Hip and groin pain can be a complex problem. Our Physiotherapists regularly see hip and groin pain, especially amongst our sporting population. This is because of increased forces and loads through the hip joint in sports like running, football and dancing. Therefore if it not unusual to experience pain and injury in this area however early intervention is important to prevent longstanding issues . Non-optimal technique and increased training loads are risk factors for the development of hip and groin pain thus need to be addressed by your physiotherapist. Some conditions we treat in this category are impingement syndromes (FAI), hip labral tears, gluteal and adductor tendinopathies and osteitis pubis to name a few. Often hip issues are fairly complex therefore you need an experienced physiotherapist to rehabilitate you back to your sport.
Prenatal and postnatal women are another group of patients that present to us with hip pain. This can be due to weight gain and other changes in your body that can lead to muscle imbalances and injury. Your pelvic floor muscles can be weakened from pregnancy and these have a vital role in holding your pelvic region stable. Hormonal influences can also impact your hips an pelvis. These systemic chemicals can make your hips (in addition to everything else) more mobile thus can predispose to injury if your muscles aren’t strong enough to hold you together. Some conditions common to this group are pubic bone pain, trochanteric bursitis and tendinopathies.
We are also experienced in post-operative management of hip procedures such as arthroscope and hip replacement surgery. Our physiotherapists will be initially involved in your pain management, restoration of joint mobility and teaching you how to use your muscles again. We will then devise an individual plan focussed on your individual goals, and follow you every step of the way until you have returned to your full function.
ZEST Physio Pilates Health has an excellent network of highly qualified medical professionals including orthopaedic surgeons, sports physicians, general practitioners and allied health professionals. We believe in a holistic approach to your management of hip and groin pain treatment for best results and can guide you towards the right professional to help you reach your goals.
Assessment
A thorough assessment of your hip and groin injury as well as addressing contributing factors such as pelvis and lower back is important in understanding what and why your injury has occurred. A diagnosis of your injury will be made in this session and strategies will be given to minimise your aggravating factors throughout your day. Sometimes your Physiotherapist may wish to have a look at your technique during running or sport to gain insight into why your injury occured and provide useful ways to prevent this for the future.
Treatment
Manual treatment such as joint mobilisations and soft-tissue therapy (massage) may help you to improve alignment throughout your entire body, and to reduce adverse forces on your hip and groin. Bracing and taping options can also be explored to assist with management. Your physiotherapist will guide you towards the best hip pain treatment options available to you and will discuss the proposed management pathway on your first visit. Occasionally scans such as x-rays and MRI may be required to gain more information of which your Physiotherapist can refer to the best imaging locations for you.
Rehabilitation
Exercise rehabilitation is an important part of your recovery and we provide you with the latest evidence-based ways of helping you back to your full function. Sometimes we use real-time ultrasound imaging as a way of giving you feedback for the right ways of using your deep hip and pelvic muscles. We may look at your running technique (athletes), training programs, and daily habits to evaluate the reason your injury occurred and to prevent it happening again.
Resources
Recommended article on hip injuries:
Can local muscles augment stability of the hip? Dr Alison Grimaldi
All of our Physiotherapists are qualified at treating all musculoskeletal injuries. The Physiotherapists at ZEST Physio Pilates Health with a special interest in hip/groin include:
