Hip Strain: Cause, Symptoms And Treatment
Hip Strain: Cause, Symptoms And Treatment
Hip strain is a very serious medical condition faced by many people. It mainly occurs when someone pulls a muscle or has a torn muscle. There can be all types of hip strain depending upon the injury. If the injury is severe, then the person will have a problem walking or doing any kind of activity. Hip strain particularly occurs from sports activities, but one can pull or tear their muscles doing regular chores. One can treat the hip strain at home, but if it’s serious, then medical treatment is needed, or else it can be worse.
Symptoms
Some of the major symptoms for hip strain is stated below.
- One of the main symptoms of hip strain is a pain. One might feel a sharp pain around the hip. The level of pain may vary with the intensity of the injury.
- A person might find it difficult to move around or walk when they strain their hips. There are very limited muscle movements that can be done by the injured person.
- Swelling is another major sign of hip strain. The injured place has some swelling and redness.
- When one pulls or tears a muscle, the muscle becomes very weak. This leads to less movement and pain.
Causes
There are many reasons why a person can strain their hips. It is discussed below in details.
- People often pull a muscle when they don’t warm up before doing exercise. It is one of the common reasons.
- If someone had a previous injury in the hips, they are more likely to get hurt there again.
- People who participate in sports often get hip strain.
- Sudden fall or quick movement often leads to pulling a muscle or tear them.
Treatment
There are two approaches for treatments. One can opt for a home remedy or consult a doctor. This depends upon the intensity of the injury.
Home remedy
The most commonly used method to treat any muscle injury at home is by RICE protocol. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation.
Rest: After the injury, it is important to give proper rest to the hips. Try not to put any weight on it for a few days.
Ice: Another step for the home remedy is putting ice to the injured place. After getting injured put ice for 20 minutes at a time for several times a day. Never put ice directly on the injured area.
Compression: It is suggested to wear compression shorts or wrap the injured area with soft bandages.
Elevation: Lastly, it is very important to keep the leg elevated. Try and keep the legs higher than the heart level.
If the injury is severe, then consulting a doctor is needed to get medical treatment. With the help of x-rays, one can see the depth of injury.
Recovery
Normally, it takes about two weeks for a hip strain to get healed completely. If the pain persists, then it is better to rest for a few more days. It is suggested to consult a doctor before going back to one’s regular life.
