Q: Can Knee Pain cause Hip Pain?
A; Yes, knee pain can lead to experiencing hip pain. There are numerous reasons as to why this can occur, which are discussed below.
- Altered Gait (walking pattern): pain in the knee can cause your body to adjust the way you walk to offload the knee to reduce knee pain. This altered walking style can place new and increased stress on the hip, consequently leading to hip pain.
- Compensatory Mechanisms: when dealing with knee pain, the joints and muscles above or below the knee may take on a greater workload. The added strain on the hip muscles to help support the knee may lead to overuse injuries, which may result in hip pain.
- Referred Pain: it is not unusual for knee pain to be a symptom of a more systemic issue. Pain and/or injury to one area of the body, such as the hip, can produce referred pain to the knee. Referred pain can more so occur when both joints are connected through common muscle groups or nerves.
- Weakness or Imbalance: long-standing knee pain can cause changes in muscle strength and flexibility in the lower body. Such deficits in the lower body can lead to abnormal mechanics during movement, which can affect the hip joint & lead to hip pain.
If you’re experiencing either knee or hip pain, our team at Essential Health Physiotherapy can certainly help you get out of dealing with pain. We will thoroughly assess your movement patterns, strength and flexibility to identify underlying causes. Together, we will then develop a treatment plan to resolve your pain and get you back to living a pain-free life.
Will my knee pain go away on its own?
Whether your knee pain will settle down by itself, depends on the underlying cause(s) of the pain. If your knee pain is caused by an acute, overuse or chronic condition, your knee pain will likely require interventions for pain resolution.
When to see a Physiotherapist:
- Your knee pain persists for more than two days or worsens.
- You notice swelling, warmth, or redness around the knee.
- You have difficulty moving the knee or bearing weight.
- Following an injury, you hear a popping sound or feel an immediate sharp pain.
If you’re uncertain about the cause of your knee pain or if it’s not improving, we strongly recommend consulting one of our highly skilled physiotherapists to assess & treat your knee pain.
Take first step toward a healthier and happier life by calling us at 07 3132 0898!
References
Willy, R. W., Hoglund, L. T., Barton, C. J., Bolgla, L. A., Scalzitti, D. A., Logerstedt, D. S., Lynch, A. D., Snyder-Mackler, L., & McDonough, C. M. (2019). Patellofemoral Pain. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 49(9), CPG1–CPG95. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2019.0302
Check our Previous Blogs
