Hip Bursitis

Hip Bursitis Treatment in Kansas City, MO

What is Hip Bursitis?

Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa, which are small, jelly-like sacs that are all over the body. They hold a small amount of fluid and are placed between bones and soft tissues to help reduce friction. Two big bursae in the hip commonly get irritated and swollen.

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Symptoms of Hip Bursitis

Below are the most common symptoms of hip bursitis:

  • Pain at the point of the hip
  • Pain that extends to the outside of the leg
  • In the beginning stages, pain is severe and sharp
  • Later on, the pain becomes more like an ache
  • Pain is worse at night when laying down on the affected side

Hip Bursitis Treatment

The first step in treating hip bursitis is not hip surgery. Many people with hip bursitis can feel better by making simple changes to their lives, such as:

  • Activity changes
  • Over-the-counter medications to help with pain and inflammation
  • Use assistive devices like a walker, cane, or crutches
  • Physical therapy is important to help strengthen the hip joint and muscles around it, as well as to learn stretches to do at home to help with flexibility
  • Steroid injections can help temporarily relieve pain and inflammation
  • Hip bursitis rarely needs surgery. If the bursa is still painful and swollen after you have tried all non-surgical treatments, your doctor may suggest that the bursa be removed surgically

Hip Bursitis Surgery Recovery

The hip doesn’t hurt when the bursa is taken out, and can still function well without it. You can expect to get better quickly after surgery.

The evening after surgery is a good time to be up and moving around and most people find it helpful to use a cane or crutches for a few days. Most of the time, the pain from surgery only lasts a few days.

How to Prevent Hip Bursitis

Even though you can’t always avoid hip bursitis, there are things you can do to prevent the inflammation from getting worse.

  • Avoid doing things over and over that put stress on your hips
  • If you need to, lose weight
  • If your legs are different lengths, get a shoe insert that fits well
  • Keep the muscles in your hips strong and flexible

Hip Bursitis Care in Kansas City

If you have any of the above symptoms, call Orthopedic Health of Kansas City to schedule an appointment with one of our hip and pelvis specialists in Kansas City. We will make sure you get back on your feet and back to enjoying the things you love.