HEALTH AND FITNESS TIPS FOR ALL

Hip bursitis is the irritation of the bursal sac positioned over the outside of the hip. An individual with hip bursitis seeking treatment may be advised initally to rest by avoiding actions that may stress or strain the hip. Often individuals choose to seek a physician to prescribe medications that may help in reducing their hip bursitis symptoms such as pain and inflammation. In addition, many may be advised to follow a specific exercise program designed to strengthen their hip muscles. These exercises usually include stretching exercises that will increase flexibility and promote movement of the hips by reducing the pain.
The following is a list of exercises that will help decrease hip bursitis pain.
Leg Raise:
Lie down on your back and keep your legs in a straight position. Now stiffen the muscles of the upper portion of the affected thigh. Then gradually raise that leg 6-8 inches above the floor. While raising the leg, make sure to keep the upper thigh muscles tightened. Hold for 10 seconds. Then slowly bring down the leg on the floor. Repeat this step 10 times. 3 sets.
Cross Leg Pull:
Be seated on a chair and cross the bursitis distressed leg over the other. Pull the affected leg to the other side while holding your knee there. Keep your buttocks flat while pulling the leg (You will feel the muscle pulling in the hip area). Hold the knee for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 10 times. 3 sets.
Ball Squat:
Stand upright with your back facing the wall. Place an exercise ball behind your lower back and lean against the wall. While keeping your body upright, slowly squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold this pose for ten seconds. Return to up and slide up on the wall. Repeat this step 10 times, 3 sets.
Important Tips:
Be aware to how your body is experiencing throughout the exercise. It is important to remain within a range of motion that is comfortable. The goal is NOT to push the muscle through the pain. You will become more flexible in time. Upon finishing the set of exercises, it is recommended that you apply a cold pack to the hip for approximately five minutes. Icing the hip post exercise will help decrease swelling and relieve the pain caused by bursitis.Practice these exercises after the initial tenderness and swelling that results from hip bursitis.

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By Taylor Z Madison

Hip pain is one of the most persistent and painful which a runner can get. If it doesn't force you to stop running, it will surely slow you down. You can, however do the following stretches and exercises to help alleviate your hip pain.

Yoga pigeon - Lay one leg in front of you on the floor with your foot angled towards your pelvis. Put your other leg on the floor behind you with the top of the toes on the floor, and toes pointing directly behind you. While keeping your hips square to the floor, extend forward to stretch. Hold the position and relax for sixty seconds.

Hip hike - Stand sideways on step or curb with one foot off the ledge. Using only your hips, lift and lower the foot that is hanging off the ledge. Do ten reps to start with and build yourself up to thirty during the following weeks.

Side leg raise - Lie on your side with your legs and hips stacked. Keep your toes pointing toward the wall. Slowly raise your top leg as high as you can, keeping strict form all the way up and all the way down. Start with ten repetitions. Build to thirty repetitions during the following weeks.
Knee lean - Lunge forward and put your front leg at a ninety degree angle. Touch your back knee and shin to the floor, and drop your hips. Hold the position for ten seconds to start with. Build to thirty seconds during the following weeks.

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By Nick J Adama

One cause of back pain that actually does not involve a degeneration or injury to the tissues of the spine is referred to as piriformis syndrome. This disorder actually affects the sciatic nerve as it travels deep through the hips. The piriformis muscle crosses over the sciatic nerve as the nerve travels down from the lower back through the hips and then down the length of the leg to the foot. When the muscle puts excess pressure on the nerve, chronic feelings of pain and numbness can result from the compressive forces.

This syndrome is common in runners, people who bicycle often, and can be found in the general public as well. The piriformis muscle compresses the sciatic nerve near the site of the rotator muscles of the hip, resulting in pain and a loss of feeling. The first sign of the syndrome is a chronic ache in the hips or numbness that that be felt deep in the hips and progress down the leg or even all the way down to the foot. Typically, only one side of the body is affected, as the sciatic nerve branches out from the lower back to either leg.

With piriformis syndrome, the pain can be chronic and be felt when moving, running, walking, or even sitting down. Sitting is one activity where the sciatic nerve is directly compressed by the piriformis muscle. We have all had the experience of sitting in one position or another for too long and our entire leg falls asleep. That is the sciatic nerve "turning off" due to pressure being placed on it at the hip. Thankfully, for the vast majority of us, this is a temporary numbness and only an annoyance, but for some people it is a painful chronic condition.
Pain and discomfort can also extend upwards into the lower back and people may feel as if their lower back is the site of the injury instead of the hips. This can make diagnosing piriformis syndrome difficult for doctors, as they have to take into account the possibility that the problem is caused by a herniated disc or otherwise compressed spinal disc that may cause numbness down the length of the sciatic nerve. This is why doctors may have x-rays or an MRI done on a patient with piriformis syndrome -- to rule out the possibility of a more serious back injury.

Treatment for the disorder typically involves reducing physical activities that place pressure on the sciatic nerve. This may mean standing up more if sitting causes discomfort, as well as taking a few days or weeks off of running or biking. Anti-inflammatory medications may help to reduce swelling if there is any injury or trauma to the piriformis muscle. Stretching and strengthening exercises may be recommended for some people who can move with little discomfort, in order to strengthen and improve the tissue quality of the muscle. And the good news is that surgery is extremely rare for this disorder.

For many people suffering from piriformis syndrome, the chronic feeling of numbness traveling down the leg to the foot may be extremely uncomfortable. Thankfully, that cause of the problem is well known and often responds to treatment and rest. The muscle can be relaxed, stretched, and strengthened so that it does not cause excess pressure anymore, and the nerve can heal quickly so that normal feeling returns once the muscle has relaxed. So while the pain may be chronic once the muscle clenches and applies pressure to the nerve, it does not have to be a permanent source of discomfort for many people.

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By Alan King

For all too many of us out there trying to get through our daily lives, we have to deal with daily, chronic pain. Hip pain is one of the most common complaints, especially as our population ages. Taking care of hip pain can be especially challenging because there can be so many reasons behind the pain. Doctors do recognize that there are some more common causes for hip pain and often look to these first.

Arthritis is by far the most common cause of hip pain. Of course, arthritis just means that the hip joint is inflamed. This can be a chronic or passing problem. There is a lot of research currently underway looking to address arthritis and joint pain. Fortunately, there are some promising results. One product that is growing in popularity is made from CFA's (cetylated fatty acids). They appear to be able to reduce inflammation in the joints while having no adverse side effects. Hips are rejoicing everywhere!

Another heavy hitter is tendonitis. Tendonitis can be found anywhere on the body sporting tendons, so this is not a very limited issue. The tendon in the hip area with the largest number of complications is the IT band, or the iliotbial band. Hip pain is a common symptom of tendonitis found in this area. CFA's may help to reduce hip pain with tendonitis simply by helping to cut down on the amount of inflammation found in the joint.

Fractures involving the hip joint are seen all too often as our bodies age. No one who has been around for the last couple decades and watches television at all can forget the whole "I've fallen and I can't get up" ad campaign. It is sad, but true, that many older adults will have hip problems due to a fall. The fracture issue comes in when the fallen person is dealing with osteoporosis. Unfortunately, when a hip is broken surgery is usually the only option to repair it and get the patient back on his or her feet. There are many different options available when it comes to surgery, depending on the fracture and the health of the patient.

Stress fractures are also a common issue causing hip pain. This type of fracture has nothing to do with age and everything to do with the level of activity and stress placed on the hip joint. There are limited options when it comes to relieving pain caused by a stress fracture. The only treatment that is going to be effective is to rest the joint and avoid the high-impact activity that caused the fracture in the first place.

If you are experiencing hip pain, a trip to your primary-care physician is probably a great place to start looking for relief. Those who have been diagnosed with issues such as arthritis or tendonitis may want to give products such as CFA's a shot...you have nothing to lose but pain in your hip!

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By Emily Greene

1. Hip Specific Exercises - Hip pain can often be relieved or even eliminated completely with specific exercise routines designed to treat this particular problem. Pain in any of your joints may be an indication that the surrounding muscles are under unbearable strain. Being overweight, sitting improperly with poor posture, and a diet poor in nutrients but high in fat, calories, and sugars all contribute to pain in your joints. Exercise helps relieve this pain by strengthening the affected muscles, and improving your mental outlook.
2. Massage Therapy or Muscle Manipulation - Muscle manipulation or massage can help to eliminate pain in your joints and muscles, and also help you to relax at the same time which diminishes the pain sensations some. When your muscles and nerves are under constant tension or stay tightened up for long periods of time this can cause pain. Having a massage on a regular basis can keep your muscles relaxed and loose, and this can also be done with muscle manipulation in your hip area.
3. Biofeedback - Biofeedback has proven very effective with some people at stopping hip pain without the need for surgery. This method must be learned, and is not something that you can do on the spur of the moment. If you are willing to take the time and put in the effort to learn this method you could get considerable pain relief without drugs or invasive methods.
4. Ice and Heat Packs and Ointments - Joint pain can often benefit from either ice or heat. There are a number of ointments and patches available that can apply either ice, heat, or both to your hip joint and help to relieve pain. Some of these products alternate between a cooling sensation and heat for the best relief. These will also help relax your muscles surrounding the affected joint, which can also contribute to pain in the area.
5. Meditation - If you suffer from hip pain, or any other type of pain, then meditation can be an effective tool you can use to minimize this pain. With meditation you learn to focus and clear your mind. You will be able to minimize the discomfort you feel by focusing on other aspects instead, and clear all of the previous pain from your thoughts. Chronic pain can be devastating both physically and psychologically, and meditation can help with both of these aspects.
6. Electrotherapy - Electrotherapy can help relieve pain that affects muscles and joints. In this treatment you will receive a low dose of electricity, which will stimulate your nerve endings and cause the pain to be eliminated. Some patients swear by this method, while others may not get the best results. Some patients find the treatment a little unsettling, but it is not painful and can be a big help in stopping chronic pain before surgery is required.
7. Physical Therapy - For hip pain that is chronic or severe your doctor may prescribe physical therapy. During this treatment a combination of approaches and treatment methods are used to find out which ones work best for you. Your physical therapist will customize a treatment plan designed to eliminate your pain using exercise, relaxation techniques, whirlpool soaks, and other methods.

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