Essential Steps in Hip Treatment

Hip pain can be a normal part of aging but you don’t have to accept it. You can find relief through non-surgical treatment.

The first step is to describe your pain to your doctor, whether it’s a dull throbbing or sharp, burning sensation. Identifying your hip pain is critical, as the location and type of pain can indicate the root cause and help guide treatment. The pain may occur inside your hip joint, in the groin or buttocks area, or extend down the back of your leg and into your feet.

A physical exam is the next step in your journey to hip pain relief. Your doctor will ask you about your past health, symptoms and family history of hip problems. Then he or she will test your range of motion, flexibility and movement habits. Your doctor will also do a series of tests, such as the log rolling test and compression testing to assess your hips’ stability and mobility.

X-rays and ultrasound can help diagnose hip pain and find the source. An x-ray can show the hip socket’s shape, amount of space between the ball of your femur (top …