hip INJURY CARE for athletes

At New York Sports Spine Pain Medicine (NYSSPM), we specialize in diagnosing and treating hip injuries commonly experienced by athletes. Our Queens-based clinic offers personalized, non-surgical solutions to help you recover swiftly and safely, enabling a return to your active lifestyle.

Athletes are susceptible to various hip injuries due to the physical demands of their sports. Understanding these injuries is crucial for effective treatment and prevention.

• Hip Strains - Hip strains occur when the muscles or tendons surrounding the hip joint are overstretched or torn, often resulting from sudden movements, overuse, or direct impact during activities like running, jumping, or sudden directional changes. Symptoms include pain and tenderness in the hip area, swelling, muscle weakness, and limited range of motion. Sports such as soccer, basketball, sprinting, and martial arts carry a higher risk for hip strains.

• Hip Bursitis - Hip bursitis involves the inflammation of the bursa—a fluid-filled sac that reduces friction between tissues. Repetitive stress from activities like running or cycling can irritate the bursa, leading to pain on the outer side of the hip, tenderness, and swelling, which may worsen with prolonged activity or pressure. Athletes engaged in running, cycling, and football are particularly susceptible to this condition.

• Iliotibial Band (IT Band) Syndrome - IT Band Syndrome occurs when the iliotibial band—a thick band of connective tissue running along the outside of the thigh—becomes tight or inflamed. This condition often arises from overuse and repetitive friction, especially in athletes involved in activities requiring repetitive knee flexion and extension.Symptoms include pain on the outer side of the hip, thigh, or knee, which may intensify with continued activity. Long-distance runners, cyclists, and rowers are at increased risk for IT Band Syndrome.

• Hip Labral Tears - The labrum is a ring of cartilage that surrounds the hip socket, providing stability. Labral tears can result from repetitive hip motions, sudden twists, or trauma, leading to deep hip pain, clicking or locking sensations, stiffness, and limited range of motion. Sports such as soccer, hockey, golf, and ballet are commonly associated with hip labral tears.

• Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) - FAI occurs when extra bone growth along the bones of the hip joint causes abnormal contact, leading to joint damage. This condition can result from repetitive hip flexion and rotation movements, causing groin pain, stiffness, and discomfort during hip movements, especially when bending or twisting. Athletes participating in soccer, basketball, and martial arts are at higher risk for developing FAI.

Recognizing these common hip injuries is essential for athletes and active individuals to seek appropriate treatment and implement preventive measures, ensuring optimal hip health and performance.

At NYSSPM, our multidisciplinary team offers a range of non-surgical treatments tailored to your specific injury and recovery goals.

• Physiatry for Hip Injury: Physiatrists treat hip pain and injuries with a comprehensive approach, starting with evaluations and imaging to identify causes like muscle strains, bursitis, or labral tears. Treatments include physical therapy to strengthen muscles and improve flexibility, pain management techniques like heat therapy and manual therapy, and, when needed, image-guided injections such as corticosteroids. Assistive devices like orthotics or canes may also be recommended to reduce joint stress and support mobility, helping patients recover and return to their activities.
• Interventional Pain Management for Hip Injury: Interventional pain management offers minimally invasive procedures to alleviate hip pain and enhance function. Techniques include image-guided injections of corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid to reduce inflammation, nerve blocks targeting specific pain-transmitting nerves, and radiofrequency ablation to disrupt pain pathways, providing longer-term relief for chronic hip pain. These procedures aim to minimize reliance on medications and delay or eliminate the need for surgical interventions.
• Physical Therapy for Hip Injury: Physical therapy is essential in rehabilitating hip injuries, focusing on strengthening exercises to improve stability, flexibility training to enhance range of motion, manual therapy to mobilize soft tissues and joints, and functional training to facilitate a safe return to daily activities. A tailored physical therapy program addresses individual needs, promoting effective recovery

• -Expertise in Sports Medicine: Our team has extensive experience treating athletes across various disciplines, understanding the unique demands of sports-related injuries.
• Comprehensive, Personalized Care: We provide individualized treatment plans that address your specific needs and goals, ensuring optimal recovery.
• State-of-the-Art Facility: Our Queens clinic is equipped with advanced technology to deliver the highest standard of care.

Don’t let a hip injury sideline you. Our dedicated team is here to support you on your journey back to peak performance. Schedule an appointment with New York Sports Spine Pain Medicine today to begin your personalized treatment plan.