|
Your Hips And Pelvis
When you were born you
had many more bones—each of your hip
bones were originally three separate
bones: the ileum, ischium and pubis.
They fused at about puberty. Behind your
hip bones are your sacrum and coccyx; in
front they form your pubic bones.
Together all these bones make up your
pelvis. A woman’s pelvis is wider than a
man’s, has a larger inlet and is more
curved—for delivering babies.
Your Hip Joints
A joint is where two
bones meet and your hips have a few or
them. One of them is a ball-and-socket
joint where the head (“ball”) of the
thigh bone meets the acetabulum
(“socket”) of the hip. Another is the
sacroiliac (SI) joint, formed where the
sacrum and the ilium meet. And another
is the symphysis pubis, where the pubic
bones meet in front (they separate a
little during childbirth so the pelvic
cavity can enlarge.)
Lower Back, Buttock And
Thigh Pain
Studies have implicated
an unbalanced hip in most adults with
low back pain. “Dysfunction in the hip
joint may be a primary factor in the
development of mechanical lower back
pain” says one report. Another states:
“On confronting a patient in severe pain
of sciatic [leg pain] distribution the
first thought should be “sacroiliac” not
“disc”…[With] manipulation…surgical
treatment is forgotten.
Pelvic Organs And Your
Hips
The nerves originating
from the spinal column in the lower back
and hips travel to the bladder, kidneys,
prostate, vagina and pelvic organs,
uterus and lower intestines. It is very
important to ensure that the nerves to
these organs are free of any irritation,
compression or stress. In fact, for over
a century chiropractors have noticed the
intimate relationship between spinal
health and hip, sacroiliac and leg
problems.
When your hips are uneven
your legs become uneven; one appears
longer than the other. More pressure is
placed on the long leg when you walk:
the knees, hips, ankle and feet on that
side of your body may show pain and
pressure. This is most noticeable when
you lie down and is often used as a
chiropractic test.
Pregnancy
Pregnant women make
hormones to relax their joints for
easier delivery for the baby. However,
if their spines are not healthy, they
may reveal hidden instability of the hip
(and other) joints and may make what
should be a joyous time one of pain.
Chiropractic care is particularly
helpful during and after pregnancy.
Chiropractors have noticed that a
properly aligned SI joint, hip and spine
helps ensure a more comfortable
pregnancy, a safer and easier delivery
and post partum recovery.
Children’s Hip Problems
Since childhood is a very
physical time full of falls, accidents,
cuts, scrapes and occasional serious
injuries, children should have their
spines checked, including their hips,
their leg lengths and their SI or
sacroiliac joints by a doctor of
chiropractic to ensure they are free of
subluxations. Chiropractors and body
workers have often observed that a
stressful birth could damage a child’s
spine and could cause problems in adult
life if not corrected. |
