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Hip & Knee

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Why Does My Hip Hurt?

If the cartilage in the hip joint degenerates and the hip joint develops arthritis, then many normal activities such as walking, standing, or sitting may result in hip or groin pain. Groin pain is a symptom commonly associated with hip arthritis.

Our team of orthopedic hip specialists begin by diagnosing the cause of your hip pain, and reviewing treatment options with you to get you back to your normal activities.

Symptoms of Hip Problems

People with hip pain or aching hips may have one or more of the following symptoms:

“Popping” or “crunching” noise when bending, walking, running, sitting down, or returning to a standing position
Persistent ache inside the hip joint, usually felt in the groin area (groin pain)
Aching or shooting pain around the hip joint or in adjacent areas, such as the buttocks, thighs, or groin
Stiffness, swelling, or redness around the hip joint

Conditions That Cause Hip Pain or Groin Pain

Typical causes of hip or groin pain include injuries, arthritis, diseases, and lifestyle factors. Disorders that affect other areas of the body, such as the back, leg, or buttocks, can also cause hip pain. Common examples include spinal disorders such as sciatica and stenosis.

Traumatic Hip Injuries

Typical injuries that cause hip or groin pain include:

Dislocated hip

Hip pointer

Torn cartilage (labral tears)

Pinched nerve

Groin strain

Bursitis

Fractures

Trauma and injuries that don’t heal properly may lead to degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis. Always see a medical professional after experiencing a hip injury to minimize lifelong damage to the surrounding joints and muscles.

Arthritic Hip Conditions

There are two major types of arthritis that can cause hip pain:

Rheumatoid arthritis

Osteoarthritis

Hip Diseases

Common diseases that can cause hip pain include:

Avascular necrosis

Osteoporosis

Tumors

Hip Pain Diagnosis

Our orthopedic specialists may begin by ordering specific imaging or diagnostic tests for your hip, including:

X-rays
MRIs
CT scans
Blood tests
Joint aspiration

We will also review your medical history, ask about your daily activities, and perform a detailed examination of your hips and its surrounding muscles, tendons, and joints to determine which treatment plan will work best for you.

Knee PAIN

Why Does My Knee Hurt?

For most people, healthy knees are an important part of a happy existence. Imagine having a knee that cannot bend, or lacks the stability to lock and support your body. Without functioning knees, living an active life is much more difficult, therefore it pays to take care of these vital joints and get appropriate treatment if you are unfortunate enough to be injured.

Knees are like big, complicated hinges that are also subject to wear and tear, and preventative measures during some activities and sports can be helpful in protecting your knees. Taking measures to reduce the stress on knees is much easier than recuperating from an accident as some knee injuries can take a long time to heal and cause a great deal of pain, not to mention the potential long term effects of sustaining an injury.

Typical Knee Injuries:

Sports injuries, such as Skiing, Football or Basketball are a frequent cause of injury. Any pursuit that requires quick changes of direction or the weight of the body being rapidly transferred from one limb to another can result in a tear, a sprain or even breakage.

Falls are another source of trauma to the knee, and any large impact, such as being hit by a car, can also cause knee injuries. Even when hiking or biking, a rock could give way resulting in a fall that could have a negative impact on your knees.

There are many moving parts in the knee, from bones to tendons, ligaments, and cartilage, including the discs known as the menisci, which act as a kind of shock absorber between the surfaces of the leg bones. The four main bones of the knee are the femur (thigh bone), the tibia (large shin bone), the fibula (or smaller shin bone), and the patella, the small bone that forms the kneecap.

When it comes to breaking bones in the knee, fracturing the patella is the most common. Falling on this small bone, or a blow to the leg, can easily fracture it. As the patella acts much like a shield to protect the knee, breaking it can make it difficult to walk. Breaks can range from splitting the bone into two, to crushing it into small fragments. Treatment could include surgery, a splint or a cast, and having to be on crutches for up to eight weeks.

Twisting the knee while the foot is on the ground and supporting the body can often be a recipe for tearing the menisci.

Wear and tear can also cause many small injuries to the menisci, and these injuries can sometimes suddenly aggregate and result in a large tear. The menisci do not have a great blood supply and healing can be slow and difficult. Symptoms can include pain, swelling and an inability to straighten the knee completely. If a piece of a meniscus comes loose and then gets caught between the femur and the tibia, it may be difficult to walk without being in severe pain.

The ends of the leg bones are also covered with strong connective tissue called articular cartilage, which assists with smooth movement of the knee. Violently twisting the knee can tear this. If this does happen there may be swelling and pain in the joint and an injury of this type may also be accompanied by damage to other parts of the knee.

Tearing or spraining the ligaments are among the most common knee injuries. The knee has four important ligaments that need to be strong and healthy for it to function well. These ligaments are the medial collateral ligament, the lateral collateral ligament, the posterior cruciate ligament, and the anterior cruciate ligament.

The medial ligament is one of the most commonly injured. Tripping over while wearing a pair of skis can be enough to twist the knee sufficiently to damage the ligament. Tearing the tendons, which attach the muscles of the leg to the joint, is another commonly seen type of knee injury.

In professional football we are seeing more and more ligament based injuries. This is due to the technology of both the grass and footwear and when a player plants their foot in the turf and turns their foot remains static, but their knee doesn’t, resulting in a ligament injury. In D Wade's case he landed awkwardly from a jumped and jarred his knee.

The first thing to do is protect your knee from further injury, then apply ice.

Make an ice pack and apply it to the injury as soon as you can, for between 10 and 30 minutes. An easy way to make an ice pack is to place some ice cubes in a plastic bag and then wrap this in a towel. Be careful, as applying too much ice can cause damage to the skin. The cold should lessen inflammation and pain but do not leave the ice on for extended periods as it can burn. Some physicians say the ice should be reapplied every couple of hours (when awake) for the first two or three days.

Compression bandages on the knee can help to reduce swelling, support the joint and make it more comfortable. The pressure should not be excessive, cause pain or restrict blood flowing to the knee.

Find a stool or a chair and place a cushion on it so you can put your foot up and elevate the affected knee. This should help to minimize the swelling. Aim to keep your knee above your heart. It may be easier to do this lying on a sofa. When in bed, you can put your foot on a pillow.