Three Things You Didn't Know About Your Hips
Until they start aching or hurting, you probably don't spend much time thinking about your hips. However, as the largest joint in the human body and the one that supports most of your weight, your hips play an essential role in allowing you to stand, walk, run and sit up. Knowing a little about them will help you care for them properly, whether you're an avid athlete or a mostly sedentary worker.
Your hips can come out of alignment.
Each of your hips is comprised of the top of your femur bone and the pelvic "cavity" into which it fits. The femur and pelvis are connected by ligaments. If these ligaments are not holding the femurs evenly within the pelvis, one leg may seem slightly longer than the other. This is usually not enough for you to notice, but it may lead to joint soreness and tendon issues in your legs, since more pressure is placed on the "longer" leg as you walk about.
Hip misalignments are not permanent, and the easiest way to keep your hips properly aligned is to visit a chiropractor, who can adjust them for you. You should be especially aware of this issue if you're a runner, since running on the side of banked roads tends to ease the hips out of alignment.
For more information, contact Yaeger Chiropractic or a similar location.
Low-impact exercise is good for your hips.
You might think that utilizing your hips a lot is bad for your hips and will increase your risk of arthritis, but the opposite is actually true. Regular, low-impact exercises that engage the hip joints will strengthen the hips. This helps to ease the pain of arthritis that is already setting in and prevents it from developing or becoming worse. Exercises that are good for your hips include swimming and cycling.
Hip fractures don't just occur in elderly adults.
You've probably heard of elderly adults who have fallen and broken their hips. This injury is quite common, but younger people can suffer from hip fractures, too. Usually, the type of hip fractures that occur in younger adults are known as stress fractures. They occur as the result of too much high-impact activity, such as running or jumping.
Stress fractures in the hip often go undiagnosed because athletes assume their pain is just due to a muscle strain or inflamed tendon. However, it's important not to ignore a stress fracture, since the longer you keep running on it, the harder it will become to heal. If you're suffering from hip pain that does not subside within a week, visit a medical professional for evaluation.
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