Dealing with Hip Alignment Issues

By Debra Rodzinak

For many runners, hip alignment issues are a major cause of pain.  If left untreated, this pain ultimately leads to injury. 

Leg Length

Being broad in nature, pelvic misalignment does not happen overnight.  The first telltale sign of a hip issue is one leg shorter than the other.  Many people think that they must have been born this way and just never noticed, or that the problem is in their feet.  However, poor pelvic alignment is often the culprit.  With the right type of exercises and chiropractic treatment, many of these problems can be addressed.

Injuries Related to Pelvic Misalignment

Running when one leg is shorter than the other can cause some obvious injuries, such as:

• Hip soreness or injury
• Hamstring strain and piriformis syndrome
• IT Band Syndrome
• Runner’s Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)
• Achilles tendinitis (or plantar fasciitis)

While none of these injuries is pleasant, the good news is that there are effective treatments to address the root cause of these pains.

Treatments for Hip Misalignments

By easing muscle tightness and imbalances that are the root cause of the problem, chiropractic treatments, massage therapy, and physical therapy have been shown to be very effective in treating hip alignment issues.

Once a patient has been identified as having hip alignment issues, the muscle tightness and imbalance that accompanies this can be treated through the use of active release techniques by a chiropractor.  Massage therapy can loosen up the muscles and chiropractic can realign the hip adductors, iliopsoas, and quadratus lumborum.

Prevention for Hip Misalignments

Once the overall hip alignment issue has been treated, preventing further issues is a wise course of action.  Taking steps to prevent damage in the future include:

• Strength training
• Regular massage
• Regular chiropractic visits
• Maintaining proper posture
• Alternating heavy loads from side to side
• Running in the middle of the street as opposed to the side where the road is slanted

If you think you might suffer from hip alignment issues, you should consult a qualified physician for a diagnosis.  Once hip misalignment has been diagnosed, it can be addressed through a gentle spinal adjustment such as those provided at The Joint Chiropractic. Beginning with proper alignment is key in finding pain relief.

With no pesky insurance forms to fill out or appointment times to remember, The Joint makes it easy and stress-free to find a drug-free alternative form of therapy for your hip alignment issues.  Come by The Joint and allow our professionals to help get you on the road to proper hip alignment.

Story Link