Healthy hips are necessary for standing, sitting, walking, running, bending, twisting, lifting, etc. Hip problems can seriously interfere with everyday activities. Out of alignment hips don’t just cause pain and soreness in the hip area but can radiate to other body areas. When the hip joint is out of alignment, the rest of the body has to start compensating for the misalignment, which can cause chronic pain in the back and/or legs.

Out of Alignment Hips

Discomfort and soreness begin as occasional but can quickly become regular. Individuals may also begin to limp when they walk, have a reduced range of motion in the hips, and pain that escalates with physical activity and improves with immobility/rest. Out of alignment hips can be caused by:

• Lifting incorrectly
• Repetitively carrying heavy loads on one side of the body places uneven pressure on the pelvis, causing an imbalance.
• Performing repetitive motions that begin to stress the joint
• Wearing shoes that do not provide proper support
• Standing and leaning on one leg regularly
• Injury/trauma
• Physical leg length discrepancy
• Functional leg length discrepancy
• Scoliosis

Physical Leg Length Discrepancy

If the legs are different lengths, this can cause the hips to go out of alignment. Using a foot wedge/foot orthotic in the shoe can remedy the situation.

Functional Leg Length Discrepancy

Functional leg length discrepancy is a common cause of hip misalignment, meaning that leg length is equal, but the individual is doing something to cause the hips to go out of alignment. It usually involves posture, standing, walking, sitting, lifting, and carrying improperly or awkwardly and repetitively could create functional leg length discrepancy.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is only one cause of hip misalignment. It is not likely that an individual has scoliosis if they are an adult and have not previously been diagnosed with the condition. If a child has what looks like a misaligned hip, it is recommended to take them to get tested for scoliosis. Most children with the disorder will outgrow it, but they need to be monitored by a medical professional.

Symptoms include:

• Uneven gait
• Uneven shoulders
• Hip pain on one side
• Groin pain
• Tight buttock muscles
• Tight leg muscles
• Back pain – upper and lower
• Sciatica
• Knee pain
• Ankle pain

One of the most prominent signs that it is a hip problem is the presence of groin pain. Groin pain can radiate downward toward the buttocks, front of the thighs, and knees. The hip joint is located behind the groin; pain usually means the hip is the root cause.

Chiropractic Decompression

A chiropractic examination can identify uneven hips. Chiropractic and motorized spinal decompression can reset the hips to their proper position. A chiropractor will be able to rebalance the hips and help avoid invasive surgical treatments and long-term rehabilitation.

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DRX9000 90 Seconds Spinal Decompression

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References

Battaglia, Patrick J et al. “Posterior, Lateral, and Anterior Hip Pain Due to Musculoskeletal Origin: A Narrative Literature Review of History, Physical Examination, and Diagnostic Imaging.” Journal of chiropractic medicine vol. 15,4 (2016): 281-293. doi:10.1016/j.jcm.2016.08.004

Jones HR, Burns TM, Aminoff MJ, Pomeroy SL. Pain. Chapter: Diagnosis of Low Back, Buttock, and Hip Pain. Netter Collection of Medical Illustrations: Spinal Cord and Peripheral Motor and Sensory Systems, Section 8, 201-224.

Khamis, Sam, and Eli Carmeli. “A new concept for measuring leg length discrepancy.” Journal of orthopedics vol. 14,2 276-280. 27 Mar. 2017, doi:10.1016/j.jor.2017.03.008

Miyagi, Masayuki, et al. “Hip-spine syndrome: cross-sectional-study of spinal alignment in patients with coxalgia.” Hip international: the journal of clinical and experimental research on hip pathology and therapy vol. 29,1 (2019): 21-25. doi:10.1177/1120700018803236

Nunes, Guilherme S et al. “Acute Effects of Hip Mobilization With Movement Technique on Pain and Biomechanics in Females With Patellofemoral Pain: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.” Journal of sport rehabilitation vol. 29,6 707-715. 18 Oct. 2019, doi:10.1123/jsr.2018-0497