At Foothills (Gilbert-Mesa location), we treat too many athletes with hip injuries that require them to miss practice time from their sport or give them pain with activities. I refer to hip injuries as “the new knee,” as knee injuries get most of the attention, but hip injuries are becoming increasingly prevalent. Hip injuries can be avoided and prevented with proper rehabilitation.
Types of Hip Injuries
Types of hip injuries range from strains of the hip muscles to surgical cases. An athlete could miss up to 6 weeks of practice for a simple strain or, in the worst-case scenario, may require surgery to fix the damaged hip joint and be sidelined for 6-9 months. For those with minor hip injuries, the quickest way to get back on the field is through physical therapy for hip pain. Examples of the more severe injuries are muscle and bone avulsions, hip labral tears, and changes in bone structure. The majority of hip injuries I see happen either early in the season when a player’s body is adapting to the stresses of the sport, or late in the season, when fatigue and overuse become a significant factor. A young player who has recently gone through a growth spurt and is getting used to their new body is easily susceptible to these injuries. Gaining balance in mobility and stability from the feet to the shoulders is essential to keeping hips healthy.
Related Content >> The Importance of Hip Stability in Preventing Knee Pain
Body Balance to Avoid Hip Injury
The hip is centered in the middle of the body, so what happens above and below it contributes to its success. The key to hip injury prevention is getting all your muscles working together to help the hip. Like the shoulder, the hip is a ball and socket joint that allows for a wide range of motion. The hip is the center of how an athlete moves. The muscles at the hip, above, and below all share an important role in athletic performance.
Hip injury prevention aims to create balance in the hip musculature among all local muscle groups. A combination of strength, flexibility, stability, endurance, and overall body control is required to avoid further injury. An imbalance of muscle dominance or tightness can significantly put you at risk of injury when an athlete exceeds their performance envelope. In addition, an athlete must take the time to widen their performance envelope by working all of the muscles of the chain during training.
Stretching and Strengthening to Avoid Hip Injury
An excellent way to improve hip mobility is by integrating exercises emphasizing movement and stability. These include yoga, dynamic stretching, and some static stretches. Strengthening exercises, including lunging and squatting, are also a great way to improve hip mobility.
We often joke that we are making the world better and stronger, one butt muscle at a time. A joke, but very accurate of how important hip and torso strength is for an aspiring athlete. Hip muscles are critical to body movement, so they must be strong through a full range of motion. Some athletes are very strong in one direction but weak in another, putting them at risk of injury. It’s also important to train with single-leg motions so that the dominant leg doesn’t have to compensate for the weaker one.
We like to use different matrix exercises where the athletes lunge, squat, hop, and deadlift to improve strength and flexibility. This activates the athlete’s hip muscles to be ready for whatever their coaches throw at them. It’s important to build through repetition from controlled motions to explosive motions where the hip musculature and joints can be under high stress.
Our goal is to keep athletes healthy and get them back in action as quickly as possible after injury. Remember, sports, by nature, can lead to overuse, and the hip muscles are usually at the center of this issue. Athletes must train to build hip strength and flexibility to avoid injury and realize their full potential. Stop by Foothills Sports Medicine to learn how physical therapy for hip pain can help you return to your favorite activities.
