Have you ever felt a snap in your hip getting out of bed in the morning? Maybe you have a deep, dull ache in your hips. Either way, you could have tendonitis in the hip, an inflammation of the muscle tendons in the hip region. You might think, “What causes tendonitis in the hip?”
In this blog, we’ll explore what it is and how it’s caused in more detail.
ANF Therapy®️ is the newest frequency-based treatment for hip tendonitis. It works on the principles of frequency medicine. The therapy uses ANF Devices that are applied to certain body parts. These devices aim to activate your body’s own healing process and treat pain and inflammation from the root cause, instead of just masking the symptoms.
What is tendonitis in the hip?
Hip tendonitis happens when the tendons in your hip become inflamed or irritated. Tendons are connective tissue that connect your muscles to bones and help keep your hip stable.
Structure of the Hip
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint. The top of your thigh bone fits snugly into a cup-shaped socket in your pelvis. It allows smooth movement of your lower limb when it is strong and stable.
Behind its stability are the ligaments, muscles, and tendons. Ligaments hold the bones of the joint together; muscles generate movement and provide strength, while tendons connect muscles to bones.
Each of these tendons connects powerful muscles to the hip joint, allowing it to move efficiently. However, these tendons can become inflamed when repetitive stress, sudden trauma, or muscle imbalances keep occurring.
What are the causes of tendonitis in the hip?
Knowing the causes and risk factors of hip tendonitis can help prevent, diagnose, and treat the condition early. These include:
- Repetitive stress from running, cycling, or standing for long hours
- Weak gluteal muscles
- Taut hip flexor muscles
- Poor posture
- Uneven length of lower limbs
- Sudden movements
- Ageing results in joint breakdown
- Trauma and injuries
- Obesity
- Surgery
- Chronic diseases, e.g. arthritis
What are the signs and symptoms of tendonitis in the hip?
Hip tendonitis follows a similar clinical presentation to other chronic inflammatory conditions. It is marked by:
- A deep, aching pain in your hip’s front, side, or back.
- Pain that worsens with movement
- Stiffness upon movement after rest
- Muscle weakness
- Snapping or clicking sound in the hip
- Swollen, tender hip
- Pain that worsens at night
What are the types of tendonitis in the hip?
Each hip tendon plays a different role in the function of your hip joint. So, the location and nature of pain can vary depending on the joint affected.
Gluteus Medius Tendonitis
If you have gluteus medius tendonitis, you’ll feel pain on the outer side of your hip. It is often caused by standing for long periods or repeatedly lifting your leg to the side. The pain may stay in one spot or spread down your thigh.
Gluteus Minimus Tendonitis
This is similar to gluteus medius tendonitis but affects a deeper tendon. You’ll feel pain in the same outer hip area, though it will be more focused. Since both tendons work together, doctors often group these conditions under “greater trochanteric pain syndrome”.
Iliopsoas Tendonitis
Pain in the front of your hip or groin, especially when lifting your knee, running, or climbing stairs, could be iliopsoas tendonitis. This tendon connects your hip flexor muscles to your femur. You might also feel a snapping sensation, known as “snapping hip syndrome”, which affects 5-10% of the world’s population.
Hamstring Tendonitis
This type affects the tendons that attach your hamstrings to the hip bone, which is called the ischial tuberosity. You’ll likely feel pain in your lower buttock or upper thigh. This is especially sharper when running, jumping, or sitting for long periods. It’s common in athletes who have to perform powerful, sudden movements. Hamstring muscles are involved in 10% of all injuries sustained during field sports.
Adductor Tendonitis
Sixty-two percent of all hip injuries in sports involve the adductor muscles. Your adductor tendons help pull your legs together, so if they become inflamed, you’ll feel pain in your inner thigh or groin. This pain often flares up during activities that involve quick direction changes or squeezing your legs together. It’s especially common in soccer players, gymnasts, and dancers.
Rectus Femoris Tendonitis
The rectus femoris is one of your quadriceps muscles, and its tendon gets irritated with high-impact movements. If you feel pain at the front of your hip or groin when kicking, sprinting, or repeatedly bending your hip, this may be the culprit.
Piriformis Tendonitis
Piriformis tendonitis is less common, but if you have deep buttock pain that sometimes radiates down your leg, it could be piriformis tendonitis. The piriformis tendon sits close to your sciatic nerve, so tendonitis here can mimic the pain of sciatica. Sitting for long periods or repeated hip rotation often causes it or makes it worse.
How long does hip tendonitis last?
The recovery time for hip tendonitis depends on how severe it is and how well you manage it. If you catch it early and give your hip proper rest, you might start feeling better within 2 to 3 weeks. It can take 6 to 8 weeks for more chronic cases with a mix of rest, physical therapy, and adjusting your activities.
What are the complications of tendonitis in the hips?
If hip tendonitis is not adequately treated, it can lead to several painful complications, such as:
- Chronic pain
- Tendon weakening or tearing
- Hip instability
- Bursitis
- Reduced range of motion
- Calcification
How to treat Hip tendonitis pain?
History
Your ANF Therapist will first take a detailed history to understand your hip pain. This includes:
- Assessing the severity of pain, movement limitations, and daily activity restrictions.
- Identifying previous treatments and medical conditions that may contribute to hip tendonitis.
- Evaluating potential triggers, such as overuse, improper movement, or past injuries.
Physical Examination
ANF Therapist will conduct a thorough physical examination to determine the extent of the tendonitis:
- Palpation to check for tenderness, swelling, and inflammation in the hip and surrounding muscles.
- Range of motion tests to assess stiffness and mobility limitations.
- Posture and gait analysis to identify movement imbalances or compensations.
Application of ANF Devices
After the history and examination, your ANF Therapist will apply specific ANF Devices to your body. These include anti-inflammatory devices, antioxidant devices, energy devices, nitric oxide devices, and more to manage hip tendonitis.
Drink at least 1-2 glasses of water per hour to support detoxification and maximise treatment effects.
Expected Outcome
According to Dr. Mikel H-G Hoff (Founder of ANF Therapy®️), most patients experience a significant reduction in pain and improved hip mobility, often noticing around 50% improvement after the first session. However, individual results vary depending on the severity of the condition.Follow-Up
Your ANF Therapist will conduct regular follow-ups to monitor your progress, adjust treatment, and ensure ANF Devices are changed every 72 hours for optimal results.
The treatment duration for hip tendonitis is 4-8 weeks, depending on the severity of the condition and the patient’s response to treatment.
