Hip Pain

Most complaints of hip pain are either on the outer side of the hip bone, deep in the groin or in the inner thigh muscles.

Pain on the outer side of the hip bone normally points to the ilio-tibial band, a band of fibrous tissue that stretches over the hip joint and extends down to the knee. A tight band can become inflamed as it rubs over the hip bone repeatedly from cycling and running. Deep tissue massage, stretching and correction of biomechanical factors of the lower body are the solution.

Deep groin pain warns of problems with the hip capsule or hip joint, as in osteoarthritis. There are other diseases of the hip that can also cause pain. Physiotherapy relieves hip joint pain and stiffness with capsular stretching, joint mobilizations, correcting of muscle tightness, and hip strengthening. These methods can bring the pain down to a manageable level or eliminate it completely.

Groin Strain

A groin strain is a stretching or tearing injury to the inner thigh (adductor) muscles. It is common in sports such as soccer and rugby. Painful movements are lunging, kicking, side-stepping or bringing the legs together. Tightness of the adductor muscles and lack of stability in the low back and pelvis are contributing factors. Ultrasound, therapeutic massage, stretching and a slow, gradual return to sport aid in successful recovery. Neglecting the injury and re-aggravating it by playing sports is known to significantly delay healing.

Quadriceps & Hamstring Tears

Muscle strains in the thigh such as quadriceps and hamstring strains or tears are common in sports involving running. Tight or weak muscles that are not adequately warmed up are at risk. When a muscle is strained, some fibres are torn. As healing occurs, the fibres heal to become a tight, haphazard mesh of scar tissue. Massage, stretching and strengthening allow the fibres to heal and slide in a smooth, parallel fashion. If you have a mild strain, you can be pain-free in a matter of days to a week. A partial tear takes a few weeks or longer to heal.