Do you have:
Pain on the outside of your hip?
Tenderness in your hips?
Swelling in your hips?
Stiffness in your hips?
Pain that radiates down the side of your leg towards the knee, sometimes making it difficult to walk?
Difficulty sleeping due to the pain in your hips?
Pain when sitting?
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you may be suffering from hip bursitis.
Hip bursitis, also known as trochanteric bursitis, is a common condition that affects many women. The bursa is a small fluid-filled sac that helps to cushion and protect the joints in the body. When this bursa becomes inflamed or irritated, it can cause pain and discomfort.
How common is hip bursitis?
Women are more likely to suffer from hip bursitis than men. This is due to the fact that women tend to have wider hips, which places greater stress on the hip joint.
This condition is also more common in middle-aged and elderly women.
What causes this condition?
There are several factors that can contribute to the development of hip bursitis.
These include:
Overuse: Repetitive movements such as running, cycling, or walking long distances can irritate the bursa and lead to inflammation.
Trauma: A fall or injury to the hip can also cause hip bursitis.
Poor posture: Sitting or standing for long periods of time can contribute to hip bursitis, especially if you have poor posture.
Obesity: Being overweight or obese puts extra stress on the hip joint, which can lead to bursitis.
Other medical conditions: Hip bursitis can also be caused by other health conditions, such as arthritis or tendonitis.
Pelvic floor weakness or tightness can contribute to hip bursitis by affecting the alignment and stability of the pelvis and hips. Weak pelvic floor muscles can cause the hips to tilt forward or backward, altering the angle of the hip joint and placing strain on the hip bursa. Tight pelvic floor muscles can also influence posture and gait, leading to uneven weight distribution and overuse injuries in the hips. Additionally, pelvic floor dysfunction can lead to a lack of core stability, which can further exacerbate hip bursitis symptoms.
What can you do to help prevent hip bursitis?
To help prevent hip bursitis, it is important to avoid certain activities that can irritate
the bursa. These may include:
Prolonged sitting or standing: If you work at a desk, be sure to take frequent breaks and stand up and stretch.
High-impact activities: Activities such as running, jumping, or hiking can put too much stress on the hip joint and should be avoided if you are experiencing hip pain.
Wearing high heels: High heels can put extra pressure on the hips and should be avoided if you are experiencing bursitis.
What are some exercises you can do at home to help?
Hip bursitis can be treated with a combination of exercises and Osteopathic
treatment. Here is a short video of some exercises that can help to rehabilitate hip bursitis when you're at home, and instructions below the video.
Hip Stabilisers- in a four point kneeling position, hook one ankle into a secured theraband. Keep your trunk steady without movement & beginning to move your ankle & lower leg towards the opposite foot. Keep both knees on the ground. Release & return to the starting position. To add a challenge that will improve your core stability, raise the opposite arm whilst rotated the leg, maintaining a stable trunk. The hip stabilisers are often weak, in this position you can’t cheat by using other muscles such as Glute max. It targets the teeny tiny crucial hip stabilisers.
Bridge- feet elevated on a couch, laying on the floor, place a cushion between your knees to encourage adductor strength. Roll your pubic bone to your belly button, gradually lifting hips off the floor, then lower back all the way until your resting on your shoulder blades. Move vertebrae by vertebrae with control. Engage your Glutes at the top of the movement & as you release out of it to protect your back. Keep your hips high, lower your bra line down first, then your waist band & lastly your tail bone. Again vertebrae by vertebrae with control. This strengthens hip extensors- glutes & hamstrings.
Quadruped- in a four point kneeling position with hands under shoulders & knees under hips. Extend the right foot & left hand along the floor then away from the body. Focus on length as opposed to height. Keep your pelvis and trunk as still as possible as you move the opposite limbs. Perform on the opposite side. Core and pelvic floor strength are often weak in someone with hip pain/ bursitis.
Hip Flexor Stretch- in a lunge position next to the couch sink your pelvis forward toward your front heel til you feel a stretch through the front of the hip. To increase the stretch you can lengthen the same arm as hip flexor getting stretched, over head & lean away from the hip being stretched. Use your opposite hand to help stabilise you on the couch.
Hamstring stretch- stand with feet hip width apart. Soften one knee, hinge trunk forward until you feel stretch in the back of your thigh. Do both sides multiple times.
What if I need more help?
Osteopathy uses a hands-on approach to evaluate, diagnose, and treat various musculoskeletal conditions. Hip bursitis is a common orthopaedic problem that affects many people.
Osteopathy can help relieve hip bursitis symptoms by addressing the underlying
structural imbalances and dysfunctions that contribute to the condition. For example,
if a patient has tight hip muscles, the osteopath might use manual techniques, such
as stretching or massage, to alleviate the tension and increase flexibility. Also,
osteopathic manipulation techniques (OMT) can help restore proper alignment and
mobility to the hip joint. This may involve gently manipulating the affected area to
release tension, improve circulation, and promote healing. Have a go at some of our home exercise suggestions and see if that helps alleviate any of your symptoms. If you are still in pain, we would love to help. Book an appointment now and let our experienced practitioners care for you. Or, subscribe to our newsletter and be the first to know about our tips to improve your health. Don't miss out, join our community today!