Pelvic pain is often frustrating and restricting. Many people believe the reason is trauma or misuse; one commonly overlooked cause is the hips being misaligned. Hips play a crucial role in our body’s equilibrium and movements, and a slight deviation in alignment can cause ongoing back pain and pelvic discomfort.
What is Hip Misalignment?
A hip malalignment can occur when one leg is higher, is rotated or is tilted in a different way than the opposite. This can happen as time passes due to
- Bad posture, prolonged sitting
- The imbalance of muscles is a result of regular exercise or inactivity.
- Injuries or accidents that occurred prior to the accident
- Slight differences in leg length
If your hips do not seem to be in the proper alignment, your body attempts to make up for it. The extra stress on your joints, muscles and ligaments could cause chronic pain and discomfort.
How does Hip Misalignment triggers Pelvic Pain
The hips, pelvis, and lower back muscles are connected. If the hips are not aligned properly, this can cause an effect that ripples all over the pelvis.
- Inequal pressure on joints
Hips that are not aligned properly may put greater pressure on the lower part of the pelvis, causing stress to the muscles of the sacroiliac (SI) joints as well as the pubic region, which usually causes chronic pain. - Tightness and Muscles
Certain muscles work too hard to compensate for the imbalance, as others are weakening. The tightness of the hips, glutes, and lower back muscles may strain the pelvis, which can cause the pain to get worse. - Alterations in walking and Posture
A small shift in your hip alignment may affect the gait and posture you take that can put stress on the pelvis over time. - nerve pressure
An incorrect alignment could affect the hips’ nerves or lower back. This can cause discomfort, tingling or numbness around the pelvic region or legs.
The Signs That You Could have a hip misalignment
Common indicators are:
- Lower back pain in the hips and the pelvic region
- A hip that appears to be more or less forward than the other one
- Uncomfortable when standing, walking or sitting for an extended time
- Tension in the glutes of muscles or in the lower back
- It is a pain that gets worse when you exercise or sit for a long time
Treatment Alternatives
The most effective way to correct hip alignment is the use of mild stretching, strength and correcting posture. Physical therapists are able to assess your hip alignment and devise a strategy to ease discomfort and restore equilibrium. The most common strategies are:
- Specific stretches to stretch the hips as well as the lower back muscles
- Exercises to strengthen the core, and strengthen the pelvis, and stabilise it
- Gait and posture training
- Manual therapy is a way to restore joint mobility
In the event that you’re unable to go to regular clinics, Online Physiotherapy Services can help you with exercises and adjustments from the comfort of your own home.
FAQs
Yes, the hips are often under greater pressure and cause an injury that’s more severe on that side.
It is different, however, with regular physical therapy, most people see improvements within a couple of weeks or months.
Rarely. A majority of patients respond to non-invasive treatment options like physiotherapy.
Stretching can help; combining it with strength and correcting posture gives the greatest outcomes.
Absolutely. They provide guidance, supervision and individualised exercises that significantly ease pelvic pain.