Hip arthritis can cause pain and stiffness in the groin, outer thigh, and buttocks area, as well as mobility issues. Living with hip arthritis can be difficult. Many people with arthritis have difficulty moving around, which makes it hard to perform everyday activities, such as walking or climbing stairs.
However, this is not to say that all hip arthritis patients have difficulty walking. In many cases, walking improves the symptoms of hip arthritis patients, but there are others who may experience worsening symptoms.
So will walking make your arthritis worse? Let’s discuss how walking could worsen or improve your hip arthritis.
How Walking Can Worsen Hip Arthritis Symptoms
Walking is not recommended for patients with severe arthritis or debilitating symptoms. Patients with severe hip arthritis experience symptoms all of the time and may have already begun to walk with a limp. At this point, any form of exercise no longer produces relief, and the disease has progressed to a point where the cartilage has completely worn away, and bone is rubbing against bone. So, walking and any attempt to become physically active may cause great difficulty and worsening of pain. Patients with severe hip arthritis may even experience pain even after stopping physical activity.
For hip arthritis so severe that walking becomes an impossibility, please consult an orthopedic surgeon. There are treatments that can restore you to a normal level of physical activity.
How Walking Can Improve Hip Arthritis Symptoms
Walking is a great exercise for those with mild to moderate arthritis symptoms. Exercises for hip arthritis should be light and low-impact so as not to aggravate the condition. Patients with moderate hip arthritis can enjoy the benefits of a low-impact exercises like walking, some of which are:
- Keeping joints lubricated. If the hip joint is lubricated, it eases pain and makes it easier for the hip to move.
- Improve flexibility and range of motion. Walking can help reduce stiffness, as the hip flexors are loosened up, which improves hip flexibility and range of motion.
- Reduce inflammation in the hips. Arthritis causes chronic inflammation, and walking as a form of exercise boosts blood flow to your hip joint cartilage, which helps decrease inflammation.
- Improve muscle strength and tone around the hips. With stronger muscles, pressure is taken off the hip joint. Weaker muscles mean the hip joint compensates and works harder, which accelerates the breakdown of cartilage.
There is no single exercise that is good for everyone with hip arthritis. Usually, a comprehensive, personalized exercise program helps get the best results. Make sure to consult your doctor or a physical therapist before starting any new exercise routine to make sure it is safe for you.
Hip Arthritis Treatment in North Dakota
If you want to better manage your hip arthritis, choose The Bone & Joint Center for your care and treatment. We have two board-certified orthopedic surgeons – Dr. Brian Dahl and Dr. Timothy Bopp – on our team who are fellowship-trained in surgery of the hip. Dr. Dahl and Dr. Bopp personalize care for each one of our hip arthritis patients, including customized recommendations for exercises to improve symptoms of hip arthritis and advice on whether it’s time to consider hip joint replacement surgery.
Being a bone and joint-focused practice, you can expect to receive the highest caliber orthopedic care in our clinics. To schedule an appointment with one of our hip surgeons, call our office today at (800) 424-2663 or use our convenient online request form.
