Well, let’s make one thing clear…in most cases your hip is NOT “going out” of place.  But it does seem like it when you take a step forward and you feel a buckling of your hip accompanied by pain.

The pain you are experiencing is most likely due to a tilted and rotated pelvis caused by a muscle imbalance.  Now, I can’t tell you for sure until I see you in person.  But this is the most common cause for most of my hip pain patients.

Common Causes of Hip Pain

Hip pain can vary from mild to severe physical discomfort.  The feeling of your hip “going out” on you can be due in part to a traumatic event or injury, sprain, or strain, lying on your side for a prolonged period of time, overuse, muscle stiffness, or sitting in an awkward position.

A dull, achy pain of the hip may also be caused by inflammation of the joint, bursitis, due to repetitive movement and overuse.  The pain may increase when you move or press on the hip.

A pain that runs from the lower back, through your hip and buttocks, and down your leg, sciatica, is also a common cause.  Sciatica is accompanied by numbness and inflammation as well.  In other cases, as people age, osteoarthritis is can become a common cause of hip pain.

These all lead to muscle imbalances, where a group of muscles may weaken while others try to pick up the slack.  When other muscles try to pick of the slack, you may experience the pain radiating down your leg to your knee or to your lower back.

Here’s a little more about why your hip is “going out”:

Treating Hip Pain

Physical therapy is an effective way to treat hip discomfort, pain, and that sudden “going out” feeling.  Hip pain is different from person to person, so seeking professional advice from a physical therapy specialist will determine what the best treatment plan is for you.  Through hands-on manual therapy, we can work on restoring your body to the right position.  While specific corrective exercises can strengthen your hip muscles and help restore your range of motion.

When Should I Seek Treatment?

I often get asked this question during my phone consultations.  And my reply is always, why don’t we get you back to walking pain free this week?  You should seek treatment if:

  • you can’t put weight on your leg
  • you can’t move your leg or hip
  • you have limited motion of your leg and hip
  • your pain is severe, or sudden
  • you have pain that has lasted more than a couple of days
  • Most importantly… You’ve stopped doing the things you love like walking, running, yoga, crossfit 
  • Even more importantly… You are tired of pain that interferes with your active lifestyle

If your hip is concerning you and you want to talk about it, reach out to me.  We can discuss how physical therapy can work for you.

And, if the pain is hindering your daily life and you’re ready to get started, schedule your free Discovery Visit.  Let’s get to the root cause of the problem and work on reaching a pain-free lifestyle together.

Tags: Active Lifestyle, AdvancedPTS, Back Pain, Back Pain Relief, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, dormant butt syndrome, Hip Pain, knee pain, Manual Therapy, Miami, miami run, Orthopedic Specialist, Palmetto Bay, Physical Therapist, Physical Therapy, Pinecrest, postural restoration, posture, Prehab, Rehab, South Miami