Dr. Bharath Raj .R

Muscle contusion is a condition that is characterized by bruising in the muscles. It generally tends to occur in athletes who play a lot of contact sports. Repetitive blows in any part of the body may cause damage to the underlying muscle tissues. These blows may lead to internal bleeding, resulting in blood clot formation. The most common site where it occurs are the quadriceps.

The various causes of this condition are:

1. Direct repetitive blows to a part of the muscle in contact sports such as football
2. If you fall on a hard surface 
3. It may also occur if the muscle comes in contact real hard with sports equipment like soccer balls

The symptoms of a muscle contusion are:

1. You may experience swelling of the muscle
2. Excessive pain
3. Decrease in range of motion in the concerned body part
4. It may lead to leaking of blood vessels
5. You may also experience hematoma where a lump is formed over the affected spot
6. Symptoms of broken bones, dislocations and fractures may also occur

Complications: This disorder may also lead to various complications such as compartment syndrome, which leads to compression of blood vessels resulting in pain. 

Treatment: The basic treatment for this condition is the RICE protocol which is rest, ice, compression and elevation. You should rest the muscle, then apply ice to the affected area to reduce the pain. You can also take NSAIDs (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to reduce the pain. In severe cases, the doctor may drain the lump surgically.

It is advisable to not return to your normal sports routine in order to allow the muscle to recover. If you carry on with your regular routine, it may result in further complications like the formation of scar tissue. You may undergo various stretching exercises to relieve the pain and make a gradual return to your normal sporting activities.

When joints get inflamed, it is known as arthritis. This causes swelling and pain in the joints of your body such as the hips and the knees. When the cartilage gets damaged at the ends of bones, a type of arthritis called osteoarthritis occurs.

There are two main types of osteoarthritis:

1. Primary: This type is more generalized. It affects the knees, fingers, hips, spine and thumb.
2. Secondary: This type can occur after injury or joint inflammation, or as a result of any disease that affects the ligament's composition, like hemochromatosis.

How is the hip affected by osteoarthritis?
Patients have difficulties walking if they have hip osteoarthritis. Diagnosing hip osteoarthritis is difficult. It is because the pain appears in varied locations, such as the groin, buttocks, knee or thigh. The pain can be a dull throb or can be sharp and stabbing. The hip is usually stiff.

What are the causes of hip osteoarthritis?
The causes of hip osteoarthritis are unknown. However, the factors that can lead to osteoarthritis are joint injury, excessive weight and rising age.
Along with the abovementioned factors, the following may contribute as well:

1. The joints may not have developed accurately
2. The cartilage may have inherited the defects
3. If the joints are too irritated due to added pressure on them, like excess body weight or stressful activities that include hip movement, osteoarthritis may develop.

What are the symptoms of hip osteoarthritis?
The symptoms of hip osteoarthritis are as follows:

1. Joints feel stiff when you get out of bed
2. Joints feel stiff if you have been sitting for some time
3. The joints feel painful, swollen or tender
4. You can hear (a "crunching" sound) or feel the bones rubbing against each other.
5. You find yourself unable to do certain things, like putting on socks, as it requires your hips to move.

How is hip osteoarthritis treated?
The main objective of treatment is to restore the patient's ability to move around. A part of this objective includes correcting the function of the hip and managing the pain. The treatment can include:

1. Joint care and rest
2. To take weight off the area affected, a cane is used
3. Pain relief that does not involve drugs
4. Shedding excess weight
5. Exercising
6. Surgery
7. Alternative and complementary therapies. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Orthopedist.