Physical Therapy in North Aurora, Batavia and Aurora for Hip
Welcome to Physical Therapy Advantage's patient resource about Hip problems.
The hip joint is a true ball-and-socket joint. This arrangement gives the hip a large amount of motion needed for daily activities like walking, squatting, and stair-climbing.
Understanding how the different layers of the hip are built and connected can help you understand how the hip works, how it can be injured, and how challenging recovery can be when this joint is injured. The deepest layer of the hip includes the bones and the joints. The next layer is made up of the ligaments of the joint capsule. The tendons and the muscles come next.
This guide will help you understand:
the parts that make up the hip
how these parts work together
Hear from some of our patients who we treated for Hip Pain
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Joe King and the staff at Physical Therapy Advantage are terrific. After two total hip replacements and spinal decompression surgery, I had been through several Physical Therapy experiences. My most... ”
“ Joe King and the staff at Physical Therapy Advantage are terrific. After two total hip replacements and spinal decompression surgery, I had been through several Physical Therapy experiences. My most recent surgery brought me to Joe and for the first time, I’m confident that Joe’s diagnosis and plan, will put me on the path to pain free independence. I’m grateful to have found Joe and his Team and give them my highest recommendation. ”
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Joe and his staff at Physical Therapy Advantage are fantastic. I’ve been a client twice and had a great experience both times.The first time was due to severe low back pain (with spinal arthritis... ”
“ Joe and his staff at Physical Therapy Advantage are fantastic. I’ve been a client twice and had a great experience both times.The first time was due to severe low back pain (with spinal arthritis and a herniated disc as the primary causes) about five years ago. It had gotten bad enough that I was barely able to crawl, let alone stand up or walk. I saw my primary care doctor and a neurosurgeon and had an epidural steroid injection for the pain before being prescribed physical therapy to see if it helped. It did! Joe was able to figure out what was out of alignment and why, and I was pain-free in a just a few months.I recently had some pain again in my hip and low back and decided to skip the shots and doctor visits and just head straight to physical therapy. I went back to Physical Therapy Advantage since my experience the first time was so good. The second time was just as good - I’m all fixed up just a few months later and have a home stretching and exercise routine to prevent future problems (which I’m about to do after posting this!).Joe is great at diagnosing and explaining exactly what is wrong and how the exercises and stretches he recommends will work to fix it. He and his staff are also positive and friendly. I hope that I won’t have a need for more physical therapy any time soon, but if I ever do, I’ll be seeing Joe again. ”
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I have had two great experiences with PTA. First was a hip replacement rehab which was 12 years ago. That experience was excellent so I had no reason to go anywhere else when I needed rehab for a... ”
“ I have had two great experiences with PTA. First was a hip replacement rehab which was 12 years ago. That experience was excellent so I had no reason to go anywhere else when I needed rehab for a knee replacement I had a few months ago. Joe is a great Physical Therapist, his years of experience and knowledge of the latest techniques gets you back to normal asap. The staff are all professionals and treat you like family. If you are looking for a great place that makes you feel like family with top notch care and results this place is for you! ”
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The team at Physical Therapy Advantage are outstanding. I went in to address a old hip injury and team provided great care and recommended exercises to help improve my hip strength and mobility. The... ”
“ The team at Physical Therapy Advantage are outstanding. I went in to address a old hip injury and team provided great care and recommended exercises to help improve my hip strength and mobility. The team is kind caring and is focused on their patient success. If you are looking for a physical therapy provider in the Fox Valley area this is the place to go! ”
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I first saw Joe in 2010 for hip-related issues. Over the last 10 years I have returned for therapy on other "parts" and have been met with kindness and a genuine interest in addressing my needs. I... ”
“ I first saw Joe in 2010 for hip-related issues. Over the last 10 years I have returned for therapy on other "parts" and have been met with kindness and a genuine interest in addressing my needs. I would highly recommend Joe and his staff for any sort of physical therapy. ”
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PT Advantage can be summed up very succinctly: They know what they're doing, they care, and they are good people. When you put all of that together, it creates an environment where healing is made... ”
“ PT Advantage can be summed up very succinctly: They know what they're doing, they care, and they are good people. When you put all of that together, it creates an environment where healing is made easier not only because of the professionalism and knowledge, but because of effort they put into the relationship.
In my experience, you generally get out of PT what you are willing to put into it. If you are basically just given a list of exercises to do, it can be hard to stay motivated and make progress. With PT Advantage they continually listen, adapt, and challenge you to keep improving (in kind ways :-)) but will also be honest and tell you when they think you are ready to "graduate". Their motto of "Positive People, Positive Results" could not be more spot-on in my opinion, and I could not recommend them more highly. ”
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You can’t go wrong with the people and treatment at PTA. Joe, Julie, and Shae are the best...I couldn’t recommend one over the other. The staff that assists them are personable and professional... ”
“ You can’t go wrong with the people and treatment at PTA. Joe, Julie, and Shae are the best...I couldn’t recommend one over the other. The staff that assists them are personable and professional and a pleasure to “work” with during the exercise phase. I have been to PTA numerous times for hip, neck, and shoulder issues and have complete confidence in their ability to treat me. I have found Joe King to be a master at evaluating your condition and recommending treatment. Happy 13th Anniversary and many, many more! ”
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I felt very well taken care of at Physical Therapy Advantage during my hip injury and would recommend this as a great place to rehab both during and after an injury. I was given good guidance into my... ”
“ I felt very well taken care of at Physical Therapy Advantage during my hip injury and would recommend this as a great place to rehab both during and after an injury. I was given good guidance into my muscle weaknesses and imbalances and the exercises I was given helped with a lot of my pain. In addition, the one on one instruction was very effective in my treatment and addressing everything that I needed to be taken care of! ”
“
Joe King and his team are top notch. They are experts at listening and evaluating your area of need. In my case it's knee and hip issues. I walk in with pain in my knee, hip or back and after... ”
“ Joe King and his team are top notch. They are experts at listening and evaluating your area of need. In my case it's knee and hip issues. I walk in with pain in my knee, hip or back and after several appointments, I walk out pain free. For me it's muscle tissue massage along with completing the exercises they recommend. I've always had great results with Physical Therapy Advantage and wouldn't consider going anywhere else. ”
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Joe and his team are great. They worked with me to get back on track from pain in my knee and hip. I have an active lifestyle and they were accommodating and helped modify things without asking me to... ”
“ Joe and his team are great. They worked with me to get back on track from pain in my knee and hip. I have an active lifestyle and they were accommodating and helped modify things without asking me to give up what I love. Highly recommend PT Advantage! ”
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It was my good fortune to have a friend recommend me to Physical Therapy Advantage after a back injury in the fall of 2012. Word of mouth has always been my preferred way to find a health care... ”
“ It was my good fortune to have a friend recommend me to Physical Therapy Advantage after a back injury in the fall of 2012. Word of mouth has always been my preferred way to find a health care provider. Joe King and his associates at Physical Therapy Advantage were always concerned, supportive, encouraging, and professional. By truly listening to my problems and issues, Joe crafted a treatment plan for me that oincluded in-clinic care as well as home exercises to support that care. The results were so positive, that I did not hesitate to return to this clinic when I found out in 2013 that I needed knee replacement surgery. Again, a therapy plan was created for me prior to surgery in June 2014, and then after surgery to enable me to get my new knee strong, and to increase my flexibility when moving it. Once more, after much dedicated care by Joe and exercise work by me, the results were positive. However, osteoarthritis was not done with me yet! In late 2014, I found that I needed both of my hips replaced as well. This was very discouraging news. However, I had such confidence in my surgeon, as well as in my physical therapist, Joe and the staff at Physical Therapy Advantage, I knew that I could face these surgeries and rehabs. Throughout this entire time, I could always count on Joe and his staff to keep me positive and focused on the end result-- to walk without pain! After left hip surgery in Feb. 2015, and then right hip surgery in June of 2015, their subsequent physical therapy sessions and home care exercises, I finally reached my end goal---to walk without pain! It was a hard, 3 yr. long, physically taxing journey but, with the professional care I received from this facility, with all their support and encouragement, I was successful. I highly recommend Joe King and Physical Therapy in North Aurora. ”
The important structures of the hip can be divided into several categories. These include:
bones and joints
ligaments and tendons
muscles
nerves
blood vessels
bursae
Bones and Joints
The bones of the hip are the femur (the thighbone) and the pelvis. The top end of the femur is shaped like a ball. This ball is called the femoral head. The femoral head fits into a round socket on the side of the pelvis. This socket is called the acetabulum.
The femoral head is attached to the rest of the femur by a short section of bone called the femoral neck. A large bump juts outward from the top of the femur, next to the femoral neck. This bump, called the greater trochanter, can be felt along the side of your hip. Large and important muscles connect to the greater trochanter. One muscle is the gluteus medius. It is a key muscle for keeping the pelvis level as you walk.
Articular cartilage is the material that covers the ends of the bones of any joint. Articular cartilage is about one-quarter of an inch thick in the large, weight-bearing joints like the hip. Articular cartilage is white and shiny and has a rubbery consistency. It is slippery, which allows the joint surfaces to slide against one another without causing any damage. The function of articular cartilage is to absorb shock and provide an extremely smooth surface to make motion easier. We have articular cartilage essentially everywhere that two bony surfaces move against one another, or articulate.
Articular Cartilage
In the hip, articular cartilage covers the end of the femur and the socket portion of the acetabulum in the pelvis. The cartilage is especially thick in the back part of the socket, as this is where most of the force occurs during walking and running.
Ligaments and Tendons
There are several important ligaments in the hip. Ligaments are soft tissue structures that connect bones to bones. A joint capsule is a watertight sac that surrounds a joint. In the hip, the joint capsule is formed by a group of three strong ligaments that connect the femoral head to the acetabulum. These ligaments are the main source of stability for the hip. They help hold the hip in place.
Joint Capsule
A small ligament connects the very tip of the femoral head to the acetabulum. This ligament, called the ligametnum teres, doesn't play a role in controlling hip movement like the main hip ligaments. It does, however, have a small artery within the ligament that brings a very small blood supply to part of the femoral head.
Ligametnum Teres
A long tendon band runs alongside the femur from the hip to the knee. This is the iliotibial band. It gives a connecting point for several hip muscles. A tight iliotibial band can cause hip and knee problems.
Iliotibial Band
A special type of ligament forms a unique structure inside the hip called the labrum. The labrum is attached almost completely around the edge of the acetabulum. The shape and the way the labrum is attached create a deeper cup for the acetabulum socket. This small rim of cartilage can be injured and cause pain and clicking in the hip.
Labrum
Muscles
The hip is surrounded by thick muscles. The gluteals make up the muscles of the buttocks on the back of the hip. The inner thigh is formed by the adductor muscles. The main action of the adductors is to pull the leg inward toward the other leg.
Adductor Muscles
The muscles that flex the hip are in front of the hip joint. These include the iliopsoas muscle. This deep muscle begins in the low back and pelvis and connects on the inside edge of the upper femur. Another large hip flexor is the rectus femoris. The rectus femoris is one of the quadriceps muscles, the largest group of muscles on the front of the thigh. Smaller muscles going from the pelvis to the hip help to stabilize and rotate the hip.
Finally, the hamstring muscles that run down the back of the thigh start on the bottom of the pelvis. Because the hamstrings cross the back of the hip joint on their way to the knee, they help to extend the hip, pulling it backwards.
Hamstring Muscles
Nerves
All of the nerves that travel down the thigh pass by the hip. The main nerves are the femoral nerve in front and the sciatic nerve in back of the hip. A smaller nerve, called the obturator nerve, also goes to the hip.
These nerves carry the signals from the brain to the muscles that move the hip. The nerves also carry signals back to the brain about sensations such as touch, pain, and temperature.
Nerves
Blood Vessels
Traveling along with the nerves are the large vessels that supply the lower limb with blood. The large femoral artery begins deep within the pelvis. It passes by the front of the hip area and goes down toward the inner edge of the knee. If you place your hand on the front of your upper thigh you may be able to feel the pulsing of this large artery.
The femoral artery has a deep branch, called the profunda femoris (profunda means deep). The profunda femoris sends two vessels that go through the hip joint capsule. These vessels are the main blood supply for the femoral head. As mentioned earlier, the ligamentum teres contains a small blood vessel that gives a very small supply of blood to the top of the femoral head.
Other small vessels form within the pelvis and supply the back portion of the buttocks and hip.
Bursae
Where friction occurs between muscles, tendons, and bones there is usually a structure called a bursa. A bursa is a thin sac of tissue that contains fluid to lubricate the area and reduce friction. The bursa is a normal structure. The body will even produce a bursa in response to friction.
Think of a bursa like this. If you press your hands together and slide them against one another, you produce some friction. In fact, when your hands are cold you may rub them together briskly to create heat from the friction. Now imagine that you hold in your hands a small plastic sack that contains a few drops of salad oil. This sack would let your hands glide freely against each other without a lot of friction.
A bursa that sometimes causes problems in the hip is sandwiched between the bump on the outer hip (the greater trochanter) and the muscles and tendons that cross over the bump. This bursa, called the greater trochanteric bursa, can get irritated if the iliotibial band (discussed earlier) is tight. Another bursa sits between the iliopsoas muscle where it passes in front of the hip joint. Bursitis here is called iliopsoas bursitis. A third bursa is over the ischial tuberosity, the bump of bone in your buttocks that you sit on.
Summary
As you can see, the hip is complex with a design that provides a good amount of stability. It allows good mobility and range of motion for doing a wide range of daily activities. Many powerful muscles connect to and cross by the hip joint, making it possible for us to accelerate quickly during actions like running and jumping.
