Treatment Options For Lower Back And Hip Pain
Lower back pain is the leading cause of physical disability¹ worldwide. Additionally, up to 90% of lower back pain² cases do not have a specific cause. This can be frustrating as it can be difficult for people to resolve their symptoms. Thankfully, there are ways that you can minimize lower back pain. This article will go over the most common methods used to relieve lower back and hip pain, from basic techniques to more advanced interventions.
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Exercises To Strengthen And Relieve Pain
Core and back strength is incredibly important when it comes to low back pain. The following exercises are designed to help you strengthen these areas and ease the pain in your back. Well begin with the easy ones and move on to the more difficult ones.
Note: Most of these exercises require that you engage your ab muscles. The proper form calls for a drawing-in of the muscles, instead of a bulging-out. Your lower stomach should flatten in a little bit. If youre pushing your abs out, youre likely over-flexing.
Management Solutions Based On Risk
The treatment and management solutions for chronic unilateral pain usually depend on the cause of the pain. It also depends on the intensity, extent, and severity of the pain. Based on the level of risk the condition has on your overall health, the pain management strategies recommended by a doctor can vary.
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Abnormal Muscular Activation Patterns
Individuals suffering from lower back pain have delayed or altered muscle activation patterns. Patients with lower back discomfort and sacroiliac joint pain had decreased activation of the transverse abdominis, multifidus, and gluteus maximus.
Ive gathered 15 excellent gentle lower back pain relief stretches you can do at home.
Ive also included important notes and instructions below each image to help you perform the stretch without triggering pain or worsening an existing injury.
Urgent Advice: Ask For An Urgent Gp Appointment Or Get Help From 111 If:
You have back pain and:
- a high temperature
- you’ve lost weight without trying to
- there’s a lump or swelling in your back or your back has changed shape
- the pain does not improve after resting or is worse at night
- the pain is made worse when sneezing, coughing or pooing
- the pain is coming from the top of your back , rather than your lower back
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Relieving Hip Pain By Focusing On The Lower Back
When hip pain hit Stephen Rosen, PhD, an 87-year-old expert in cosmic radiation and nuclear astrophysics, he turned to Edward Adler, MD, Chair of Orthopedic Surgery at Mount Sinai Downtown and Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Dr. Adler performed an orthopedic physical examination, updated hip X-rays, and reviewed prior lumbar spine imaging, which indicated that Dr. Rosens hip and buttocks pain was actually coming from his lower back and not his hip joints. In October 2020, Dr. Adler ordered a new lumbar spine MRI and referred the patient to Amir Mahajer, DO, FAOCPMR, Assistant Professor of Orthopedics, Rehabilitation and Human Performance at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Mahajer specializes in Interventional Spine and Sports Medicine.
Dr. Mahajer approached Dr. Rosen by focusing on his background as a scientist. Dr. Mahajer was the first one who really talked to me about science, says Dr. Rosen. I know a little about the lower back from my own research, but Dr. Mahajer really knew how to explain it to me and tell me everything I needed to know. Dr. Rosen had already attempted conservative care with a home exercise program and over-the-counter medications with minimal relief.
To read more patient stories, click here.
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Gluteal Muscle Tear Or Avulsion
The gluteus medius is a muscle that sits on the outside of the hip area. This muscle is used for standing upright and walking. When injured, these muscles will cause a limp. If these muscles are torn, it can cause severe pain when walking, sitting, or sleeping. Treatment usually involves rest, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery to repair the torn muscle, if no other treatments bring relief from pain.
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Mononeuropathies Of The Leg
Mononeuropathies can affect nerves in the legs, arms, or other parts of the body. Mononeuropathy means a single nerve or nerve group has been damaged, for example, by a lesion that has developed along a nerve or group of nerves. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a good example of a mononeuropathy, in this case, affecting the wrist area. With mononeuropathy symptoms may be sudden or may develop slowly . Some of the more common mononeuropathies are
- femoral neuropathy
- sciatic nerve dysfunction
- peroneal neuropathy .
- tibial neuropathy .
Symptoms of the neuropathies above would include burning sensation in leg areas where these nerves are housed as well as lack of coordination of these leg muscles. Other symptoms include muscle wasting, pain, and twitching, cramps, and spasms in these nerves. Treatment focuses on isolating the underlying cause of the nerve disorder and addressing it using medications such as injected glucocorticoids and/or physical
Signs That Your Spine Is The Source Of Your Pain
Whereas groin pain is a telltale sign that the pain is linked to the hip, pain above the waistline that travels down the body typically indicates a low back issue. A low back problem may also be responsible for other types of lower body pain, including thigh, buttock, and below-the-knee pain.
Among the most common degenerative conditions that affect the lumbar spine are herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis. These conditions cause pain by irritating your low back nerves, resulting in pain that shoots down your legs , weakness, numbness, and reducing your range of motion.
The pattern of pain coming from the lumbar spine can be variable, depending of the specific issue causing the pain. Commonly, pain from arthritis of the spine occurs during transitions such as getting out of bed in the morning or raising up from sitting. It can often then improve after getting moving. In contrast, pain from spinal stenosis or nerve pressure is often worse with prolonged standing or walking and relieved with sitting.
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Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome describes pain that is felt along the outer hip area. Causes include sports injury, muscle tears, and injury due to motor vehicle accidents. The pain is caused by a combination of inflammation in two distinct areas: the bursa of the hip and pain in the buttock . Pain may also be caused by tendinitis of the hip abductor muscles. Symptoms of greater trochanteric pain syndrome include hip pain at night lying on side, dislocated hip symptoms, and hip muscle weakness. Hip pain relief can be sought through anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and stretches for hip pain.
How To Tell The Difference Between Hip And Lower Back Pain
Orthopedic treatment of hip and lower back pain is not black and white. As a practicing spine surgeon for the last fifteen years, Ive found that determining the root issue of someones pain in these areas is often grey and filled with ambiguities. The anatomy of the hip and back is comprised of numerous parts that can be injured or wear out, and many problems that occur in this area can display the exact same symptoms or pathology.
To put it plainly, sometimes hip pain comes from the hip, but a lot of times hip pain comes from the back. Sometimes back pain comes from the back, but a lot of times back pain comes from the hip. Eighty to ninety percent of the population develops a debilitating back or hip pain at some point in their life, and this issue is the second most common reason for missed work behind the common cold.
Fortunately, our bodies typically take care of the issue on their own. When a flare up of symptoms occur in our hips or lower back, usually a combination of rest, activity modification, anti-inflammatories, and exercises calms the pain down.
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What To Expect From Physical Therapy
When low back pain is persistent or interferes with normal activities, a visit to a physical therapist may be necessary. When you go to a physical therapist, he or she will perform an initial evaluation on the first visit. Be prepared to move around quite a bit, so be sure to wear comfortable clothing and make sure that your low back is accessible.
An initial evaluation will consist of several different parts. First, a history of your present problem will be taken. Be prepared to discuss your symptoms and what activities or positions make your symptoms better or worse. Some special questions will be asked to help the therapist determine the nature of your problem and to discover anything that needs immediate medical attention.
The physical therapist will also take measurements of how you are moving. This may include measurements of your range of motion and strength. A postural assessment will also be included in the initial evaluation. From the results of the evaluation, a specific treatment plan will be devised and started. It is important to remember to be an active participant in your treatment and ask questions if you are unsure of what to do.
Why Do We Experience Back Pain
Back pain has numerous causes. These can include injury, joint problems and muscles strains. The location of back pain can help to identify the causes.
What causes lower back pain?
Lower back pain is commonly caused by:
- Muscle spasms or a strain or tear in the muscles and ligaments. This can happen after: – Bending, lifting or carrying heavy objects – Sitting or driving in a hunched position
Upper back pain is commonly caused by:
- Muscular irritation caused by weak muscles, accidents and overuse or sports injuries
Causes of back pain at work
If your job involves the following tasks and they are not performed properly, this can lead to back pain:
- Lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling incorrectly
- Sitting or driving for long periods without taking a break
- Standing or bending for long periods
Everyday activities that can cause back pain
Back pain can be triggered by everyday activities at home including:
- Bending awkwardly
- Lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling incorrectly
- Slouching in chairs
- Standing or bending for long periods
- Sitting or driving for long periods without taking a break
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What Are The Causes
The SI joint can become painful when the ligaments become too loose or too tight. This can occur as the result of a fall, work injury, car accident, pregnancy and childbirth, or hip/spine surgery .
Sacroiliac joint pain can occur when movement in the pelvis is not the same on both sides. Uneven movement may occur when one leg is longer or weaker than the other, or with arthritis in the hip or knee problems. Autoimmune diseases, such as axial spondyloarthritis, and biomechanical conditions, such as wearing a walking boot following foot/ankle surgery or non-supportive footwear, can lead to degenerative sacroiliitis.
What Are The Symptoms Of Hip Conditions
In general, people suffering from hip pain from hip pathology have symptoms that appear in the front of the hip and the groin area. Sometimes the pain will radiate into the front of the thigh but very rarely goes past the knee.
After sitting for a period of time, patients suffering from hip pathology find it difficult to walk when they first get up. The pain is worse initially, but after a couple of limping steps, the hip lubrication kicks in, and the pain subsides.
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Ways To Relieve Your Hip Pain At Night
Up to 90% of people with chronic joint pain dont sleep well. And that could be influencing your pain and mobility the next day. If you suffer from hip pain at night, it could be affecting your chances of recovering completely from the injury or condition that caused your pain. In this post well talk about 17 tried-and-true methods for relieving your pain. After, well discuss some of the more common causes of hip pain in more detail.
Sharp Pain In The Lower Back And Hip On One Side
A shooting and sharp pain felt on one side on your lower back and hip may be caused by muscle spasm, joint dysfunction, and/or nerve compression in the region. Common conditions that cause this type of pain are discussed below.
Spasm of the piriformis muscle located deep in the buttock may cause 5:
- Moderate to severe lower back, hip, and buttock pain
- Referred pain that may extend into the back of the thigh
- Inability to sit for a long time
The pain is typically felt on one side and may be worsened by hip movements, such as when getting out of bed.5
Piriformis syndrome is commonly caused by overactivity of the hip rotator muscles or sitting on hard surfaces for prolonged periods of time. An injury to the buttock may also cause this pain.6
Read more: What Is Piriformis Syndrome?
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The Personal Painful Ordeal Of Women With Endometriosis
For Lindsay Murphy, a laundry list of symptoms shed had for years turned out to have a one-word diagnosis. Endometriosis. Patients and a handful of doctors are demanding better education, diagnosis, and treatment for this common condition.
Lindsay Murphy, a 36-year-old San Francisco native, sensed something was wrong with her, but none of the doctors she saw found anything.
Her periods were grueling. Birth control pills seemed to help, but she still wasnt quite right.
One day, she passed out with no explanation. Another, she woke up in a pool of blood. A battery of tests didnt lead to a diagnosis.
In May 2011, she started coughing up blood. She had just moved to the Lake Tahoe area to work as a nanny, and she and others first blamed the elevation. Then there was blood in her stool.
In August, as she loaded clothes into the washer at her apartment, Murphy collapsed and was taken to the hospital.
Barely conscious, Murphy remembers medical staff talking heatedly about her low blood oxygen levels before wheeling her into surgery. She would remain on the table for more than nine hours.
When she came to, the surgeon told her she had the worst case of endometriosis hed ever seen.
It turns out, he hadnt even seen all of it.
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Can Osteopathy And Physiotherapy Help
Both hip and lower back conditions are within the remit of osteopaths and physiotherapists who are trained healthcare professionals and will be able to clinically test your joints and muscles to reach a diagnosis. A diagnosis is the identification of what the cause of pain is and should always be followed by a prognosis, the timeframe within which a recovery is expected to happen.
If you want to find out more about how osteopathy and physiotherapy can help you with hip or lower back pain give us a call on 02077356813 or send an enquiry to
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What Is Sacroiliac Joint Pain
The SI joints are located between the iliac bones and the sacrum, connecting the spine to the hips. The two joints provide support and stability, and play a major role in absorbing impact when walking and lifting. From the back, the SI joints are located below the waist where two dimples are visible.
Strong ligaments and muscles support the SI joints. There is a very small amount of motion in the joint for normal body flexibility. As we age our bones become arthritic and ligaments stiffen. When the cartilage wears down, the bones may rub together causing pain . The SI joint is a synovial joint filled with fluid. This type of joint has free nerve endings that can cause chronic pain if the joint degenerates or does not move properly.
Sacroiliac joint pain ranges from mild to severe depending on the extent and cause of injury. Acute SI joint pain occurs suddenly and usually heals within several days to weeks. Chronic SI joint pain persists for more than three months it may be felt all the time or worsen with certain activities.
Other terms for SI joint pain include: SI joint dysfunction, SI joint syndrome, SI joint strain and SI joint inflammation.
Find Activities That Make You Happy
Ongoing back pain can wreak havoc on your life, affecting your cherished relationships, finances, and your ability to get stuff done at work and at home. Finding activities that make you happy can help reduce some stress and may relieve some pain.
Some people find that even doing just 3 things that make them feel good each daysuch as enjoying a comforting cup of tea or coffee, calling an old friend, walking the dog, or receiving a longish 30-second hug from a loved onecan make pain more tolerable.
Even something as simple as laughter with a friend may stimulate feel-good endorphins.1, 2
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