The hip and knee joints are often thought of as separate entities due to their distinct locations in the body. However, there is a deeper connection between hips and knees than meets the eye. The human body operates in interrelated ways, and there is evidence to suggest that hip issues can contribute to pain and dysfunction in the knee and vice versa.
The correlation of hip and knee pain is due to the complex network of muscles, bones, and joints that link these two areas, as well as the different forces and impact that each area can have on the other.
Here are some examples of how dysfunction in one area can cause issues in the other:
- Hip arthritis can lead to limping, which places additional stress on the knee and results in knee pain.
- Knee injuries can alter how someone walks, causing extra pressure on the hip and causing pain in the hip.
- The hip joint is known to refer pain to different areas, and one of those areas is the anterior knee. Someone with a hip joint issue could primarily complain of knee pain initially.
- If a patient has tight hip flexor muscles, it can pull on the lower back and can then cause issues in the knees as the body compensates for misalignment and lower back discomfort.
- The IT band connects from the outer pelvis to the outside of the knee. When this band becomes tight, it can cause friction over the hip and knee joints, leading to pain in both areas, called IT band friction syndrome.
- When patients have weakness in their hip muscles, this can lead to anterior knee pain from poor patellar tracking in the knee due to increased turning in of the knee with walking, running, and sports. Weakness in the hip can be a significant contributor to this type of knee pain, called patellofemoral pain syndrome.
- The hip and knee joints are both weight-bearing joints and provide support and balance. When these joints undergo excessive stress, they can wear down over time, leading to conditions like osteoarthritis. These patients can present with either hip or knee pain, or both.
These examples highlight the importance of a thorough physical exam to determine the true root cause of a patient’s symptoms. If a patient with knee pain actually has an underlying hip pathology causing the knee symptoms, it is vital that this is identified early on to avoid treating the wrong area.
At Elite Muscle Recovery, we make sure to assess the whole patient at the initial evaluation, to avoid treating with tunnel vision and to treat the whole patient and not just the area of their pain. If you want to get to the root cause of your knee or hip pain, give us a call to see if we are a good fit for you!
Kind regards,
Dr. Katelyn Renard, DPT, PT, OCS