Hip Pain And Arthritis: What You Need To Know
Some of you have told us you have pain in your hips. Several issues can cause hip pain, one of which is arthritis.
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What is arthritis?
Arthritis is wear and tear to bones and joints and is more common and presents at a younger age if:
- You have hip damage from thalidomide. Some of you will have known about this for some time whilst others may only find out when X-rays are taken. Again this causes the hip to wear out earlier.
- You use your legs as an arm. The increased use and range of movement of your legs can also cause the hip joint to wear out earlier.
If the pain lasts longer than a few weeks, and is causing you to stop doing certain things, it will help to pay a visit to your GP and get an understanding of what’s causing the pain.
If your doctor thinks that arthritis is the cause, they may suggest an X-ray to look at the bones in the hip and assess the severity of any arthritis.
What if arthritis is diagnosed?
If arthritis is diagnosed the following may help:
- Having physiotherapy to maintain the movement in your hips through a range of gentle movement exercises and activities.
Your physiotherapist can also suggest specific exercises to maintain or improve the strength of the muscles around the hip joint, and this will help later if you have to have an operation.
They can also advise you on the best way to walk with your hip pain and show you how to use a walking stick, or crutch.
Find a physiotherapist near to you
Contact the Trust to help you find a physiotherapist on 01480 474074 or email - Pacing your activities during the day to avoid putting too much pressure on your hips. Heat pads and painkillers can also help you manage your pain. Read our article below on Pacing For Pain to find out more.
- Losing weight to reduce the extra strain on all your joints and particularly the hip and knee joints.
Read guidance on how to lose weight on the Patient website - Having steroid injections in your hip if the pain becomes intolerable.
For some, this is a good form of pain relief and may delay any need for surgery. It is difficult to predict how long the injection may last and whether another one may be helpful.
Read what to know before getting a cortisone injection on the Arthritis Health website
Further Information And Beneficiaries' Experiences Of Managing Pain
Pain and how to manage it
Having a hip replacement
Having steroid injections