Your hips play a very important role in how you move your body. They are uniquely strong and flexible, supporting the weight of your upper body and allowing you to squat, sit, walk, jump, and more. You rely on your hips for many everyday activities, which is why hip pain is common for many Americans. But just because hip pain is common doesn’t mean it’s inevitable or untreatable. 

Here, learn more about what can cause hip pain, and how to prevent and manage it — especially with exercises from our Hinge Health physical therapists.

¿Qué es el dolor de cadera?

“Dolor de cadera” es un término general para el dolor que ocurre en la cadera o alrededor de ella. La cadera es una enartrosis (articulación esferoidea) que une el fémur (hueso del muslo) a la pelvis (estructura en forma de cuenca que brinda soporte a la columna vertebral y a los órganos abdominales). Los músculos, ligamentos y cartílago circundantes dan fuerza y resiliencia a las caderas; sin embargo, son muchos los factores que contribuyen al dolor o a una lesión en esta zona. 

Síntomas del dolor de cadera

La cadera es una de las articulaciones más grandes del cuerpo, lo que significa que puede ser difícil determinar exactamente de dónde proviene el dolor. Entre los síntomas, podemos mencionar: 

• Dolor en la parte interior o exterior 

• Disminución del rango de movimiento 

• Dolor cerca de la cadera que empeora al realizar actividad física 

Es posible que sientas molestias en los muslos, las glúteos o la ingle. O puedes sentir dolor en la espalda, al frente de la pierna o en la rodilla. De hecho, el dolor de rodilla (llamado dolor referido o irradiado) es a veces la única indicación de que hay un problema en la cadera. 

Dolor de cadera: una perspectiva de Hinge Health 

Si bien es posible que no puedas controlar todos los factores que contribuyen al dolor, siempre puedes tomar el control de algunas cosas. Y eso a menudo comienza con moverse más. Moverse padeciendo dolor puede causar temor, especialmente si afecta la calidad de vida. Pero el movimiento suave es en realidad una de las herramientas más importantes con la que cuentas para controlar y tratar el dolor de cadera. Ya sea que hagas ejercicios terapéuticos o camines 100 pasos más en un día, todo cuenta y todo ayuda.  

Causas del dolor de cadera

A continuación, presentamos algunas de las razones más comunes por las que puedes padecer dolor de cadera.

Artritis. Existen diversos tipos de artritis que contribuyen al dolor en esta zona, incluyendo osteoartritis y artritis reumatoide. La artritis puede causar cambios en el cartílago amortiguador entre los huesos. Aunque estos cambios son parte normal del envejecimiento y no necesariamente causan síntomas, pueden contribuir al dolor, la inflamación y la hinchazón de a cadera en algunas personas. 

Bursitis. Las bolsas sinoviales son sacos llenos de líquido que se ubican entre los huesos, los músculos y los tendones. Sirven como amortiguadores y facilitan el movimiento de las articulaciones. En la cadera, hay dos bolsas sinoviales importantes. La inflamación de una o ambas bolsas (normalmente por movimientos repetitivos para los que el cuerpo no está preparado o por mayor presión) puede causar dolor en la cadera, la parte externa del muslo o la ingle. 

Tendinitis. La tendinitis de cadera se caracteriza por inflamación o cambios en los tendones de la cadera (cordones gruesos que unen el músculo al hueso). Por lo general, es resultado de estrés repetitivo para el que tu cadera no está preparada, tal como un aumento repentino en actividades físicas como correr o andar en bicicleta. 

Fractura de cadera, o una rotura en la parte superior del fémur (hueso del muslo). Las fracturas de cadera son más comunes entre los adultos mayores debido al mayor riesgo de caídas y pérdida de masa ósea (osteoporosis).

Desgarro del labrum de la cadera El labrum es un anillo cartilaginoso que ayuda a sostener la cabeza del fémur (la “bola” de la cadera) dentro de la oquedad de la cadera. Los desgarros del labrum normalmente son resultado de lesiones traumáticas, desalineación de los huesos de la cadera o uso excesivo. Son particularmente comunes entre las personas que practican deportes como hockey, soccer, fútbol, golf y ballet. 

Pinzamiento femoroacetabular (FAI). Esta afección, también denominada síndrome de pinzamiento de cadera, se caracteriza por un crecimiento óseo anormal en la cadera que causa fricción entre los huesos al realizar actividades.

Esguinces y distensiones. Estas son lesiones en los tejidos blandos que ocurren cuando un músculo, tendón o ligamento alrededor de la cadera se desgarra o estira más allá de su límite normal, a menudo debido a la contracción, lesión o uso excesivo de los músculos. 

IT band syndrome. The iliotibial (IT) band is a long band of connective tissue that runs from the hip to the knee. It works with the gluteal (butt) muscles to stabilize the leg. If the IT band repeatedly rubs against the bones of the knee or hip, it can become swollen and irritated, causing pain on the outside of the knee or hip. 

Avascular necrosis. Also known as osteonecrosis, this is when bone tissue dies from lack of adequate blood supply. It’s sometimes due to a broken bone, dislocated joint, long-term steroid use, or excessive alcohol consumption. 

Osteomyelitis, or a bone infection. Infection can begin in the bone (often caused by an injury that exposes the bone to bacteria), or it can start somewhere else in the body and travel to the bone. 

When to See a Doctor 

Given the complex nature of hip pain, many people wonder, “How do I know if my hip pain is serious?” 

“While hip pain can definitely be uncomfortable and even scary, almost all types of hip pain can initially be managed with non-invasive treatments,” says Jonathan Lee, MD, orthopedic surgeon and senior expert physician at Hinge Health. “Treatments like injections and surgery are typically reserved for people who have persistent symptoms after first trying non-invasive choices, such as exercise therapy.”   

In rare cases, hip pain may indicate a more serious problem. See a doctor if:

• You’re unable to move or bear weight on your leg or hip

• Your pain was triggered by a fall or injury 

• Your hip is visibly deformed 

• Your pain does not go away or interferes with your daily activities

• Your pain is accompanied by fever or chills 

Prevention Tips

If you’re prone to hip pain, there are many things you can do to manage and prevent it. 

• Check your chair. A major contributor to joint pain among adults is sitting for long periods of time. If you’re not able to change how long you spend sitting, a few small adjustments to your seat can make a big difference. 

  • Height: Adjust the height of your chair so that your feet rest flat on the floor. This reduces pressure on your hips. If you can’t adjust your chair height, you can put your feet on a stool or footrest. You want your hips to sit slightly higher than your knees.  

  • Seat firmness: Sitting on soft surfaces like couches and beds can put extra pressure on your hips or cause you to tilt to one side. 

  • Back support: An ergonomic chair or seat with lumbar support helps keep your back and pelvis in good alignment to prevent slouching and tilting at your hips.

• Be mindful of your body mechanics. Everyone is different and there’s no one way of sitting, standing or walking that works for all people. But there are a few techniques that help many people reduce the stress put on their hips.

  • Avoid crossing your legs for long periods when sitting as this can put extra pressure on one or both of your hips. If you like to cross your legs, just make sure to sneak some movement every 30 minutes by switching positions. 

  • Sit with your buttocks and shoulders against the back of the seat to maintain a neutral upright posture. 

  • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart to avoid leaning and putting more weight on one side of your body. 

• Wear flat shoes with good support to help with shock absorption. Even if you sit for much of the day, high heels can cause hips to tilt unevenly. If you have flat feet, you could try shoe inserts and arch supports (orthotics). 

• Move often. As Hinge Health physical therapists say, movement is medicine. It’s important to move your hip joints through a wide range of motion. This stabilizes and strengthens the muscles in and around your hips, which helps prevent pain and stiffness.

• If you’re a runner, you may have experienced your fair share of hip aches. Try the following to prevent and manage pain after running: 

  • Avoid running straight down hills, especially steep ones. Walk down instead.

  • Avoid hard surfaces like cement. Try to run on a smooth, soft surface, such as a track. 

  • Check your shoes. Your running shoes should fit you well and have adequate cushioning. Hinge Health clinicians also suggest changing shoes every 350 to 500 miles as this is when running shoes tend to lose their cushioning and put extra stress on joints. 

  • Mix it up. Incorporate strength training and non-weight-bearing activity such as swimming or cycling into your exercise routine. This challenges different muscles and cardiovascular endurance while giving your joints a break. 

• Maintain a healthy body weight for you. The ideal weight is different for everyone but maintaining a body weight that works for you can help reduce extra pressure on the joints of your lower body. 

• Do exercise therapy. Targeted movements, exercises, and stretches increase the strength and flexibility of the structures in and around your hips. (More information on this below).

Treatment for Hip Pain

The right course of treatment depends a lot on the nature and cause of your pain. The following tips from our Hinge Health physical therapists and medical doctors can provide relief for mild to moderate hip pain.

• Over-the-counter (OTC) medication. Pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and acetaminophen (Tylenol), can be helpful for hip pain. It’s important to make sure that you are safely able to take these medications, based on your medical history.

• Ice and heat. Alternate using an ice pack and heating pad for 20 minutes at a time as needed to reduce swelling and inflammation (ice) and increase blood flow to reduce stiffness (heat). 

• Compression and elevation. To manage swelling, you can gently wrap a soft bandage around your hip and elevate your leg so your foot is above your heart.  

• Steroid injections. If over-the-counter medication does not offer sufficient pain relief, your doctor may suggest steroid injections to help counter pain and inflammation.

• Change your sleep position. If you like to sleep on your side, lie on the side of your body that does not have hip pain to reduce pressure on your painful hip. You can also put a pillow between your knees to support your top hip and keep your hips in their natural alignment while you sleep. If you prefer to sleep on your back, placing a pillow under your knees may reduce hip pain caused by extra pressure on your low back. 

• Complementary treatments. Talk to your provider if you’re interested in trying alternative treatments for hip pain relief, such as massage, acupuncture, or chiropractic care.

While all of the above steps can help with hip pain, one of the most effective is exercise therapy.