Hip And Knee Pain: Are They Related?

Aging and joint pain seem like a match made in hell for many people, as you lose your get-up-and-go abilities, and even simple movements can be challenging. For many people, hip pain and knee pain often go hand in hand, but what often causes this correlation? Most researchers cite that osteoarthritis is the most common condition that simultaneously causes hip and knee pain. Today, we’ll briefly examine osteoarthritis, what causes it, and how to protect your joints and help prevent it. 

Why Osteoarthritis is Related To Hip and Knee Pain

Over time, the cartilage of knees and hips will wear and tear, causing the bones to rub together. When the bones rub together, it leads to inflammation in the joints. Osteoarthritis commonly affects the joints throughout your body, including your arms, legs, fingers, knees, hips, and lower back. The wear and tear process also causes the cartilage between other joints to become inflamed, causing the cartilage to lose water retention and harden, making the joints stiff and barely moveable. 

Osteoarthritis is a slow-developing condition, so it’s essential to notice any early symptoms to care for your joints. Some early symptoms include:

• Pain – Some of the earliest signs of this condition are a dull, aching pain along the back, neck, knees, and hips. 
• Tenderness – Any feeling of discomfort when pressing down on the joint, which can lead to the joint visibly swelling
• Joint stiffness – Stiffness can be a sign of osteoarthritis, especially in the morning or after sitting long.
• Abnormal sensations – When the cartilage starts to wear down, clicking and crackling can be heard as the bones start to rub against each other. 
• Loss of range of motion – This includes difficulties moving the joint, including fully bending and extending your leg. 

While osteoarthritis cannot be cured, it can be managed. If you’re experiencing pain throughout your knees and hips, then there are many at-home treatments you can take part in to improve your symptoms and find effective pain relief. This includes: 

• Using Cold and Heat: Using heat and cold methods to relieve pain can potentially help your joints. During pain sessions, you can wrap an ice pack to ice your knee or hip. For others, a warm bath or shower may also help reduce your pain. 
• Pain Relievers: Pain relief medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB), and naproxen sodium (Aleve) can help reduce inflammation responding to the bone rubbing and help relieve nerve and joint pain. 
• Stretching Exercises and Movement: Stretching exercises such as yoga and water aerobics can help relieve pain and stiffness and help your body maintain its current weight.
• Resting: Make sure to rest when you need to, as resting can help alleviate pain over time. 

Contact Space Coast Orthopedics For Osteoarthritis Treatment!

While osteoarthritis can be inevitable, the factors involved in it can be either modified or prevented. If you are at high risk of osteoarthritis, then it’s essential to maintain a healthy weight and keep up with a healthy lifestyle to combat it. In the meantime, if you’re searching for pain relief for your knees or hips, contact Space Coast Orthopedics in Merritt Island, FL, by calling Dr. Luc Teurlings at (321) 459-1446!