Millions of individuals walk around every day with hip arthritis. Some actively seek treatment while many or most just “live with it”.

Common complaints include: stiffness in the morning or after sitting that improves some after walking, loss of motion limiting daily activities, and pain.

Many individuals have been told by their primary physician or orthopedic surgeon that nothing can be done, to just live with it until it is bad enough to have a hip replacement. But this does not have to be reality. There are options to reduce pain, decrease stiffness, increase motion, and help people to live better.

What are those options you ask?

Working with a specialized muscle and joint expert can be a key piece to make the desired improvements. This does come with a few caveats… One, the person must be willing to put in some effort. Making the changes the person wants will take a collaborative effort between therapist and patient. The patient must put in the work outside of therapy to generate carry-over and make the progress they want.

Two, one must be willing to put up with a little bit of discomfort along the way. Regaining hip motion or reducing stiffness can be done with hands-on stretching, but sometimes causes short-term soreness. Think like you just had a good workout. But huge gains cannot be made without some soreness.

Three, one cannot wait to seek care until they have a foot in the operating room. The chances of success go way down when a person is basically set for an operation and not fully invested in getting better. The best time is when a person is just beginning to notice some slight issues with daily function.

What would treatment look like? In most cases treatment would consist of hands-on joint stretching and a ton of strengthening for the hip muscles, specifically the gluteal muscles. These are big powerful muscles that are vital for normal daily function.

Curious if your hip arthritis can be treated? How about scheduling a personalized telephone call (HERE) to learn more about the potential benefits. More can be had even if you have hip arthritis. Do not let it keep you down one more day.