If you have knee pain, you might think it’s only affecting your leg. However, this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, pain in one area can cause pain in another area. The body is a deeply interconnected system. When one joint isn’t working properly, it can put extra strain on other areas. For example, painful knee dysfunction might lead to hip pain. Both hip and knee pain are relatively common. The prevalence of hip pain in the general population is 10%, and it increases with age, experts say. If you’re experiencing pain in your knee and hip, identifying the causes can help you understand whether your symptoms are connected. Learning about some of the ways knee pain might cause hip pain may offer insights into your own condition.
3 ways knee pain might cause hip pain
- Gait changes — When your knee hurts, you may start walking differently to avoid pain. This is sometimes referred to as gait compensation. Gait compensation can take many forms. It might mean putting more weight on your other leg to avoid putting pressure on your painful knee. You might take shorter, more uneven steps to reduce discomfort. If your knee hurts a lot, you may even start to limp. These gait changes can put extra stress on areas like your pain-free leg, your core and your hips. Over time, this stress may lead to symptoms such as muscle tightness and hip pain. In some cases, this stress can lead to muscle strain. A licensed physical therapist can help prevent these complications by working to correct your walking mechanics and improve your balance.
- Muscle instability — The muscles around your knee and hip work together to provide stability. If knee pain prevents you from using your leg normally, the muscles around your hip can weaken. Affected muscles could include your glutes and quadriceps. Both of these muscle sets work to help control and support your knees and hips. When they are weak, the lack of support may lead to hip pain. Strengthening exercises prescribed by your physical therapist can help restore muscle support and prevent further discomfort.
- Joint stress — Knee pain can cause poor alignment in the lower body. If your knee isn’t moving correctly, it can throw off the positioning of your hip. This misalignment may result in uneven weight distribution and more wear and tear on your hip joint. Over time, this can lead to hip pain, tissue inflammation and potentially joint damage. Physical therapy can be essential to preventing these issues. Your physical therapist may recommend targeted exercises, assisted stretches and movement training to correct alignment.
Find relief from your hip and knee pain with REPAIR SI
When knee pain is causing hip pain, physical therapy can help address both symptoms before they get worse. You can get top-notch physical therapy treatment for your knee and hip at REPAIR SI.
Contact our team today to learn more about hip pain and knee pain or to schedule an initial appointment.