HEALTH & WELLNESS
The daily grind of law enforcement
work can cause hip problems
Dr. Robert Kayal answers your questions about
common hip problems that law enforcement of-
ficers experience.
At first, I was feeling a mild pain in my hip that
would flare up occasionally. Lately, though, the
pain has gotten more intense and persistent.
What do you think is causing this?
DR. ROBERT
Our hips are ball-and-socket joints that are
KAYAL
designed to hold up well under fairly steady use
and normal wear and tear. A layer of cartilage be-
tween the hip bone and the socket helps facilitate
fluid movement. However, our hips tend to wear down with
time and use. Added use and strain can speed up this pro-
cess. Most police officers frequently get in and out of their
vehicles, placing excess weight on the leg that comes out of
the vehicle first. The position and repetitive movement can
cause osteoarthritis, also referred to as degeneration of the
hip joint, where the femur and pelvis meet. Police officers’
hips are commonly injured during training, physical encoun-
ters with suspects and other day-to-day job responsibilities.
The equipment that police officers carry on their gun belts —
handcuffs, batons, radios, glove pouches, Tasers and more —
create additional, unbalanced weight on their frames, which
can also result in hip (and back) pain or injuries.
Can hip problems be avoided?
When you emerge from a vehicle on one leg with your knee
bent, the weight of your body moves through the hip and then
to your thigh, knee, lower leg and foot. Over time, this weight
takes its toll on your hip. Whenever you are not in a rush, you
can minimize the problem by exiting your vehicle in a way
that puts less stress on your hip. First, swing both legs out.
Then, with both feet on the ground, place your hands on your
thighs for leverage as you get out.
Toughing it out can cause more serious injuries, especial-
ly over time. You can minimize or avoid many hip problems
by stretching to keep your spine and joints moving freely and
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