Are you struggling with hip pain? While there are several potential causes, one that often gets overlooked is bursitis. Fortunately, effective hip bursitis treatment at Exercise Sport Physical Therapy can help reduce pain, calm inflammation, and prevent future flare-ups.
Understanding Hip Bursitis: What It Is and Why It Happens
What Are the Bursae?
Your hip structure contains small, fluid-filled sacs called bursae. These sacs cushion your bones, muscles, and tendons, reducing friction and helping your joints move smoothly.
Bursitis occurs when these bursae become irritated or inflamed. The most commonly affected bursae are located on the outside of the hip, which is where symptoms will be located.
Common Symptoms of Hip Bursitis
- Sharp or burning pain on the outer side of the hip
- Pain that worsens when lying on the affected side
- Discomfort when climbing stairs or getting up from a chair
- Stiffness or aching after long periods of sitting or walking
What Causes Hip Bursitis?
Hip bursitis can develop from overuse, injury, or poor movement patterns. Some common risk factors include:
- Repetitive motions from running, biking, or standing
- Direct trauma, like a fall onto the hip
- Poor posture or muscle imbalances
- Leg length differences or altered walking mechanics
- Conditions like arthritis or scoliosis
How Physical Therapy Helps With Hip Bursitis Treatment
The first thing we’ll do is conduct a thorough evaluation to pinpoint the exact source of your pain, including confirming whether or not it’s bursitis. We’ll take a full health history, review your symptoms, and perform some simple movement screens to identify contributing factors.
Next, we’ll create a personalized hip bursitis treatment plan based on your symptoms, lifestyle, and goals. Here are some of the treatments we might include:
Manual Therapy to Ease Pain and Restore Motion
We often use hands-on techniques to reduce muscle tension and improve mobility. Methods like soft tissue massage, joint mobilization, and myofascial release can help decrease pain and improve your hip’s range of motion without irritating the area further.
Stretching and Mobility Training
Tight muscles can pull on your hip joint and aggravate the bursae, which is why we include specialized exercises to reduce tension and support better movement in the hips, thighs, and glutes.
Strengthening to Support the Joint
Weak or imbalanced muscles around the hip can lead to poor mechanics and irritation. Strengthening these muscles protects the hip and reduces strain on the bursae. We’ll help enhance your hip strength with exercises such as:
- Clamshells and side-lying leg lifts for the glutes
- Core stability drills to support your pelvis
- Step-ups and bridges to build strength over time
Gait and Movement Retraining
If our evaluation reveals that improper walking or running patterns are contributing to your symptoms, we’ll conduct a more comprehensive gait analysis and make a few small adjustments to relieve pressure on the hip and prevent future flare-ups.
Education and Lifestyle Strategies
Part of successful hip bursitis treatment is learning how to avoid future occurrences. We can help you modify your activities to reduce irritation and ensure you’re using proper body mechanics for daily tasks. We might also recommend self-management strategies or supportive devices as needed.
We want you to leave PT feeling better and knowing how to stay better!
Find Effective Hip Bursitis Treatment Today
If hip pain is slowing you down, don’t wait for it to go away on its own. Physical therapy offers a safe, effective approach to hip bursitis treatment that can reduce pain, restore movement, and help you get back to what you love.
Contact Exercise Sport Physical Therapy today to schedule an appointment and learn how our team can help you move more comfortably and confidently.
