Have you ever experienced pain on your hip or knee, perhaps after a strenuous activity or after suffering a fall? Or maybe due to a condition like arthritis? Almost every adult suffers from hip or knee pain which can be caused by various reasons.
According to the US Center for Disease Control, about half of Americans put up with pains in their hips and knees. These are key joints that bear the total weight of the body, and are important for one’s mobility and movement.
How can you reduce pain in your hip and knee? Physical therapy may be your best bet.
What is Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy is considered one of the allied health professions that mainly focuses on rehabilitation and restoration of health and function. Physical therapy can be the treatment itself, or a prevention from an illness or injury.
Physical therapy has many benefits, among these is to reduce the pain in the hip and knee, as well as avoid it. A physical therapist can help assess and diagnose the problem. He or she can then design a treatment plan suited for the specific needs of a patient.
Physical therapy can help regain strength on these joints and restore normal function. It can thus assist a patient in bringing back their ability to do daily tasks and lessen dependence on others.
While physical therapy can help address the body’s current maladies, it can also prevent potential issues. Adhering to the physical therapy program will significantly increase mobility, flexibility, strength, and range of motion, thus lessening risk of pain and injury in the future.
Physical therapy can also identify and make an accurate diagnosis of a problem, thus also ensuring a correct and appropriate treatment plan.
What are the kinds of treatments done for knee and hip pain?
There are various physical therapy approaches and modalities that are usually done to address knee and hip pain. Physical therapy exercises can be made part of the treatment plan. These exercises are designed to fit each individual’s needs.
The exercises are ensured to be safe and can start as light ones, and may be done with assistance at the beginning. The exercises can be done both at the clinic and at home.
Applying heat and ice on the affected area may also be prescribed in order to reduce pain and inflammation. This is referred to as hot and cold therapy.
Your physical therapist can also try to identify the source of the pain of your hip or knee. If it is due to diet, he or she may recommend to you to change it to prevent or reduce the occurence. For example, gout may be caused by a high level of uric acid, thus avoiding any food that can trigger an increase in levels will significantly help prevent it.
Also, your physical therapist can assess your movement and check if the way you walk may be the cause. Issues on your gait may be observed by your trained PT, even as some of these may seem to not be an issue to you.
Feeling some pain on your hip or knee? Call Tribeca Physical Therapy today and consult on the best treatment that you can get.
