the muscles. Physical therapy is especially helpful for patients suffering from chronic bursitis and having trouble regaining the normal functionality of the joints and muscles.
Contact Our Physical Therapy Specialists!
Do you want to regain control of your joints and muscles and promote healthy functioning of your body? Sports & Exercise Medicine Institute is a leading sports medicine and physical therapy clinic in the greater Toronto area. We team includes renowned physical therapists and professional doctors from all over the country. Our range of services includes physiotherapy, podiatry services, regenerative therapy, Proliferative Injection Therapy, concussion treatment, and shockwave therapy. Contact us now to visit our state-of-the-art facility and services!
