Do you suffer from hip pain or knee pain? You’re not alone. Many people experience hip or knee pain sometimes in life. The hips and knees are the body’s largest joints. These structures support the body’s weight and provide mobility. If you do suffer from hip pain or knee pain, be sure to contact The Fitness Lab for physical therapy. Physical therapy is highly effective for both of these ailments.
Causes of Hip Pain and Knee Pain
There are a number of causes of hip pain. It may be due to arthritis, sprain or sciatica. Arthritis is often to the culprit of hip pain — specifically osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when there is a breakdown of the cartilage tissue in the hip. The function of cartilage is to act as a shock absorber. The risk factors for osteoarthritis include increasing age, being overweight and joint injury. The symptoms include stiffness, hip pain and difficulty standing up for long periods of time. Sciatica is a condition that occurs when the sciatic nerve is impinged. It can be due to a herniated disc or strained muscle. Pain is often caused in the hip and extends to the buttocks and down one leg. Pain can range from moderate to severe.
Knee pain may be the result of arthritis, mechanical problems or injury. An injury to the knee can affect the bones, cartilage, ligaments and tendons. Symptoms include difficulty getting up from a sitting position, clicking sound when moving the knee and pain in the knee area. For example, An ACL injury is the tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament. Often, this type of injury is common in people who play sports like soccer and basketball.
The Role of Physical Therapy for Hip Pain and Knee Pain
Whether you have hip pain or knee pain, the goal of physical therapy is to help reduce the pain and improve overall functional mobility. A physical therapist will develop an individualized treatment program to improve motion and strength. Active treatments may include specific exercises and stretching exercises. Passive treatments may include ultrasound, electrical stimulation, massage, heat therapy or cold therapy. All of these treatments are put in place to help reduce inflammation and pain in addition to accelerating the healing process.
Aquatic physical therapy may also be recommended. Studies have shown that “compared with no intervention, a six-week program of aquatic physical therapy resulted in significantly less pain and improved physical function, strength, and quality of life. It is unclear whether the benefits were attributable to intervention effects or a placebo response.”
Physical therapy is a natural, non-invasive way to attain pain relief. You may not need to have surgery after engaging in a physical therapy program. Why go under the knife when you don’t have to? And you won’t have to rely on taking pain meds for pain relief.
If you’re suffering from hip or knee pain, call one of our two CO offices to schedule an appointment with our certified and experienced physical therapy staff. Our physical therapists will give you pain relief and get you on the path to recovery. There’s no reason to be in pain if physical therapy can help.
