March Newsletter

Don’t Let Persistent Hip Pain Keep You Down!

Do you experience pain in your hips while enjoying leisurely walks, climbing stairs, or bending down? Hip pain can significantly limit your ability to perform and enjoy daily activities.  Fortunately, treatment with physical therapy can help you find relief and get back to doing what you love!

Understanding Your Hip Joints

Your hips are ball-and-socket joints, where your femur (thigh bone) fits into your pelvis (hip socket). A cushion of cartilage in your hips prevents friction as your hip bone moves within the socket. Pain can occur if this cartilage wears down or is damaged due to age, injury, or overuse.

There are several reasons why you may be experiencing hip pain:

How Physical Therapy Can Help

Physical therapy is a highly effective treatment for hip pain. Our PTs are movement experts who will conduct a thorough evaluation to identify the underlying causes of your pain.

Your personalized treatment plan may include:

Pain Relief

Specialized techniques, such as manual therapy, joint mobilizations, and soft tissue techniques, can help improve blood flow, free up tension or restriction in movement, and reduce pain in the affected areas.

Mobility Work

Prescribed exercises to improve movement and range of motion in the hip joint.

Strengthening Exercises

Exercises to strengthen the muscles around the hip joint, providing support and stability for a successful recovery.

Personalized Hip Pain Relief

A retired teacher sought help at our clinic due to persistent hip pain that had gradually worsened over the past year. The pain was most noticeable when standing up from a seated position, during walks with her dog, and at night while trying to sleep. She had tried over-the-counter pain medication, heat therapy, and rest but found minimal relief.

During her evaluation, our physical therapists observed limited range of motion in her hip and noted weakness in the surrounding muscles. After a comprehensive assessment, she was diagnosed with hip osteoarthritis, a common condition associated with aging and wear and tear on the joint.

Our PTs created a tailored treatment plan for her that focused on pain management, improving hip mobility, and strengthening the supporting muscles. Targeted manual therapy techniques were utilized to reduce pain and stiffness, while prescribed exercises aimed to increase her range of motion and improve overall hip function. We also provided her with education on proper body mechanics and strategies for managing daily activities. 

After attending every physical therapy session and following exercise instructions in between, she experienced significant improvement in her hip pain and mobility. She was able to resume her daily walks with her dog, enjoy gardening without discomfort, and sleep soundly through the night.

Physical Therapy Tip of the Month

Tee Up for a Healthy Golf Season

March marks the arrival of spring and the anticipation of a brand-new golf season. It’s not just about dusting off your clubs but also about prepping your body for the game. Here are some effective tips to ensure you swing into the new season at your physical best.

• Dynamic Warm-Up: Replace traditional static stretching with dynamic warm-ups like leg swings, arm circles, and torso rotations to prepare your muscles and joints for the various movements in golf.
  
• Balance and Coordination: Golf requires a high level of balance and coordination. Our therapists can give you drills to enhance your stability, which in turn will improve your swing.
  
• Soft Tissue Work: Use foam rollers or a massage stick to work on your soft tissue. This helps muscle recovery and keeps you loose and limber, reducing the risk of strains or sprains.

By incorporating these cutting-edge tips into your preparation, you’re setting yourself up for a healthier, more enjoyable golf season. May your drives be long and your putts be true!

Golf at the Fitness Lab

When evaluating a golf client at the Fitness Lab, our assessments uncover physical limitations and dysfunctional movement patterns allowing us to prescribe personalized golf fitness training programs. Your individualized training program will develop healthy functional movement patterns, improve flexibility and strength, increase club head speed, and help to prevent injury. One of the biggest issues for golfers is their lack of mobility decreasing their rotational speed and power. The Fitness Lab’s golf training program also emphasizes proper functional movement through athletic posture, core strength, and the development of powerful rotary patterns. The Fitness Lab will help golfers of all levels hit the ball straighter and longer! Contact us at the Fitness Lab today at 720-316-1428 to request an appointment; or visit us in one of our offices in Greenwood Village, Highlands Ranch, Parker Mainstreet, Rino or South Denver, CO to get started today!

Click below to learn more about our golfing services.

Prehab and Rehab for Hip Surgery Success

Did you know that physical therapy is an important part of both the preparation for and recovery from hip replacement surgery? Prehabilitation, or “prehab,” focuses on strengthening the muscles around the hip joint and improving mobility to set you up for a faster and smoother recovery.

Prehabilitation

Prehab exercises may include:

• Targeted stretching and range-of-motion exercises
  
• Strengthening exercises 
  
• Gait training and balance activities 

Patients may also learn how to use assistive devices like walkers or crutches, as well as practice post-surgery movements like getting in and out of bed or a chair.

Rehabilitation

Rehab begins almost immediately after surgery, with exercises becoming more challenging as the patient heals. 

• Early mobilization is key to prevent complications and promote healing 
  
• Prescribed Exercises
  • Manage pain
  • Help prevent blood clots
  • Regain mobility and strength

The duration and intensity of both prehab and rehab vary depending on individual factors such as age, overall health, and the specific surgical approach. However, both are integral components of a successful hip replacement journey by contributing to improved outcomes, reduced pain, and a faster return to normal activities.

Prepare and Recover From Hip Surgery with the Fitness Lab

If you’re planning for hip surgery, or contemplating it down the road, contact us today to learn how our prehab and rehab programs can set you up for success. We’ll answer any questions you have and talk about what to expect at every stage. Contact us today!

Request Appointment

Indoor Exercises for the Winter Months

It’s wintertime again, and rather than going into hibernation mode, maybe this year you can find some indoor exercises to keep you healthy and fit! 

If you have been looking for some exercise suggestions that can help you make it through the winter months, look no further. At the Fitness Lab, our physical therapists are movement experts and can guide you through the best types of exercises, depending on your goals.

According to the research, people take fewer steps per day, and less than half of all adults exercise in the winter. The main reason people use for not exercising outdoors is inclement weather, with rain being the biggest obstacle to getting outside and moving. 

Although you can do some exercises all year, no matter the weather, if you are looking for some suggestions to try, consider the following:

• Yoga
• Pickleball
• Swimming or water aerobics
• Bootcamp or circuit training program

Try classes at your local fitness center, like Zumba or spinning classes, for more group-style indoor exercises. Try a CrossFit gym or a HITT (High Intensity Interval Training) program with Olympic-style lifting exercises if you want a more intense workout. Or, if you are looking for light (or even intense) competition, sign up for a sports league to play basketball, soccer, or volleyball. 

If you are looking for a more traditional workout, there are treadmills and elliptical trainers in most fitness centers to get in and get your workout done quickly. Another great idea is to find a physical therapist to finally resolve your old aches and pains and set you up with a program tailored to your personal goals that considers your injuries and unique physical attributes.