Hip Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis of the hip can be painful as the hip is needed to move with sit to stand, walking, squatting and bending. The hips take a lot of wear and tear over the years leading to a degeneration of the cartilage that lines the joint. As the cartilage wears over time, the joint becomes stiffer and the muscles of the buttocks generally weaken over time. This compounds the effects on the hip causing grinding and wearing. In advanced stages, bony spurs can form around the joint and even change the shape of the joint.

Most minor to moderate cases of hip osteoarthritis can highly benefit from physical therapy. In advanced stages a total or partial hip replacement may be needed to repair the damaged joint. Physical therapy in the hospital and outpatient facilities is highly important in the recovery from a hip replacement surgery.

How physical therapy helps

The pain associated with osteoarthritis of the hip comes from inflammation in and around the joint from wear and tear. Tight muscles, tendons, ligaments and tissues occur with osteoarthritis further limiting joint movement. In addition, weakness of the buttock muscles and hip rotators generally occurs because of the loss of movement.

Physical therapy can improve joint mobility, range of motion and muscle strength. Our hands-on therapy and specialized exercises normally achieve a marked improvement in your hip range of motion. First, we thoroughly evaluate the mechanics of your hip joint, walking and hip muscle coordination. By pinpointing the specific areas that need attention, we formulate a plan to quickly relieve your pain, improve your motion and walking.