Topic Overview
A hip injury and pain can make it hard to
walk, go up and down stairs, squat, or sleep on the side that hurts. A clicking
or snapping feeling or sound around your hip joint (snapping hip) may
bother you or cause you to worry. But if your hip is not painful, in many cases
the click or snap is nothing to worry about. Home treatment may be all that is
needed for minor hip symptoms.
To better understand hip injuries,
it may be helpful to know how the
hip works. It is the largest ball-and-socket joint in
the body. The thighbone (femur) fits tightly into a cup-shaped socket
(acetabulum) in the pelvis. The hip joint is tighter and more stable than the
shoulder joint but it does not move as freely. The hip joint is held together
by muscles in the buttock, groin, and spine; tendons; ligaments; and a joint
capsule. Several fluid-filled sacs (bursae) cushion and lubricate the hip joint
and let the tendons and muscles glide and move smoothly. The largest nerve in
the body (sciatic nerve) passes through the pelvis into the leg.
Hip injuries
Injuries are a common cause of hip
problems. You may not remember a specific injury, especially if your symptoms
began slowly or during everyday activities.
- Overuse injuries occur from repeating the same
activity. The repeated activity, such as running or bicycling long distances,
stresses the hip joint and may cause irritation and inflammation. Examples of
overuse injuries include irritation of the large sac (bursae) that cushions the
bones of the hip joint (trochanteric bursitis), irritation of the tendons in
the hip (tendinitis),
muscle strain, and hairline cracks (stress fracture) in the neck of the thighbone
(femur).
- A sudden (acute) injury may occur from a fall on the hip,
a direct blow to the hip or knee, or abnormal twisting or bending of the leg. Examples of acute injuries that may cause hip pain include:
Treatment for a hip injury depends on the location, type,
and severity of the injury as well as your age, general health, and activities
(such as work, sports, hobbies). Treatment may include first aid measures;
application of a brace, cast, harness, or traction; physical therapy;
medicines; or surgery.
Check your symptoms to
decide if and when you should see a doctor.
Check Your Symptoms
Home Treatment
Home treatment may help relieve hip
pain, swelling, and stiffness.
- Rest. Try to rest and protect an injured or sore
area. Stop, change, or take a break from any activity that may be causing your
pain or soreness.
- Ice will reduce your pain and swelling. Put
ice or cold packs on the injured area immediately. Put ice on for 20 minutes
out of every hour and do this 4 or more times in the first 1 to 2 days. Wrap
the ice in a wet towel. Do not put the ice right on the skin. Do not fall
asleep with an ice pack on your skin.
- Sleep on your uninjured hip
with a pillow between your knees, or sleep on your back with pillows beneath
your knees.
- Gently massage or rub your hip to relieve pain and help
blood flow.
- For the first 1 to 2 days after an injury, do not do
things that might increase swelling, such as taking hot showers or use hot tubs,
hot packs, or alcohol beverages.
- Do not use aspirin for the first
24 hours after an injury. Aspirin may cause more bruising under the skin.
- After 2 to 3 days, if you
do not have swelling or the swelling is gone, you can put
heat on the area. Moist heat with a hot
water bottle, warm towel, or a heating pad set on low may feel good on your
hip. You can carefully begin normal activities and gentle stretching.
Medicine you can buy without a prescription| Try a nonprescription
medicine to help treat your fever or pain: |
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Safety tips| Be sure to follow these
safety tips when you use a nonprescription medicine: |
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- Carefully read and follow all directions
on the medicine bottle and box.
- Do not take more than the
recommended dose.
- Do not take a medicine if you have had an
allergic reaction to it in the past.
- If
you have been told to avoid a medicine, call your doctor before you take
it.
- If you are or could be pregnant, do not take any medicine other
than acetaminophen unless your doctor has told you to.
- Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than age 20 unless your doctor tells you to.
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Do not smoke. Smoking may delay healing because it interferes
with blood supply and tissue healing. For more information, see the topic
Quitting Smoking.
Cast care tips
If you have a cast, see
cast care tips.
Symptoms to watch for during home treatment
Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home
treatment:
- Pain or swelling develops.
- Signs of infection develop.
- Numbness,
tingling, or weakness develops.
- Pale, white, blue, or cold skin
develops.
- Symptoms do not get better with home
treatment.
- Symptoms become more severe or more frequent.
Prevention
The following tips may prevent hip
injuries.
Keep bones strong
- Eat foods rich in calcium, like yogurt, cheese, milk, and dark green vegetables. Eat foods rich in vitamin D, like eggs, fatty fish, cereal, and fortified milk.
- Exercise and stay active. It is best to do weight-bearing
exercise, such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, dancing, or lifting
weights, for 2½ hours a week. One way to do this is to be active 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week. In addition to weight-bearing exercise, experts recommend that you do resistance exercises at least 2 days a week. Talk to your doctor about an exercise
program that is right for you. Begin slowly, especially if you have not been
active. For more information, see the topic
Fitness.
- Don't drink more than 2 alcohol
drinks a day if you are a man, or 1 alcohol drink a day if you are a woman.
People who drink more than this may have a higher chance for developing
osteoporosis. Alcohol use also increases your chance
of falling and breaking a bone.
- Stop or do not begin smoking.
Smoking also increases your chance for developing osteoporosis. It also
interferes with blood supply and healing. For more information, see the topic
Quitting Smoking.
Prevent hip injuries
- Wear your seat belt in a car.
- Do
not carry objects that are too heavy.
- Use a step stool. Do not
stand on chairs or other unsteady objects.
- Wear protective gear
during sports or recreational activities, such as roller-skating or soccer.
Supportive splints, such as wrist guards, may lower your chance for
injury.
- Do not do activities that make one side of the pelvis
higher than the other, such as running in only one direction on a track or
working sideways on a slope. Keep your hips level.
Reduce falls
Hip injuries can happen from falls. Do all you can to prevent falls.
- Remove any obstacles from your walking path and
fix anything in your house that may cause you to fall. Household hazards that
can cause falls include slippery floors, poor lighting, cluttered walkways,
throw rugs, raised doorway thresholds, and electrical cords.
- Keep
furniture or other items that have sharp edges away from normal walking
pathways in your house.
- Use nonskid floor wax, and wipe up spills
immediately.
- Have your vision and hearing checked regularly. If you
have poor vision or hearing, you may have a harder time keeping your
balance.
- Know the side effects of any medicines you are taking. Ask
your doctor or pharmacist whether the medicines you are taking can
change your balance. For example, sleeping pills or sedatives can change your
balance.
- Check the condition of your shoes on a regular basis. Wear
low-heeled shoes that fit well and give your feet good
support.
- Have a lot of lights in your house, especially on
stairways, porches, and outside walkways. Use night-lights in areas such as
hallways and bathrooms. Add extra light switches or use remote switches, such
as switches that go on or off when you clap your hands, to make it easier to
turn lights on if you have to get up during the night.
- Have sturdy
handrails on stairways.
- Put grab bars and nonskid mats inside and
outside your shower or tub and near the toilet and sinks. Use shower chairs and
bath benches.
- Be safe when you go outdoors. Use a cane or walker if
you need to. If you live in
an area that gets snow and ice in the winter, have a family member or friend sprinkle salt or sand on
slippery steps and sidewalks.
If you live alone, you may want to get an emergency contact
bracelet or necklace. If you fall and can't get to the phone, you can press
the button on your bracelet or necklace. This calls
911 or an emergency number for you so that
help can be sent.
Exercises to stretch and strengthen your hip and back area
Warm up and stretch before exercising to prevent muscle strains and
injury.
Preparing For Your Appointment
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
You can help your
doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to
answer the following questions:
- What are your main symptoms? How long have you
had your symptoms?
- How and when did an injury occur?
- Have you had any injuries in the past to the same area? Do you
have any continuing problems because of the previous injury?
- Do you
have hip pain when you walk? How far can you walk without discomfort? Does the
pain get better or worse as you continue to walk?
- What activities
make your symptoms better or worse?
- What sports activities are you
involved in? Have you recently started a new activity?
- Do you think
that activities related to your job or hobbies caused your
symptoms?
- What home treatment measures have you tried? Did they
help?
- What nonprescription medicines have you tried? Did they help?
- What prescription and nonprescription medicines do you
take?
- Do you have any
health risks that may increase the seriousness of your
symptoms?
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
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| Primary Medical Reviewer | William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine |
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| Specialist Medical Reviewer | H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
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| Last Revised | July 30, 2012 |
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