Hip pain is a problem that can affect some of life’s most simple activities such as walking.  If the pain is severe, limping can cause compensation and lead to a whole host of other problems. 

The hip is a very complex ball and socket joint that requires perfect alignment, mobility and motor control to work properly.  These three important mechanical factors can become abnormal due to injury and pain.

Abnormal Alignment.  Injuries can cause misalignments of the hip and pelvis which can create increased loads (pressure) on the hip joints, loss of joint mobility (movement), loss of joint stability (strength, support, control), micro-trauma, and wear and tear over time.

Pelvic Misalignments.  Photo A: Pelvis is rotated to the right (red line).
Photo B: Pelvis is shifted to the left.  Green lines indicate normal position.

Abnormal Mobility (Flexibility).  Loss of hip joint mobility, flexibility and movement occurs because misalignments can cause changes in muscle length (some shorten, others lengthen) and changes in muscle tone (some tighten, others weaken).

Loss of Hip Mobility.  Photo C: Loss of right hip extension (red line).  Photo D: Normal hip rotation on the right.  Photo E: Loss of hip rotation on the left.

Abnormal Motor Control.  Pain, injury, or misalignment is known to cause abnormal motor (muscle) control.  The nervous system can no longer efficiently contract certain hip muscles in a coordinated pattern for proper movement.  Abnormal coordination and strength of the muscles that cross the hip joint can lead to joint wear and pain.

Abnormal hip alignment, mobility and motor control are the most common mechanical causes of hip pain we assess in people coming to us for this problem.  Once we determine if one or all three of these mechanical problems are present, we determine the most appropriate adjustments and exercises to restore hip alignment, mobility and motor control.

We help people with hip pain everyday without using anti-inflammatory drugs, cortisone injections or surgery. If you or someone you know is suffering from hip pain, contact us to see if we can help.