As we age, our knees and hips remind us to rest after a run or give us unexpected twinges when walking up stairs. But when aches and pains intrude on your everyday life and persist after resting for a few days, it might be time to seek medical advice. Here are symptoms to look out for that might indicate you need further evaluation.
Knee symptoms you should check out
If you’ve followed the rest, ice, compression, and evaluation protocol and your pain continues, here are signs you need medical attention:
- Knee pain that persists for longer than a couple of weeks (either on-and-off or consistently)
- Pain that interferes with sleeping
- Pain that interferes with walking and other daily activities
- Reduced range of motion in the knee or inability to bear full weight on the knee
- A feeling of instability in the knee
- Swelling, redness, or tenderness around the knee
Hip symptoms you should check out
While knee pain can be a lot more common, hip pain is sometimes easier to notice when something is off. Resting and icing the hip can help with minor symptoms, but if you’re experiencing any of these signs, seek medical attention:
- Pain that’s lasted longer than a few days
- Pain following a car accident, fall, or sports injury
- Pain that causes you to limp
- Pain that disturbs your sleep
- Inability to move the hip through its full range of motion
- Inability to walk up stairs or perform daily activities due to pain
- Seek emergent care if you experience bleeding, a visible deformity, swelling and warmth, or an inability to move or bear weight on the injured hip
Schedule an appointment and seek medical advice
If any of these symptoms sound like your experience, seek medical advice as soon as possible. Knee and hip specialist Dr. James Abbott at BEST Surgery and Therapies is an orthopaedic surgeon who’s performed more than 2,800 knee and hip surgeries over the course of his career, including direct anterior total hip arthroplasty and total knee replacement. Whether it turns out to be a ligament tear or arthritis, the team at BEST will provide you with options to manage pain with surgical and non-surgical options such as medication, physical therapy, nutrition services, total knee and hip replacements, and arthroscopy surgery.
Meet Dr. James Abbott
Dr. Abbott has a doctorate from the Toledo School of Medicine, a bachelor of science from Ohio State University, and completed his residency and fellowship in sports medicine at the University of Louisville. Before working with BEST, he had more than 13 years in clinical practice, with an average of 220 knee and hip cases per year . He specializes in direct anterior total hip arthroplasty. Previously, Dr. Abbott worked at multiple Mercy Health locations. Prior hospital experience also includes Atrium Medical Center in Middletown and UC West Chester Hospital in West Chester.
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