Hip pain and stiffness are common symptoms found in patients over the age of 50. However, they are not always a sign of arthritis, although arthritis is the most common cause of these two symptoms together.
A good way to determine if your hip pain and stiffness is caused by arthritis is to ask yourself a couple of questions:
- Did the pain come on suddenly, or has it been slowly evolving?
- Do you feel better when you sit or lie down?
Arthritis in the hip is a degenerative condition that develops over time and is caused by the gradual wear and tear of the hip socket joint. Over time, repetitive movements cause the cartilage that protects the ball-and-joint socket to wear down, meaning the joint has no cushion against the hip bone. As the friction of bone on bone builds, inflammation can develop in the joint. This is the definition of arthritis — inflammation in the joints of the body.
One contributing factor to hip pain and stiffness caused by arthritis is weight gain, specifically in the abdominal region. Extra weight in the stomach creates additional pressure on the hip joint, which makes the cartilage wear down faster. So, if your symptoms developed gradually, and you carry extra weight in your stomach, you may have arthritis in the hip.
Treatment options for hip pain and stiffness
If you have a confirmed diagnosis of arthritis of the hip from your doctor, your next step is to seek treatment for pain relief. While there is no cure for arthritis, there are several nonsurgical treatment options that can help reduce your pain and make your symptoms manageable to where they don’t impact your quality of life.
Physical therapy is often the most common treatment recommended for arthritis because it helps to strengthen the muscles surrounding the damaged joint in order to take pressure off the joint and allow for healing.
If you’d like to schedule an appointment for hip pain treatment, contact our team at SOL Physical Therapy + Performance today.
