Your hip, like most other joints in your body, has some fluid-filled sacs called bursae. These bursae allow components of your hip, including various ligaments, to slide over one another with less friction. In a way, whenever you move your hip, the bursae take the brunt of it. Sometimes, this is too much for them, and the bursae themselves end up swollen and sore. Then, you develop a condition called bursitis, which causes pain at the outside of your hip. This pain may be sharpest when you move in a certain way, and it might be accompanied by a clicking noise.
If you do develop hip bursitis, you should make an appointment with an orthopedic physical therapist. There are three key ways they can help you with this ailment.
Stretches to loosen your hip ligaments.
The bursitis tends to be worst when your ligaments are tight. This is because when they're tight, the ligaments put more pressure on your bursae as you move. If you're able to stretch and loosen those ligaments, then this will ease up the pressure on your bursae and give you some relief from the pain. An orthopedic physical therapist can show you stretches to loosen your hip ligaments. They may, for instance, have you lay on your side and stretch one leg out behind you in a specific way. These stretches will give you relief when your bursitis feels like it's flaring up.
Strengthening exercises.
If the muscles in your legs and buttocks are strong, there will be less strain on the ligaments and tendons in your hip. So, strengthening these areas can, over time, give you relief from bursitis and prevent it from returning. Your orthopedic physical therapist will show you some basic exercises like planks, clamshells, and squats. They'll tell you how often to do these strengthening exercises and how many to do each time. Follow their instructions closely so you don't overdo it and make things worse.
Lifestyle changes.
Your orthopedic physical therapist may also talk to you about your lifestyle and changes you can make to stop aggravating your bursitis. For instance, if you walk up a lot of stairs, your PT may recommend taking the elevator for a while. If you wear heels, they may recommend switching to flat shoes.
If you think you might have hip bursitis, don't go on suffering in silence. Orthopedic physical therapy can do a lot for you.
