Bending over and walking are just two of the movements that most people do every day. In addition, both of these movements involve the lower back, or lumbar region, and the hips. They can also become much harder to do when you’re experiencing lower back and hip pain.
Neither of these types of pain are uncommon for Americans. One group of medical researchers reports that up to 45% of U.S. adults feel lumbar pain annually. Another medical study reveals that up to 40% of the adult Americans who play sports develop hip pain every year. Physical therapists can help you learn some tips that can help you ease your lower back and hip pain, and they offer effective formal treatment options for your pain as well.
These tips can help decrease your lower back and hip pain:
- Get up and stretch — Many people spend hours every day sitting in front of a computer or television. Sitting for long periods can be a catalyst for lumbar and hip pain. After all, it can cause muscles in your lumbar region and hips to stiffen up. These tense muscles may then ache when you do eventually get up. One way to counteract the stiffness in your muscles is to get up and stretch frequently.
- Address gait issues — Your gait is how your body moves when you walk or run. Problems with your gait can affect many parts of your body, including your lumbar spine and hips. Some gait issues that can lead to pain in these areas include:
- Address scar tissue — The fibers of your muscles can become misaligned when you injure a muscle. These misaligned fibers are known as scar tissue. Often, previous injuries to your lumbar and hip muscles can leave behind scar tissue even after they heal. This tissue can then trigger pain months or even years later.
How can physical therapy help you treat lower back and hip pain?
Physical therapists can help you follow these three tips for decreasing lumbar and hip pain. They offer multiple treatment options that can do so, such as:
- Soft tissue mobilization designed to realign the muscle fibers that make up areas of scar tissue.
- Gait analysis intended to reveal gait issues that are affecting your hips and lumbar region.
- Therapeutic exercises that can help stretch and strengthen lumbar and hip muscles.
- Joint mobilization that focuses on improving hip flexibility and range of motion.
Get help with your lower back and hip pain at SSOR
Need expert assistance for your lower back and hip pain? Our physical therapists at Specialists in Sports and Orthopedic Rehabilitation are primed to offer you the help you need. We can perform a free screening on your back and hip to determine the root cause of your pain. Our team is also adept at creating customized therapy plans designed to reduce pain and prevent it from returning. You also have the option to treat your pain from home using our at-home care or virtual therapy services.
Contact us today for more information about our treatment options for lumbar and hip problems or to schedule an initial appointment to start treating your pain.