Walking is a great way to stay fit and active. Even if you're sedentary, you may take 1,000 to 3,000 steps a day. But if you're active, look out. You may take more than 10, 000 steps a day. So, what happens when the sacroiliac joint is not moving freely and the hip joint moves excessively? Can you imagine the damages to the buttock soft tissues, the sacroiliac and hip joints with each step taken?
The pelvis is formed by the sacrum, tailbone and two ilium (wing-like hip bones). When you walk and run, as a unit, the sacrum and tailbone rock slightly back and forth. And each wing-like hip bone rotates in opposite direction. So when you walk, one hip bone (ilium) along with the sacroiliac joint rotates forward while the opposite one on the other side rotates back.
If one of the hip bones is stuck in a forward, rotated position, then the same sacroiliac joint cannot rotate back freely and fully during the second half of the walking stride. The buttock muscles on the same restricted side are forced to compensate by pulling harder at the hip joint to swing your leg back. Normally, the sacroiliac and hip joints rotate simultaneously. But with a dysfunctional sacroiliac joint, the hip joint is forced to rotate more than it needs to.
Now do you see the potential for damages, especially if you take 10, 000 steps a day? If the hip joint is forced to rotate excessively, eventually you will wear it out. The affected hip may being to click and pop as it needs to create a new axis of rotation. This can lead to premature hip degeneration and arthritis. The hip feels stiff in the morning. It will also feel stiff and clunky as you get up and move around after sitting down for a while.
What about the buttock muscles? Let's say you have a hand crank radio. It's old and hasn't been cared for; some of the internal gears are rusty. When you crank it, you notice that it doesn't turn as smoothly as before. The internal gears are not moving freely and efficiently. It requires more effort to crank the handle. Within minutes, your arm muscles get tired from cranking the rusty gears inside the radio.
The same principle applies to your buttock muscles. Eventually, the compensated buttock muscles will wear out; they become tight and taut. The tight and taut buttock muscles will then resist forward rotation of the sacroiliac and hip joints which create a new problem.
Normally, when you step forward as in walking and running, the buttock muscles should let go and relax. But these tight and taut muscles prevent normal faciliatory relaxation. The groin and hip flexor muscles must then work harder to overcome the increased tension from the buttock muscles. So, basically you have a tug-of-war between the anterior groin / hip flexor muscles and posterior buttock muscles.
Before you know it, this muscle tug-of-war causes hip and groin pain and clicking. You'll often notice clicking in the groin and hip when you bring your thigh up, walk up the stairs and hill or simply getting up from sitting down.
Other signs and symptoms of chronic sacroiliac dysfunction include myofascial pain and stiffness to the low back, buttock and hip area. The same thigh and leg may be weak upon standing for a while; and one leg may appear to be longer than the other leg. When walking, you'll feel that one hip and leg don't seem to be swinging and moving as smoothly and easily as the other side.
The most appropriate treatment for a sacroiliac joint dysfunction is with chiropractic treatment. And you'll notice the immediate improvement after just one treatment.
The fundamental problem here is biomechanical. If the sacroiliac and hip joint are not moving freely and properly, they're not happy. So, there's no point in stretching or doing any rehab exercises. Why? Because when you stretch or exercise, you're forcing the unhappy joints to move against their will.
And don't forget about the muscle tug-of-war. They're not happy either. When all soft tissues are treated and biomechanical problems are corrected, selective rehab exercise and stretching are welcomed and should be part of the treatment plan.
So, if you continue to get pain and clicking in your hip and groin despite all previous treatment attempts, please consult with a chiropractor. It will save you a lot of stress and frustration. A thorough and competent chiropractor will properly evaluate and treat you.
Thanks for taking an interest in your health. I hope you learn something new.
No comments:
Post a Comment