BALANCE IN MOTION BODYWORK
Santa Barbara Massage & Pain Therapy
In the case of hip bursitis or tendonitis, the muscle / tendon / bursa overlying the hip bone may be affected by inflammation, spasm or scarring (adhesions). This inflammation and soft tissue adhesions prevent the smooth movement of the ilio-tibial band (IT band) tendons causing friction and further irritation, inflammation and pain in the tissues. Pain may be referred (radiate) into the buttocks, lower back, or thigs.
Another root cause of hip pain may lie in altered or poor foot mechanics – the result of pronation or flat feet. These changes at the foot and ankle lead to functional changes up at the level of the hip, causing more strain on the soft tissues surrounding the hip.
I may use some myofascial release to take care of scar adhesions, as well as apply Trigger Point Therapy, but the real treatment needs to be in eliminating the dysfunction that led to the pain in the first place.
P-DTR is a great therapy to turn off pain sensors in the hip tissue and identify and correct wrong firing and moving patterns that have led to the dysfunction in the first place.
Hip Pain (Hip Bursitis)
Hip pain is often due to injury or irritation to the soft tissue surrounding the hip. When not arthritic in nature, hip pain is often diagnosed as hip bursitis or tendonitis. These types of hip pain can be the result of either trauma (like sprains or muscle strains) or chronic, repetitive strain (like swinging a golf club, lifting, bending or running).
While significant muscle tears, bone fractures or arthritis can cause hip pain, it is far more common to be the result of tendonitis and/or bursitis. There are several different factors that can contribute to the problem: Inflammation, muscle spasm, soft tissue adhesion and fibrosis, mechanical joint irritation, poor posture, foot pain, nerve irritation and muscle weakness are some of the more crucial factors involved with hip pain. Weight gain may also be a factor.
Chronic hip pain is often the end result of a vicious circle that starts with irritated or injured tissue. This leads to inflammation and muscle spasm, which causes not only nerve irritation and pain but, more importantly, results in the formation of soft tissue adhesions. These adhesions scar the tissue and lead to dysfunctional soft tissues, which are more easily irritated or injured. The whole cycle may continue indefinitely.