Pelvis and Hips

The answers to these questions could indicate a hip joint problem but the diagnosis could also be coming from your lower back or pelvis.

The lumbar spine (lower back), pelvis and hip structures work very closely to provide strength, stability and mobility. If the joints and nerves in your lower back are suboptimal, it will hinder your ability to load through your pelvis, through your hip and into your legs. Equally, if the joints between the bones in your pelvis are moving more than they should, this will put extra stress on your lower back and hips.

Also, the largest muscles in your body all surrounding your hips need to be long enough and strong enough to cope with your normal activities of daily living, plus any extra strain that might occur unexpectedly. So keeping good flexibility in your lower back and the muscles around your hip can ease some of the stress on the joints. Equally, having good core and gluteal (buttock muscle) strength can offload the sacrum (pelvic) bones and allow for smoother movements within the hip joint.