10 REASONS... YOUR HIPS ARE ACHING

1 YOU’RE CHAINED TO THE OFFICE DESK

Office workers spend as much time sitting as the elderly, according to new University of Edinburgh research. Worst off are men aged 45, who are seated for almost eight hours a week on average – half an hour longer than over-75s. ‘Prolonged sitting at sub-optimal workstations is associated with musculoskeletal dysfunction,’ according to one 2012 study, which also reported evidence that correctly adjusted chairs helped reduce hip pain. A rule of thumb: knees should be approximately level with, or lower than, the hips.

2 IT’S YOUR GOLF GAME

Almost one in five golf players has hip pain, predominantly in the ‘lead hip’ – the left hip in right-handed golfers – or the other, the ‘trail hip’. During a golf swing, the hips rotate rapidly and the forces generated may be linked to changes in the shape of the hip joint, leading to pain.

3 JUST WEAR AND TEAR

Osteoarthritis – sometimes called wear and tear arthritis – affects about 2.5 million Britons. Pain is the result of thinning of the cartilage lining the joint, allowing smooth movement. The only cure is a full joint replacement, so sufferers are advised to stay active, and stay at a healthy weight.

4 BLAME YOUR SHAPE

Femoro acetabular impingement, more commonly known as hip impingement, affects a third of the population. It occurs when either ball or socket of the hip joint become an abnormal shape, preventing the joint from moving smoothly. The early stages are often not painful, so can go undiagnosed for years.

5 TENDON INFLAMMATION

Tendonitis, inflammation of the tendon, is commonly associated with the lower arms and legs, but can also affect the hip area. It is typically caused by overuse – repetitive movements – which is why dancers and athletes commonly suffer this type of injury. Those with unsteady or uneven walk, and those requiring a walking aid, are also at risk.

6 WEAK BUTTOCKS

Pain in the front of your hips – the hip flexor muscles – can be caused by weak gluteal, or buttock, muscles, meaning the other muscles in the hips are forced to work harder.

7 A PINCHED NERVE

Sciatica is when the sciatic nerve, which runs from the pelvis to both feet, becomes trapped or irritated, often due to a slipped disc in the spine which presses on the nerve.

8 IS IT THE BURSA?

Bursas are small, fluidfilled sacks situated near the major joints to reduce friction. These can become inflamed, a condition called bursitis, characterised by a dull ache and swelling which worsen during movement. Repetitive or strenuous movement is often to blame.

9 BONE BREAK-DOWN

A rare cause of hip pain is a disease called osteonecrosis, which is when the blood flow to the bone is cut off or decreased, which causes the bone in the hip joint to die and break down. This can be a side effect of illnesses such as arthritis, osteoporosis and lupus, or a result of intensive cancer treatments.

10 BLAME YOUR KNEES

Trauma to the knees, for instance in a fall, can cause injuries to the femoral nerve, which runs up the thigh and through the hip, or the illiotibial band – the tissue ligament which runs from the hip and down the outside of the thigh before crossing the knee to attach to the top of the shin.