Can Back Pain Cause Hip Pain

Stretches To Relieve Chronic Back And Hip Pain

Several exercises and stretches can relieve the chronic pain in these areas brought about by several factors and conditions. Trying these activities may greatly help in reducing the severity of the pain and difficulty experienced.

Adductor Opener

This stretch helps lessen the pain in the back and the hips through the opening of the adductor muscles as well as the hip flexors.

• In a standing position, point the toes at 45 degrees with the feet open and heels in.
• Squat low as if in a sitting position while placing the hands on the inner thighs.
• Press the thighs open and feel the stretch in the groin and thighs for about 30 seconds.

Childs Pose

This is a basic stretch that involves the entire back. It helps in opening and moving up the hips through proper stretching of the glutes.

• In a tabletop position, bring the toes together while taking the knees out and the hips back.
• Lower the forehead to the ground with the hands positioned straight forward.
• Relax the arms and keep the shoulders away from the ears for about 30 seconds.

Figure 4 Twist

This stretch reduces the lower back and hip pain. It increases the external hip rotation, providing the pain relief.

Runners Lunge

This stretch helps in relieving the pain with the movements done on the flexors, quadriceps, and even the abdominal muscles.

Supine Figure 4

This stretch exercise helps reduce the pain in the hips. It stretches the glutes and other muscles.

How To Tell If You Have A Back Pain

Back pain is so common that many patients often ignore or downplay the symptoms. They also mistake it for hip pain, which has identical symptoms as lower back pain. Taking Advil for back pain sometimes isnt enough. In severe cases, tracing the root of back pain is the best way to achieve complete recovery.

Here are the common signs that you have lower back pain:

The Diagnosis: Is It Your Hip

When you tell your doctor your hip hurts, the first thing she should do is confirm that your hip is actually the problem. Women might say they have hip pain, but what they may mean is that they have pain in the side of the upper thigh or upper buttock, or they may be experiencing lower back pain, says Stephanie E. Siegrist, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in Rochester, New York, and a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Hip pain is often felt in the groin or on the outside of the hip directly over where the hip joint is located.

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Osteoarthritis Of The Hip

Age-related degeneration of the hip joint can cause pain in the lower back and stiffness in the hip.

Hip osteoarthritis causes stiffness and a significant decrease in the hips range of motion. This change can cause the hip to incline forward, disrupting the curvature of the lower spine. The inward curvature of the lower spine may become more pronounced, sometimes causing the lower spinal discs to bulge or herniate.12,13

This condition may over time cause degeneration of the spinal joints too, resulting in a more advanced problem called hip-spine syndrome.

Learn more about Hip Osteoarthritis on Arthritis-health.com

This list is not exhaustive of all possible causes of lower back and hip pain. If you experience pain and/or stiffness in your lower back and hip that does not resolve with self-care and affects your daily activities, talk to your doctor. A doctor can accurately diagnose the cause of your lower back problem and formulate a treatment plan for the underlying condition.

Location And Function Of The Gluteus Medius

The gluteus medius is a large fan-shaped muscle at the back of the hip. The architecture of its muscle fibers runs perpendicular to the ilium of the pelvis, giving the muscle its capacity to generate high forces. The gluteus medius spans along the crest of the ilium and narrows as it approaches its insertion at the side of the greater trochanter of the femur.

The gluteus medius works together with the gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in the human body, to extend the hip. It also serves to abduct the leg and rotate the hip inward. The gluteus medius muscle plays an important role in pelvic stability.

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To Relieve Hip Pain Try Thesefirst:

• See your primary care doctor. He or she will likely prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to see if hip pain improves.
• Lose weight. Shedding extra pounds is critical in relieving hip pain. Losing weight often reduces symptoms to the point where surgery is not necessary, says Dr. Murray. It also increases your chances of a successful outcome if surgery is one day warranted.

The Link Between Hip Or Leg Pain And Lower Back Pain

The main reason that lower back pain radiates downwards is due to a large group of nerves, collectively called the sciatic nerve. These emanate from the lower back, run down the buttock and the back of the thigh, and provide the main nervous link between the spine, hips, and legs.When the sciatic nerve is damaged or stressed, or the lower back pain is in close proximity to the sciatic nerve, the pain will travel all along the nerve. This is known as sciatica. Sufferers often assume that this pain is originating in the hips or legs, when in fact it is merely a symptom of problems in the lower back. This pain is often:

• A tingling, sharp, or burning pain in the legs, instead of a dull ache
• Worse when sitting

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For Back Pain Problems Try Thesefirst:

• See your care primary doctor, and stay active. He or she will likely prescribe NSAIDs for two weeks. Meanwhile, stay active. Activity can and should be continued. Prolonged bed rest is bad advice, says Dr. DeMicco.
• Schedule physical therapy if needed after two weeks. If youre still in pain after two weeks, a physical therapist can show you exercises that can strengthen the muscles supporting your spine as well as back-friendly maneuvers.
• Lose weight, and quit tobacco. Maintaining your ideal weight will take the pressure off your spine. Its important to avoid tobacco products too. Nicotine impedes microcirculation, so your spine will degenerate at a faster rate, says Dr. DeMicco.

If the source of your pain is difficult to pinpoint, seek help from a hip or spine specialist. The specialist may order an injection of lidocaine, or they may perform diagnostic/therapeutic hip injection under fluoroscopy or ultrasound.

If the problem is the hip,this will numb the hip joint and relieve symptoms immediately. If the paindoes not improve, we know were barking up the wrong tree, says Dr. Murray.The same technique can rule out or confirm back pain.

Reasons You May Be Experiencing Back And Hip Pain

This content was medically reviewed by Baher S. Yanni, MD, on February 8th, 2021.

Pain can be distressing, especially if youre not sure what brought it on. If you are experiencing back and hip pain, these aggravating symptoms are usually the result of overuse or injury. The frustrating aspect of combined hip and back pain is that many different causes could be to blame.

Back pain can easily be mistaken for hip discomfort. The joint of your hip is located near your spine, so certain health conditions and injuries affect the nerves in both of these areas. That means the culprit of your hip and back pain could overlap.

Here are six reasons you may be experiencing pain in both your lower back and your hip.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Hip Conditions

In general, people suffering from hip pain from hip pathology have symptoms that appear in the front of the hip and the groin area. Sometimes the pain will radiate into the front of the thigh but very rarely goes past the knee.

After sitting for a period of time, patients suffering from hip pathology find it difficult to walk when they first get up. The pain is worse initially, but after a couple of limping steps, the hip lubrication kicks in, and the pain subsides.

What Are Some Reasons That Back Pain Is Significantly Worse At Night Or In The Morning

Back pain is often perceived as one general term, but in my world back pain can mean a thousand different things. So your specific pathology will play a significant role in what time of day your pain is at its peak. I think the hormonal shifts that wakes us up in the morning and then makes us more tired by the end of the day contributes to inflammation.

If the pain is waking you up in the middle of the night, that is more of a red flag and should be assessed earlier.

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Hip Pain That Travels Down The Leg

Hip pain may sometimes radiate or be referred to the knee or lower in the leg. Pain in the lower limb is usually associated with joint stiffness and makes daily activities hard to perform. Activities such as putting on shoes, standing up after sitting, walking, and/or driving are commonly affected.

Hip pain can occur in the front, side, or back of the hip.1 The nerves from the hip that travel down the leg commonly cause radiating pain in the thigh, knee, and/or lower in the leg.2 Pain may also be referred from muscles or joints. Here are some potential causes of hip pain that travels down the leg.

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What Is The Best Treatment For Lumbar Spondylosis

Treatment Options Most of the time, spondylosis can be treated with non-operative therapies including spine-specialized physical therapy, low-impact exercise, anti-inflammatory medications, and steroid injections. These conservative methods are among many therapies used to manage the symptoms caused by spondylosis.

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Spinal Arthritis May Contribute To Other Issues In The Spine

Spinal arthritis may cause bone spurs overgrowths on the edges of the bones. In the spine, bone spurs particularly affect facet joints, making them grow larger. This condition is called facet joint hypertrophy. Although bone spurs on their own are not harmful, they may narrow the passages for the spinal cord and the nerves exiting the spine. This may lead to two painful conditions:

• Spinal stenosis compression of the spinal cord inside the spinal canal

• Radiculopathy pinching of the peripheral nerves as they exit the spine

Ankylosing spondylitis may also cause additional problems such as:

• Stress fractures in places where new bone has formed

• Collapsed vertebrae

• A spinal deformity called kyphosis

Select The Right Materials

Beyond the firmness, you should also take the time to select the right mattress materials to help with your hip pain as follows:

Memory Foam

Memory foam can be a good choice if you have hip pain because the highly adaptive nature of the materials means that you can sleep on a surface thats unique to your body shape for better posture and reduced pressure.

Latex Foam

Latex foam can also adapt to your body shape to potentially alleviate hip pain whilst also providing more bounce and breathability than memory foam which can benefit restless sleepers and warmer sleepers that need to stay cool and dry.

Innersprings

Mattresses with individually wrapped pocket coils in the support core can be especially beneficial for sleepers with hip pain because the coils can adapt one-by-one to provide better support and help maintain good posture more effectively than a regular spring mattress with a fused coil core that responds as a unit to your body weight.

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Hip Pain And Sciatica

• Sports Medicine

Pain around the hip region may originate from the hip or a pinched nerve in the back. Hip pain commonly results from wear and tear arthritis of the hip joint. A pinched nerve or sciatica results from compression or irritation of the nerve roots in the back. While both conditions may present similarly, their differentiation is important for correct treatment.

Lower Back Pain Causes

Most low back pain is due to a disruption in the way the spine, muscles, discs, and nerves fit together and move. Some mechanical causes of low back pain include:

Congenital

• Skeletal Irregularities: scoliosis , lordosis , kyphosis , etc.
• Spina Bifida: the incomplete development of the spinal cord or its protective covering.

Injuries

• Traumatic Injury: sports accidents, car accidents, or falls.

Degenerative Problems

• Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: spinal discs wear down from aging, causing them to lose their natural cushion.
• Spondylosis: general spinal degeneration from aging. This issue affects the joints, discs, and bones of the spine.
• Arthritis and Other Inflammatory Diseases:osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spondylitis, etc.

Nerve and Spinal Cord Problems:

Non-spine Pain Sources:

• Kidney Stones: sharp lower back pain, usually on one side.
• Endometriosis: the buildup of uterine tissue outside the uterus.
• Fibromyalgia: a chronic pain syndrome causing muscle pain and fatigue.
• Tumors: tumors can press on or destroy the spinal cord and nerves.
• Pregnancy: lower back pain usually begins in later stages of pregnancy, and is resolved after birth.

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Know The Source Know The Solution: Treating Back Pain And Hip Pain

Once your pain is identified as truly originating in your hip or in your low back, your doctor will work with you to craft a treatment plan to address it. In many cases, this regimen will include medication to reduce inflammation and pain, and a specially designed physical therapy program to teach you movements, stretches, and physical activities to help alleviate symptoms and prevent them from returning. Depending on the nature of your pain, your doctor may also recommend lifestyle modifications to treat your pain. For both spine pain and hip pain, surgery is rarely necessary and viewed as a last-resort treatment option.

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.

My Hip Hurts: Or Is It Back Pain? UPMC HealthBeat. https://share.upmc.com/2014/09/hip-hurts-back-pain/. Published September 8, 2014. Accessed July 8, 2019.

Nall R. What causes lower back and hip pain? Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325433.php. Last reviewed June 10, 2019. Accessed July 8, 2019.

Oh, My Aching Back Or Is It My Hip? Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/oh-my-aching-back-or-is-it-my-hip/. Published August 25, 2015. Accessed July 8, 2019.

How Theyre Connected

Both hip dances and ballroom dancing involve a lot of intricate footwork and movement. Many people who take up ballroom dancing as a hobby may find that theyre already quite skilled at hip-hop Dancing.

Several things make hip-hop Dancing and ballroom Dancing so similar. First, they involve a lot of pivoting, turning, and shifting your body weight. This is why its important to have strong core muscles while learning either dance style. Second, both dances require a lot of coordination between your arms and legs. Finally, both dances require good posture if you maintain good alignment, youll look better and move more gracefully in both styles.

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What Causes Hip Pain

Hip pain can be caused by several things, including injury, arthritis, and just being old. Injuries to the hip can include falls onto the hip, torn muscles near the hip, or even twisting or pulling on the knee joint. Arthritis can also cause hip pain. The cartilage that covers the ends of the bones in the hips can become inflamed and cause pain. Hip pain is also common in older people because moving around the joint becomes more difficult as the cartilage wears away.

Luckily, there are many things you can do to ease hip pain. First, make sure you get medical attention if your pain doesnt go away after trying self-treatment. Second, try to keep your weight off your hip. This means avoiding obesity and choosing healthy foods that dont put extra stress on your hips. Third, exercise regularly to maintain muscle strength around the hip joint and help reduce inflammation and pain. Finally, talk to your doctor about other treatments that might be effective for your specific case of hip pain.

Treatments For Lower Back Pain

The source of your lower back pain will help guide your treatment options. These include:

• Core strengthening to improve the ability of your abdominal muscles to support your spine
• Weight loss to decrease lower back strain
• Lower back and leg stretching to improve mobility and flexibility to alleviate areas of nerve compression and joint stiffness
• Application of ice to decrease pain and inflammation or heat to improve mobility and decrease stiffness
• Medication, hemodialysis, or kidney transplant to improve kidney function
• Medical management of underlying conditions that increase the risk of kidney disease, such as hypertension or diabetes
• Medications such as DMARDs and biologics to treat autoimmune forms of arthritis
• Antibiotics or antivirals to treat infections
• Pain medications taken orally via pill form, topically via creams or gels, or through injections into painful joints
• Surgery to relieve chronic nerve compression

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How Tight Hip Flexors Affect The Digestive System

Tight hip flexors can affect your digestive health. Your iliacus and psoas are located right next to the small and large intestine. When you begin to have issues with either part of the intestine, it can cause the iliopsoas muscles to quickly tighten around the intestinal area.

Medical issues like irritable bowel syndrome can cause hip and groin pain, which is why if you start to have lower back pain, it could be due to your digestive issues.

As the iliopsoas tightens, it doesnt much matter where the tightening begins. Once one part of the hip flexor muscles are impacted, the rest of them play an internal tug of war to try to balance and stabilize the core of your body. As the muscle tightness increases, the pull on your bones also increases. This pull is what impacts body alignment and how your joints fit together. These subtle changes can affect your posture, the way you walk, and cause back and hip pain over time.