Your hip is a weight-bearing joint, and all of your weight above your waistline has to be supported by your hips. Whenever you stand, walk, or run, the weight-bearing joints in your body are subjected to external forces (gravity, heel-strike shock, etc.) and the strain of repetitive motion. A runner, for example, takes an estimated 1500 strides per mile, and a force of 2-3 times the body's weight must be effectively absorbed through the lower extremities with each step. Also, the weight of the body is supported on just one limb through three-quarters of the gait (walking) cycle. During that time, the muscles in your hip must contract to keep your torso from falling to the opposite side.

Because it is a masterpiece of structural design, the human body can usually deal effectively with gravity and heel-strike shock if it is in good health and posturally stable. But, if you have slight postural imbalances and/or misalignments, those forces can gradually cause a variety of painful conditions which may affect not only your hips, but anything from your knees to the lower back. As chiropractors, we can determine the cause of your discomfort and recommend proper treatment.

If traumatic injury (falling on the hip, a car accident, being tackled in a football game, etc.) has been ruled out, and the pain seems to lessen or go away completely when you're resting or "off your feet," you may have a postural imbalance - a foot problem and/or a leg length inequality - that could be the cause of your hip pain.

The feet are the foundation of your body; they support everything above them, including the hips. Feet function something like the basement of a house; if the basement doesn't support the weight of the floors above it, stress cracks can appear in the walls at any level. And feet that aren't properly aligned can contribute to stress and pressure at the hip joint.

Your feet also help to protect you against heel-strike shock. Every time the heel of your foot hits the ground, a shock wave travels up through your body, all the way to your head. The healthier and more posturally stable your body is, the more likely this shock is either dissipated or absorbed safely. But if your feet are not in their correctly functioning position at all times, more of this shock is allowed to move through the body and may weaken other joints - including the hips.

Contact us today to discuss how you can benefit from proper hip, knee and foot alignment, regardless of your age.

We Can Help!

Depending on the diagnosis of your condition, we have treatment programs to help restore your hips to normal function. Along with any determination of the need for rest or other therapies (e.g., ice, exercises, orthotics, soft tissue mobilization, etc.), a three-step program is often utilized:

• Specific spinal adjustments of the affected joint(s) for proper alignment.
• Exercise to build muscle strength and joint stability.
• Use of spinal/pelvic stabilizers (foot orthotics) to help restore foot stability and absorb heel-strike shock.

Strengthening hip muscles helps stabilize the joints and lower the incidence of further serious injury.

Before you start on a regimen of medications that just temporarily mask pain, we may be able to help eliminate the cause.

Factors that Increase Risk

Factors that contribute to falls include problems with gait and balance, neurological and musculoskeletal disabilities, psychoactive medication use, dementia, and visual impairment.

Environmental hazards such as slippery surfaces, uneven floors, poor lighting, loose rugs, unstable furniture, and objects on floors may also play a role.

4 Steps that Reduce Risk

1. Maintain a regular exercise program. Exercise improves strength, balance, and coordination.
2. Take steps to make living areas safer. Remove tripping hazards and use no-slip mats in the bathtub and on shower floors. Have grab bars put in next to the toilet and in the tub or shower, and have handrails put in on both sides of stairs.
3. Have an eye doctor check your vision. Poor vision increases the risk of falling.
4. Reevaluate medications that may be causing side effects that impair balance and vision.