Pegasus Post: December 04, 2018

44 Tuesday December 4 2018
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
HEALTH & AWARENESS
Hip pain: Do I have arthritis or
could it be mainly my muscles?
PEGASUS POST
The team at Physical Sense in Sydenham
sees clients with a range of symptoms but
many of their middle-aged and senior
clients visit complaining of pain in one or
both hips.
Physiotherapist Ietje van Stolk suggests
that a major part of the pain could be due
to muscle pain rather than simply arthritis.
“Even if an x-ray shows arthritis, the reason
for the pain may be the muscles around
the joint,” she explains. Alternatively, a
back muscle could also be the cause, as
shown in the image.
Ietje recalls one case where an 89 year
old client with severe arthritis who walked
with a stick, told her, “I will end up in
a wheelchair, I cannot put any weight
through my right leg due to pain in my hip
and buttock”. “Within 4 treatments, she
was walking with her stick but without the
severe pain,” says Ietje. “The arthritis was
one of the factors that made her muscles
spasm but the other was that older people
move less and the flexed position the hip
is in when we sit is particularly bad for
the hip.” Ietje is happy with the fact that
although the client was 89 and could have
been “given up on” or told to live with the
pain, she made a difference to her health
Hip muscle that causes hip pain
(the crosses are the areas of the muscle spasms, the red areas is where the pain is felt)
and wellbeing.
At Physical Sense, hands-on techniques
(massage and triggerpoint deactivation
techniques) are used to release the muscles.
The client also gets a home exercise
program designed to mobilize and stretch
the hip, strengthen the important core
muscles and increase general strength and
balance. They teach a movement sequence
that stretches the hip in all directions
whilst the client is able to lie safely on their
bed, perfect for older or less mobile clients.
In many cases having the muscles
released and being taught how to maintain
it, is enough to stay on top of the problem.
If severe arthritis is the underlying cause,
some maintenance therapy may be
necessary, but that is often more affordable
and, for older patients, better tolerated than
surgery. In very few treatments the client
Back hip muscle that causes hip pain
will know if it is going to work for them or
not, without financial commitment.
Physical Sense Gym & Physio is located
at 300 Colombo Street, Sydenham.
There is a bus stop in front of the door
and there is ample parking. To enquire
about specialised exercise classes or
physiotherapy treatment, phone 377-2577
or visit www.triggerpoints.co.nz.
Physical Sense Gym and Physio is located at 300 Colombo Street, Sydenham. The Blue Line Bus stops in front of the door and there is ample
parking. To enquire about specialised exercise classes or physiotherapy treatment, phone 377-2577 or visit www.triggerpoints.co.nz
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