During these unprecedented times, we all could use a bit of grounding…Which brings us to the legs and ensuring we are well centered and transferring weight appropriately through our lower extremities. As a result, this blog will focus on the hip joint, otherwise known as the coxo femoral (CF) joint.
A quick anatomy lesson:
The CF joint is one of the joints that makes up the pelvic girdle, along with the pubic symphysis, and the sacroiliac joint. The femur (long leg bone) attaches to the pelvic acetabulum to make up the hip joint. It is a ball and socket joint that moves quite a bit, into flexion (forward) and extension (backwards), internal and external rotation in addition to abduction (moving away from the body) and adduction (moving towards the body). The joint is strengthened by ligaments and also the labrum. It is a compressive joint and is essential to our ability to bear weight while standing.
Common Injuries:
The most common types of injuries to the hip include bruises (contusions) and muscle strains, particularly to the groin muscles and hip flexors. Overuse injuries are also common, including bursitis. Trochanteric bursitis is inflammation of the fluid filled sac that sits between the greater trochanter of the femur and the iliotibial band (IT band). IT band tightness, a leg length discrepancy and/or, running on a graded surface can all aggravate the bursa to the point of inflammation.
Fractures and dislocations of the hip joint do occur but are less frequent. The most common mechanism for a hip dislocation is a motor vehicle accident where your knee is bent and you hit it on the dashboard forcing it out of its socket.
Avulsion fractures can also occur, when the iliopsoas (hip flexor) muscle pulls the tendon off the bone, bringing a piece of bone with it. Stress fractures of the head of the femur are common, especially among female runners. We usually see these with an increase in training or following periods of inactivity and then a sudden ramp up in training. Labral tears of the hip are another possibility. The labrum lines the hip sockets and provides a deeper capsule for the bone to sit in. At the same time of providing stability, it provides flexibility and the ability for movement. The labrum can tear due to a traumatic event such as a fall or during a sporting event. However, the labrum can also tear due to degeneration and repetitive activities. With labral tears, fractures and dislocations, it is important to rule out avascular necrosis as the hip receives blood supply through the labrum and if it’s disrupted and the bone doesn’t receive enough nutrients, it can lead to death of the bone tissue.
Osteopathic & Athletic Therapy Approach:
By now you know all joints in the body are important for your Osteopathic Practitioner and/or Athletic Therapist to assess! The hip joint is very important for walking and as that is a daily requirement for us, we need to ensure the integrity of the joint during our assessment. Ensuring you are able to weight bear and transfer weight evenly through both legs is an integral part of our assessment and treatment approach.
The CF joint is influenced by forces coming up from the lower extremity in addition to those coming from the head down through the lines of gravity. Therefore, your Osteopathic Practitioner or Athletic Therapist will address any problem in the foot, ankle, knee that can affect the hip joint in addition to any part of the upper body, spine, pelvis and tailbone.
The hip joint is not only influenced by our skeletal alignment but also our fascial body. It is linked fascially to the pelvic organs (uterus/fallopian tubes and ovaries for the women and prostate for the men, in addition to the bladder and rectum for both sexes. As such, dysfunction in one area can affect not only the bones of the pelvis but also the pelvic organs and vice versa. That is why your Osteopathic Practitioner or Athletic Therapist will complete a comprehensive assessment of the entire body, a necessity when treating an individual.
Our Practitioners at Ananta Wellness & Osteopathy do not diagnose but we can offer recommendations if further referral or investigation(s) are necessary. If you are concerned about an extremity fracture, a possible emergency and/or underlining issue, medical pathology or disease – we asked you to consult your physician.
Get in touch if you have questions or would like to discuss further. Stay safe 🙂