Derek L. Hill, D.O.

Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Surgeon and Specialist

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586-751-3480
11446 E. 13 Mile Road • Suite C • Warren, Michigan 48093
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How Do Our Hips Work?

Posted on 09.16.14 | 1 Comment

woman doing sports outdoorsThe hip joint is one of the most important joints in the body because it bears the weight of the body. It also moves the legs during activities like jumping, walking, running and swimming.

The hip joint is a very large and flexible joint with a wide range of motion since it is a ball and socket joint. The rounded ball is at the top of the femur or thigh bone. This femoral head is enclosed by a cup-shaped socket created by the pelvic bone known as the acetabulum.

The surfaces of the ball and socket are covered by a material known as the articular cartilage, which is made of hyaline. This hyaline cartilage cushions the bones and acts as a shock absorber. It also allows them to move smoothly.

Ligaments, which are strong bands of tissue, connect the ball to the socket and keep the hip joint steady. Other ligaments surround the joint and ensure that it rarely dislocates even after severe trauma.

The ball and socket of the hip joint is also surrounded by a tough, fibrous capsule which helps keep the bones in their correct position. This capsule is lined by synovium, which produces the synovial fluid that lubricates the joint and ensures that the bones do not rub against each other as they move. This fluid also nourishes the articular cartilage.

The hip joint is also encircled by many muscles, which help hold it together and prevent disarticulation. These muscles also power the joint and allow it to move by rotating it (turning it around), flexing it and extending it (moving it forward and backward). These muscles which include gluteus maximus, medius and minimus are attached to the joint by tendons.

Written by: Marian Kim, Rust Built, Marketing Services

Unlock The Hips With The Pigeon

Posted on 04.10.14 | Leave a Comment

IMG_3150I’m sure most of us forget or don’t even think about stretching our hips.  But it’s important. By stretching our hips we can increase flexibility and improve range of motion in our joints. Today’s guest blogger talks and tells us how the power of one yoga pose can really help our hips.

The pigeon pose is a stretch that has the potential to change your life…or at least shorten the life span of any sciatica you may be experiencing! For anyone who sits in a chair all day, or who sits in a strange way all day – dentists especially, this pose is for you! The pigeon pose addresses so many muscles all in one shot, that it is no wonder that it is considered such a powerful pose for your hips, hip flexors and buttocks. With variations added to this pose add in the quadriceps and even the chest.

THE POSE

  1. The pose itself is done by having one leg behind you extended fully with the knee cap directly facing the floor while the other leg in front of you is bent 90 degrees. It is very easy to ‘cheat’ in this pose and lean toward the hip of the extended leg, but be mindful not to do this. Learning this pose is best done with a teacher or someone who can correct the body mechanics from the start.
  2. The front knee is bent and the front ankle should be comfortable and flat. Place both hands on the floor next to each hip and lift your chest up before bending forward into this pose.
  3. Keep both hips and shoulders squared to the center line.
  4. For best results inhale as you lift the chest and exhale as you gently walk your hands forward as far out as you are able without compromising the pose.
  5. Look down toward your bent leg and breathe slow, fluid, full breaths.
  6. Take at least 5 deep breaths before coming out of this pose.

If you have been experiencing pain in your buttocks, hips or hip flexors then consider staying in this pose for 1-3 minutes at a time. This pose is the absolute best stretch for a muscle in your buttocks that is a hip flexor called the piriformis. The piriformis muscle is particularly important due to the fact that the sciantic nerve runs just underneath this muscle. When the nerve becomes trapped, the muscle is too tight. Doing this pose will loosen the muscles and thus give the sciatic nerve more room to move about.

If you are familiar with the downward facing dog pose in yoga, this is the ideal pose to do before coming into the pigeon. When you are in this pose, you bring one leg forward into the bent position and it makes it much easier to line up that back leg into the proper and best position.

Photo Credit: “Stretch Therapy”

Written by: Emily Francis, Massage Therapist & Yoga Instructor

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About the Author

Emily A. Francis holds a BS in Exercise Science and Wellness. She is a clinical and neuromuscular massage therapist, a manual lymphatic drainage and combined decongestive therapy therapist from the Dr. Vodder School International working on people with lymphedema or post surgery. She is a trained yoga instructor through the Universal Yoga Alliance 300 hours and has taught yoga since 1998. She is the author of Stretch Therapy: A Comprehensive Guide To Basic and Assisted Stretching.

Why Hip Health Is Important

Posted on 02.11.14 | 1 Comment

Pixmac000084386594Strong hips are important at any age, particularly as we grow older and possibly become less inclined to move around and stay flexible. A sedentary lifestyle at any age however, can cause the hip muscles (hip flexors) to become weak, the hips to become less flexible, and can lead to all kinds of secondary problems.

According to an article on http://www.marksdailyapple.com (“The Importance of Mobility: The Hips”), one reason we experience problems with things like our back and knees is that all the different parts of our body are meant to work together. When one isn’t working as well as it was designed to work, other parts have to pick up the slack. Weak hips can cause the knees or back to work harder than they were meant to when lifting, which can lead to knee and lower back problems.

Another article (“Why Your Hip Flexor Health is Vital”) on http://www.fitday.com, suggests that weak hips can contribute not only to knee and back pain, but also hip pain, poor posture, poor balance, and an inability to walk or stand for extended periods of time.

About.com (“Hip Extension Basics”) adds that going up and down stairs can also become a problem.
All of the articles mention the effect that weak hip muscles may have on sports performance as well; if the hips aren’t working properly, any athletic endeavors can be affected. Performance may drop, less physical power is generated, and injuries may become more likely. So even folks who are active can benefit from strong hip muscles that allow the hips to work as designed.

Our hips are our largest joint, and are vital to everyday movement. Keeping the hip flexors strong so our hips will work the way they’re supposed to work is a good way to avoid loss of mobility and other secondary issues related to lack of strength and flexibility.

Written by: Tricia Doane, Rust Built, Marketing Services

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Orthopedic Specialties

  • Total Knee Replacement
  • Partial Knee Replacement
  • Anterior Approach Total Hip Replacement
  • Hip Arthroscopy
  • Multi-Modal Pain Management
  • Rapid Recovery

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