The Sports Doctor
What Is Hip? Surely Not Hip and Pelvis Injuries in Athletes By Dr. Michael Gross
H
ip pain is a common complaint that can be caused by a wide variety of problems. Sometimes, the key feature to determining the cause of hip pain is understanding the anatomy and knowing where the hip joint is. The hip joint itself is located deep in the groin. Out to the side, in the area that most people commonly refer to as their “hip,” is the edge of the hipbone, or femur, known as the greater trochanter. Towards the back is the sacroiliac joint; this is usually considered part of the lower back, or pelvis. Sometimes understanding where the pain comes from can help make the diagnosis. Your hips are strong and stable when healthy, but injury and certain conditions – like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, both common in older – may affect the health of the hips. Arthritis is among the most frequent causes of hip pain in athletes and non-athletes alike, and because arthritis effects the joint itself, arthritic pain is usually first felt in the groin. People with arthritis often have stiffness and tenderness in their hips; this can make walking very uncomfortable. If the arthritis is severe, it can also make sitting, standing and lying on that side uncomfortable. High impact activities on an already arthritic hip that is asymptomatic may exacerbate the pain and cause a sudden onset of symptoms. For athletes, playing sports, running, falling, heavy impact and overuse can lead to hip strains, hip pointers, hip bursitis and something called femoroacetabular impingement. Bursas are small sacs of lubricating fluid located at various joints in the body. The sacs are particularly important in the elbow, shoulder, knee, heel and hip joints. They act as shock absorbers and cushions between bones and tendons. If the sacs become irritated or inflamed, the condition is called bursitis. Trochanteric bursitis is an extremely common problem that causes inflammation in the bursa over the outside of the hip. This pain takes place over the outside of the hip. Trochanteric bursitis can be very tender and can make it difficult to sleep on that side. Hip bursitis is the most frequently reported cause of hip pain. It is more likely to affect middle-aged and older adults rather than younger athletes and exercisers, and women more often than men.
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Summer 2021
