Don’t Let Hip Pain Slow You Down! Understanding a Common Culprit in Active Adults

When you think of hip pain, you might picture your grandparents. But here at Corner on Wellness Chiropractic Center, we know that hip trouble, especially a condition called Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI), is often a problem for active young and middle-aged adults.

If you’re an athlete, a dedicated runner, or just someone who loves to stay active, our doctors want you to know: We are experts in hip mechanics and have the knowledge and tools to help you get back in motion.

What Exactly is FAI (Hip Impingement)? 🤔

Think of your hip as a ball-and-socket joint. FAI, or hip impingement, happens when the “ball” (the top of your thigh bone, or femur) and the “socket” (the pelvis, or acetabulum) don’t fit together perfectly.

Instead of a smooth, fluid movement, the bones bump or “impinge” during certain movements, like bringing your knee toward your chest (flexion), turning your leg inward (internal rotation), or crossing your leg toward the midline of your body (adduction). This repeated abnormal contact causes pain and inflammation.

The Bony Roadblock: Why FAI Happens

The root cause of FAI is an abnormal bone shape, typically developed during puberty, that gets in the way of normal joint motion.

• Cam Morphology: This is the most common type, seen more often in active young men. It’s like the “ball” isn’t perfectly round; it has a little bump on the neck of the femur that jams into the socket.
• Pincer Morphology: This type, seen more often in active middle-aged women, means the rim of the hip socket has a bit of excess bone, creating an overhang that pinches the joint.

Why are active people more prone to pain from this? Because repetitive, high-force activities like running, jumping, or kicking repeatedly force the imperfect joint shapes into contact, leading to symptoms.

Your Path to Relief: Why Conservative Care is Key 🔑

When facing FAI, many people immediately wonder about surgery. While surgery can offer fast relief, major studies show that the long-term results of a structured, non-surgical approach are often just as good, but without the added cost and risk of an operation.

That’s why clinical guidelines recommend conservative care as the first line of defense.

At Corner on Wellness Chiropractic Center, our approach is comprehensive, hands-on, and focused on addressing the entire problem, not just the pain.

Our Conservative Care Strategy

The doctors at Corner on Wellness provide a holistic, evidence-based program to manage your FAI:

1. Rehabilitative Strategies: We’ll guide you through specific exercises to:
   • Stretch tight muscles (like the hip flexors).
   • Strengthen critical support muscles (core and hip extensors).
   • Improve the way you stand, walk, and move (postural control).
2. Activity Modification: We help you identify and temporarily adjust activities that aggravate your hip while keeping you moving and active in safe ways.
3. Manual Techniques: Our chiropractors use gentle, specific adjustments and manual therapy to restore motion in your hip and surrounding joints.
4. Supportive Modalities: To help manage pain and inflammation, we may employ ice, suggest dietary adjustments or supplements, and use advanced therapeutic tools like ultrasound, electrical stimulation, or laser therapy.
5. The Kinetic Chain Evaluation: We look beyond the hip! The mechanics of your feet, ankles, knees, and lower back are all linked—it’s called the kinetic chain. Altered movement in these areas can place extra stress on your hip. Our comprehensive evaluation ensures we address all contributing factors.

Don’t Wait! Early Intervention Matters 💪

Putting off treatment for FAI is risky. Waiting not only increases the chance of joint degeneration down the road but also forces your body to develop compensatory movement patterns. These “bad habits” can strain other areas, leading to pain in your knee, back, or opposite hip!

If hip pain is keeping you from the activities you love, don’t just “push through” it. Schedule a consultation with our knowledgeable doctors at Corner on Wellness Chiropractic Center. We’ll accurately diagnose your condition and develop a personalized plan to stabilize your hip, restore your mobility, and get you back to your active life safely and effectively.