Painful hip

[Jane-s]

Does anyone else experience a painful hip?

Could this be due to steroids? Now down to 17.5 mgms

Or Pilates?

Or PMR

Or being in my 70’s

It’s not severe all the time but my leg ( same side) feels a bit numb.

Not so good today. Too much to do!

Jane-s

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi

Doubt if it’s down to steroids - they usually mask pain not create it, especially at level (and above) you’re on.

Could be illness, or referred pain from it.

Doubt if it’s Pilates (unless you’ve only just started) - more likely to be both hips.

Could be age - arthritis maybe?

Think you need to give us more info - perhaps we could then narrow it down.

Or see physio or request X-ray.

[Joanbill13]

My hips hurt sometimes one sometimes two. I put it down to tapering as was on 15mg pred. Now 12.5 also have pains across lower back and abdomen.

[Hidden]

Are you on alendronic acid or similar... I had terrible hip pain the few times I took it.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

WHERE is the hip pain?

Pred is a possibility BUT it is the least likely reason!

[Jane-s]

Thanks so much for your thoughts and comments. Yes I’ve been on Alendronic Acid for the last 14 months.

I still think Pilates might be a factor as this happened last time I went but I know it’s good for me . Maybe I need to speak to my GP in the New Year

Jane-s

[Hidden in reply to Jane-s]

It's not good if it's causing the hip pain though.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Jane-s]

It could be most of the suggestions you have , but the least likely would be the Steroids.

If you are suffering from other versions of Muscle or Nerve related Pain it could be eased by Paracetamol on the recommended daily doseage , or you may need some form of Nerve Pain Medication if it continues and gets worse despite other changes in your activity.

If it came on after Pilates or happens when you are doing more physical activity it is probably because you are doing more than your current joint and muscle strength can cope with until your physical strength has improved. Pilates will only do you good if you keep within your current exercise level and build up exercises slowly , if it's causing Rebound Pain you are doing too much and rather than improving your Strength it will be slowing down your improvement because you can't do Physical Activity each day because of the Pain.

Try Pacing your activities and spot the movements that aggravate your hip pain and modify how you do them.

You could continue Pilates but do as many of us do and have a chair available for a rest from certain exercises during a class , and , also don't do a full class but just do half of the session or less repetitions as you workout. Also tell your instructor about your hip pain at the next session, if they are good they will tell you which exercises you should not do during the session.

Make sure you do some gentle rotation and stretches to warm up properly before you start. Also use these to cool down afterwards , and doing this in a warm shower after an exercise class can prevent rebound Pain.

Drink water before , during and after exercising , internal dehydration can cause an increase of joint inflammation during activity.

If you still find Pilates triggers hip pain you may be better going to a gentler exercise class like Tai Chi instead . Aquafit exercises and a small amount of swimming and walking can help improve muscle strength which reduces Chronic Pain.

Age can be part of it . Pacing helps , but taking a multivitamin / mineral supplement and Omega 3 , keeping up your Vitamin D and Calcium regularly and taking Magnesium or using Magnesium based lotion on your joints or something like Flexiseq or PernationGel , especially after exercise can reduce age related joint pain.

You have been on AA for a long time. It may not be the cause but it may need to be reviewed , book yourself a Dexascan as well to check your Bone Health , you may no longer need it . Being checked for Osteoarthritis is a good idea . And as others have mentioned Bursitis or Sciatica should be ruled out too.

Take care and take it easy

[Jane-s in reply to Blearyeyed]

Thanks so much for all the helpful suggestions. I’ll have a rest from Pilates which I think has caused this pain and see how things are in the New Year

[SheffieldJane]

Yes to all your theories but perhaps you should have an X Ray to be sure. It could be Osteoarthritis. Your Pilates teacher may have an idea, mine would, but she is also a Physiotherapist. There is also Bursitis that a number of people talk about on here.

[mngirl]

Sacroiliac can show up as hip pain. My chiropractor adjustment helped mine. I also wear a shaper. That helps too

[Jane-s]

Thanks. The Shaper sounds a good idea! Bursitis is a possibility too. I’ve already had a bursa removed from my elbow.

[piglette]

I had a painful hip. GP kept saying it was PMR. Turned out I had osteoarthritis and needed a hip replacement.

[Yellowbluebell]

I developed pain in my groin and hips a few months after starting on pred. Whilst it was easy to just blame the pred or pmr i decided to see gp. After an xray it turned out to be wear and tear, nothing to do with the pred or pmr. It might be something like that with you. You could ask for an xray and go from there.

[Ciar]

I started having hip pain both sides last March. At first I didn’t worry about it. I told my doctor about it about 6 weeks later. She didn’t want to deal with it. I was also having gut pain, too, which was worse at the time. Anyway, I finally had to insist on getting it checked in August, when an x-ray showed I had bone spurs and maybe an “impingement”. Follow that with a referral to the orthopedist and waiting, waiting, waiting. 2 weeks ago, after continuously getting more and more painful and being less able to walk, I finally got an MRI. Now I’m using crutches and waiting for another referral to a better surgeon needing both hips replaced. I’m in constant and worsening pain, haven’t slept since mid-August, and waiting months longer for surgery feels totally impossible. If I had to do this over I would insist on being taken seriously last April. You won’t be this bad, but please get your hip pain checked out.

[Jane-s in reply to Ciar]

Yes , Thanks. Will see G P after Christmas

[daworm]

I have all my old arthritis pains back now that I’m at a lower level of pred...it (pred) masked it nicely at higher doses...I’m at 2 1/2mg now..

[Jane-s]

Steroids! What a precarious balance!

[Daisy-daisy]

Do get an xray. I put hip pain down to PMR flare up as under a lot of stress. Turned out to be severe osteoarthritis. Then an awful time in agony to get a referral and replacement. A simple xray will eliminate or confirm this. Good luck. 5 months post op I'm dancing and pain free. It's wonderful.

[Jane-s]

Thanks Daisy, I’m not speaking to GP until after New Year , May try and phone him tomorrow. Walking not too bad ,standing is painful. It’s odd

[Sheilamac]

I had hip pain and difficulty weight bearing when I started trying to reduce from 15mg to 12mg. If I went back up it went away. Then I decided to come down to 13.5 and it settled. This was 5 years ago. It troubled me a bit when reducing further but the pain eventually went away and I continue to taper from 4-3.5