Hip Pain and injuries
Cause Symptoms and Diagnosis of Hip Osteonecrosis. Piriformis muscle and Running injuries, Quadriceps tears and strains. Hip Bursitis Cold or Low Level laser Therapy for pain relief and recovery
Hip Pain
One of the most common causes of hip pain is the inflammation of the bursa called hip bursitis. A bursa is a fluid filled sac that allows extra protection for the tendons on motion between two uneven surfaces. For example, in the hip, a bursa rests between the bony prominence over the outside of the hip (the greater trochanter) and the firm tendon that passed over this bone.
When the tendon has to move over the bone and over the inflamed bursa it will result in pain. Because patients with hip bursitis move this tendon with each step, hip bursitis symptoms can be quite painful. Hip bursitis presents as the pain on the outside of the upper thigh. Management of hip bursitis is often directed on balancing the function of hip, knee and pelvis thus eliminating the cause of the pain as well as local application of the cold laser directed on suppression of inflammation and accelerating healing of the soft tissues.
Another less common cause of hip pain is Osteonecrosis of the joint.
Hip Osteonecrosis also called avascular necrosis, is a condition when the blood supply to the joint gets impaired. An interruption of the blood supply to the head of the femur (the ball, of the ball-and-socket hip joint will cause a decrease in delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the bone, with subsequent necrosis of the bone and collapse of the bone.
Causes of Hip Osteonecrosis?
Exact causes of Hip Osteonecrosis are unknown. Because the cartilage of hip joint looses the support of the bone underneath itself the joint surface is quickly worn away and arthritis quickly progresses.
Most cases of Hip Osteonecrosis are associated with either alcoholism or steroid use. Other less common risk factors for developing hip Osteonecrosis include sickle cell disease, trauma to the hip (dislocation or fracture) lupus and some genetic disorders.
Symptoms of Hip Osteonecrosis
Common symptoms of Hip Osteonecrosis include:
Aching pain in the groin
Pain with movement of the hip
Difficulty walking or presence of limp
Diagnosis of Hip Osteonecrosis made
Osteonecrosis of the hip is primarily radiological diagnosis. The X-ray may be completely normal, or it may show severe damage to the hip joint. If the X-ray is normal an MRI will be performed to look for early signs of Hip Osteonecrosis.
The Piriformis muscle.
The piriformis muscle is a small muscle in the groin that runs from the sacrum to the outer hip bone. If the piriformis muscle becomes tight or cramps it can put pressure on the sciatic nerve which passes underneath the piriformis muscle. Typically this pain increases when the muscle contracts, when sitting for an extended time or direct pressure on the muscle. Gluteal (or buttock) pain is common. Pirformis syndrome is also a common cause of sciatica.
Pain can also be caused by prolonged external rotation of the hip so that the piriformis muscle is shortened. If the sciatic nerve is compressed for a long time there may be aching in the leg and pain in the low back.
Shortening of the muscle and compression of the nerve is the most common cause of piriformis Syndrome, but overuse of the gluts and other muscles in the hip can also cause muscle spasms of the piriformis. Other factors in this syndrome include poor body mechanics and posture, gait problems.
The Quadriceps muscles.
The quadriceps muscles group includes four muscles located in the anterior thigh. This muscle group acts to extend the leg while straightening the knee. A pulled or strained quadriceps muscle causes pain in the front of the thigh. A severe pull or muscle tear, causes an abrupt, sudden, acute pain that occurs during activity (often while sprinting). It may be accompanied by swelling or bruises on the thigh.
A pulled quadriceps is often the result of a strength imbalance between the quadriceps and the hamstring. Strong hamstring muscles in the back of the leg and weak quadriceps muscles in the front of the leg can result in a pull or a tear. Such a muscle imbalance is not uncommon among runners, since running tends to work out the hamstrings much more than the quadriceps.
The quadriceps is a group of muscles along the front of the thigh. It consists of the quadriceps femoris, the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and the vastus intermedius.
A pulled or strained quadriceps muscle can be identified by a pain in the front of the thigh. A severe tear is abrupt, sudden, and results in acute pain during the activity (often sprinting) and may be accompanied by swelling or bruises on the thigh.
Causes
Typically a pulled quad is the result of a strength imbalance between the quadriceps and the hamstring group, where the hamstrings are more powerful. This is a common muscular imbalance in runners, because running tends to use the hamstrings more than the quadriceps.
Cold or Low Level laser Therapy/Treatment
Types of Soft Tissue Pain
There are two main types of soft tissue injuries: the strain and the sprain.
Muscle Sprain is associated with overstretching or tear of the ligaments. The ligaments connect the muscles to their bone attachments. Ligaments are very tough fibrous connecting tissues made of chains of tough cells grouped together to increase their strength. In a muscle sprain, these chains are separated or torn, causing ligament and/or muscle damage.
Low Level Cold Laser Therapy (LLLT) is a Handheld, non-invasive, light-emitting medical device which is used over different areas of the body. It provides an unmatched advantage in the treatment of conditions such as:
Athletic and sports injuries
Hip Pain conditions and injuries
Lower Back Pain
Hip, Knee and Foot Pain
Shoulder Injury
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Arthritic pain relief, Muscle Spasm
Relief of Muscle and Joint Pain
Skin infections.
Relief of Stiffness the Promotion of Muscle Relaxation and Cell Restoration.
Wound Management including Skin Ulcers. Pressure Sores and Burns’
Soft Tissue Injuriesincluding Sprains and Strains. Tendonitis and Haematomas.
Joint Disorders and Conditionsincluding Arthritic pain relief and Tenosynovitis.
Chronic painincluding Trigeminal Neuralgia and Chronic Neck and Back pain
