Hip

Hip doctors are medical specialists who treat patients with a wide variety of injuries and conditions that affect the hip joint. These orthopedic doctors have knowledge that allows them to understand and offer treatments that can help restore a patient to better health, greater mobility, and reduced hip pain. As they perform an exam on a patient, they may also examine other bones and joints, such as the knee. That is because hip problems can sometimes be felt in the knee as well as the groin and down the front of the leg. 

Some hip conditions may not require surgery. For instance, a condition such as hip bursitis may improve by modifying a patient’s activity, taking anti-inflammatory medications, or working with a physical therapy specialist. However, if these treatments do not improve the hip pain, the hip specialist may recommend that the problem be treated through surgery.

Other conditions such as advanced arthritis or a traumatic hip injury may best be treated by a surgeon using joint replacement surgery. Because of their training, skills, and knowledge, these specialty-trained surgeons understand the surgical treatment options that are available and can recommend the one that is best for a particular patient.

Should You See a Hip Doctor?                                                              

It may be time to see a doctor if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Buttock pain
• Hip bone feels stiff when you first get out of bed
• Hip pain related to a sports injury
• Knee pain
• Lower back pain
• Pain in the hip that causes you to limp
• Pain in the leg on the same side as the hip pain
• Pain that radiates between the hip and knee
• Swelling in the hip joint

These problems may indicate that you are dealing with a hip injury or condition, such as:

• Avascular necrosis
• Femoroacetabular impingement
• Fracture
• Hip arthritis
• Hip bursitis (trochanteric bursitis)
• Hip dysplasia (genetic hip disorder)
• Hip fracture
• Hip impingement
• Labral tear
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis

Specialized Hip Care You Can Trust in Abingdon, Bristol, Elizabethton & Johnson City

At Appalachian Orthopedics, we offer four convenient locations: Abingdon, Bristol Regional Medical Center, Elizabethton, and Johnson City. Our specialty-trained hip doctors at Appalachian Orthopedics, Dr. Jason Brashear, Dr. Jonathan Clark, Dr. James Goss, Dr. Gabriel Hommel, Dr. Matthew Lamagna, Dr. John Mann, Dr. John Phillips, Dr. Alexander Rothy, Dr. Phillip Sussman, Dr. Larry Waldrop, and Dr. T. Lisle Whitman, have a full understanding of the hip's anatomy and are dedicated to delivering an exceptional level of hip care. They will apply their expertise directly to your situation and can guide you toward treatments that help reduce pain and restore you to optimal health. Our surgeons always carefully consider nonsurgical options first before recommending surgery. Early on, they may take X-rays so they can further study the joint and surrounding structures to determine which nonsurgical treatment may be right for you, such as physical therapy or injections. If hip surgery is ultimately needed, rest assured that our orthopedic experts will use their advanced skills along with our state-of-the-art technology to perform a surgical procedure that can help reduce or eliminate your pain and help you gain the use of your hip again.

Working alongside our hip surgeons, our licensed physical therapists provide a full and comprehensive set of outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation services. They treat each patient's problem individually through an evaluation to design a specific treatment plan with the overall goal of restoring function and enhancing one's quality of life.

If your hip pain is keeping you from living an active life, we're proud to offer access to an orthopedic specialist whenever you need it. Schedule an appointment online or call our Abingdon, Bristol Regional Medical Center, Elizabethton, or Johnson City location for a consultation with one of our expert hip surgeons to diagnose and treat your hip issue.

For those acute hip injuries that can't wait, we also offer the following ways to be seen today: 

• Walk into one of our Orthopedic Urgent Care clinics at our Bristol Regional Medical Center or Johnson City office. No appointment needed.
• To be seen by a doctor on the same day, call your desired office.
• Chat with an orthopedic specialist 24/7, 365 days a year with our free OrthoCareNow service.