Is your protruded hip bone interfering with your daily activities? It might hamper your daily life activity, but there is nothing to feel embarrassed about. You must take some time to relax and read the article below.
Why are your hip bones sticking out?
The hip bones being a little prominent means that you’re lean and thin, also your skeletal structure is growing a bit faster than your soft tissues. But if you have uneven hip bones, with one hip higher than the other, or if you have painful protruding hip bones then you must consult with the doctor.
If one’s hip bones stick out and it hurts, this condition is called hip pointer A hip pointer is pain and/or bruising over the top or front of the hip bone.
If your both hip bones are protruded or either one of them is protruded and you have no idea about it, you must read the article to know the reason behind it.
Table of Content
What Does It Mean When Your Hip Bones Are Sticking Out?
When the anterior superior iliac spine (the most prominent upper part of the hip bone in front) gets more prominent it means that the hip bones are stuck out. For both genders, it depends on how much you eat and work out and how much muscle or fat you have.
Why Does My Hip Bone Stick Out When I Am Not Skinny?
If you’re not skinny and still have your hip bone sticking out, that means you may have a defect in the hip joint.
In the case of some people, it accumulates more in the thighs/hips compared to the belly. Reverse cases are also noticed. Unless you’re sucking fat out or adding it in you, can’t control where it lodges as you gain or lose weight.
But you can control muscle tone and bulk in specific areas if you target them to exercise.
Your body will do what it wants fat-wise and you have limited ability to control that. In some cases, this can be a matter of concern if there’s a defect in the hip joints like hip impingement.
Probable Causes & Treatments for Hip Bone Sticking Out
Hip bones can stick out for many reasons. Here are some reasons that are given below.
Reason 1: Anorexia
Protruded hip bone can be one of many signs of anorexia. This is an eating disorder characterized by abnormally low body weight or any protein deficiency disorder and a serious mental health condition.
People who have anorexia try to keep their weight as low as possible.
This leads them to reduce fat in different parts of their body. If there is low fat or muscle in the front part of the hip, it may result in protruded hip bone.
Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa
- Extreme weight loss or not making expected developmental weight gains
- Thin appearance
- Abnormal blood counts
- Fatigue
- Low blood pressure
- Prominent bones e.g. prominent collar bone, hip bone etc
- Dehydration
It is not bad if your hip bone sticks out because you’re too skinny. Visible hip bones do not necessarily equate to an eating disorder or malnourishment. Though the hip bones of people with anorexia nervosa are quite prominent.
Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa
Generally, treatment is done using a team approach, which includes doctors, mental health professionals, and nutritionists. Here’s a look at what’s commonly involved in treating people with anorexia.
- Hospitalization
- Medical care
- Restoring a healthy weight
- Psychotherapy
- Medications
In the case of an anorexic person with protruded hip bone should change their dietary schedule. That person should maintain a balanced diet and do some exercise as well.
Reason 2: Any blow to the hip bone
If one’s hip bones stick out and it hurts, this condition is called hip pointer A hip pointer is pain and/or bruising over the top or front of the hip bone.
In a skinny person, it is normal to have protruded hip bones on both sides due to the decreased amount of fat in the body.
A hip pointer is one of the many consequences of any direct blow to the hip bone. This can also be caused by a direct blow to the soft tissue in the hip area.
Hip pointers are caused by a hard hit to the hip area. It usually occurs during athletic activity. This can happen:
- In contact sports like football, baseball, hockey, soccer, etc.
- From landing on a hard surface while playing volleyball, cricket, gymnastics, etc.
- In a crash like skiing, snowboarding, cycling, or skating.
Treatment of Hip Pointer
Teenagers with a hip pointer need to rest the area. They should avoid any activities that make the pain worse or could cause another hit to the area.
If the pain is severe you should take a break from sports. Your healthcare provider may recommend you to do the following things:
- Immobilization of the hip joints means using crutches to take the weight off the hip
- Put ice or a cold pack on the hip every 1-2 hours for a minimum of 15 minutes at a time. (if someone has a problem with direct contact of ice, the person might use a cold towel over the skin)
- Wrap an elastic bandage around the waist or hip area for support and comfort.
- Raise the hips on a pillow when lying down to help with pain and swelling.
- Go for physical therapy or do an exercise program to help with stretching and strengthening of the area.
- If the pain is persistent one must consult with the doctor.
- To reduce the pain one can take medicine such as ibuprofen (e.g Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (e.g Tylenol).
Reason 3: Dislocation of the joint
It can be bad if your hip bone dislocates and for that reason, your hip bone sticks out. A hip dislocation is a disruption of the joint between the femur and pelvis.
Specifically, it is when the ball-shaped head of the femur comes out of the cup-shaped acetabulum of the pelvis. Symptoms typically include pain and an inability to move the hip.
In infants, this condition may occur as a result of congenital looseness in the joint. Besides congenital deformity, an accident or an injury to the hip joint can lead to hip bone sticking out.
Once a hip dislocates, chances are increased that it will happen again. This hip may be swollen, painful, and visibly out of place. The leg may be hard to move or may feel tingly or numb because of the nerve compression. In that case, immediate medical treatment is required.
So heat therapy works if your muscles are tense or stiff associated with pain. It will help increase the blood flow in the specific area. It works best for injuries that are at least a few days old.
Treatment for dislocation of the joint
The treatment involves pushing the bone into place by hand if it’s a minor dislocation, surgery if it’s a major dislocation, and Rehabilitation.
Reason 4: Uneven hip bone
In a skinny person, it is normal to have protruded hip bones on both sides due to the decreased amount of fat in the body.
But if a person has a hip bone stuck out on one side, this will be a matter of concern and the person should consult with the doctor.
In many cases, any trauma or injury to related joints can cause inflammation which will cause pain in the joints or bones during any movement. You should not be reluctant about a matter where it causes pain in the bones or joints. The main reasons for uneven hips are:
- Scoliosis (scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that most often is diagnosed in adolescents), which can be mild to severe and changes over time.
- A difference in leg length comes from posture and stance, which is functional rather than physical.
- A physical, or structural, the difference in the lengths of your legs.
Treatment for uneven hip bones:
- Massage can help remove any knots and relax your muscles
- Exercises like:
- The 90/90 stretch
- Leg split with quadratus lumborum stretch
- Child’s pose with hand stretch
- Side plank
- Superman position
But sometimes a person might have hip bones sticking out without any actual causes, the examples are given below:
Hip bone sticking out in female
This means a lot of muscle in the body keeping fat buildup at bay. This can be accomplished without underfeeding the body.
Hip bone sticking out in the male
People usually want their hip bones to stick out rather than hip dips which means depression in that area.
Some men wish to have that V line shape or sometimes women find this attractive. Rather if anyone is worried about them sticking out the hip bone, he must consult a doctor and try some exercise which will help gain fat or muscle in that specific area.
How to Treat Hip Bones That Are Sticking Out?
There are some home remedies and medical treatments for hip bones sticking out you should know about. Take a quick glance at the treatments below.
Home Remedies for Protruded Hip Bone
So, do you want to know some tips for how protruded hip bones can be used to help relieve the symptoms? that includes:
Hip Stretches or Exercises Without Equipment
If you’re dealing with a high hip or a leg that may feel short or just an imbalanced pelvis, the following technique can fix all of these problems. Here is a procedure of exercise you must do:
- Lie on your right side.
- Bend your right leg, and rest your left foot on the ground.
- Slowly lift your top leg as high as you can without bending at the waist. This helps keep the spine stable.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then slowly lower the leg.
- Repeat 5 times, then change legs.
Wearing Supportive Underwear and Tight Clothes
You can wear underwear or tight clothes under your clothes to make them not much visible. It may support your protruded hip bone as well.
Standing on One Foot With Your Knee Down
This should be done for five minutes at regular times throughout the day. This will help your hip bones to go inward as it creates pressure on the front of the hip when you do this exercise.
Applying Moist Heat to Hip Joint for 15minutes Four Times a Day
Heat therapy is an excellent way to manage chronic pain and injury that is not swollen. But using heat on the swollen area can make the inflammation worse and your injury will not heal.
So heat therapy works if your muscles are tense or stiff associated with pain. It will help increase the blood flow in the specific area. It works best for injuries that are at least a few days old.
Using Cold Packs on Hip Bone Sticking Out
If any injury occurs recently cold packs should be applied in that area. Since cold numbs the affected area and can reduce the pain and tenderness. Cold packs also can reduce swelling and inflammation.
Medical Treatment of Protruded Hip Bone due to any Bone Fracture
However, the most common hip bone that sticks out is medication. Taking anti-inflammatory drugs or painkillers can help relieve the pressure on the hip joints from within and without.
Treatment depends on the location of the fracture, the degree of displacement, the number of other fractures, and the age of the person. A hip fracture is usually treated with surgery.
If the Fracture Is on the Femoral Head or Neck
The bones may be secured with pins and screws if the fractured bone is not displaced.
But a displaced fracture requires a hip replacement, here the damaged femoral head is replaced with a metal or ceramic ball which fits into an artificial socket. This surgery is major surgery.
If the Fracture Is in Between the Trochanters
Initially, the treatment is usually traction which involves the use of weights and pulleys to stretch and extend the muscle around the hip.
Traction prevents the muscles that are attached to the trochanters from pulling the two sides of the fractured bone in different directions. It helps during the time it takes for the fracture to heal.
In other cases like, for people who participate in regular activity before an injury, traction should be followed by surgery to insert pins and screws into the hip to stabilize the broken bone.
These people should move the joint as early as possible after the surgery.
But this will be too traumatic for the people who were bedridden before the fracture. In that case, the fractured bone should be kept immobilized. The immobilization may last four to eight weeks.
If the Fracture Is Below Trochanters
The surgery involves placing a long metal rod in the shaft of the thigh bone to realign the break.
FAQs
How to reduce your Protruded Hip Bone?
You have to do hip stretches to strengthen hip muscles and keep them flexible. You must avoid sitting cross-legged for prolonged periods while doing activities.
Is it bad if your Hip Bones Stick Out?
It’s not always bad if your hip bones stick out. But it is a matter of concern if you have uneven hips and If the protruded hip bone is painful, you must consult a doctor for this.
Does Hip Bone Sticking Out can be Dangerous?
It can be dangerous if a lot of inflammation occurs in the body, this causes pain in the joint and bone. Your hip muscle will tighten up and pull on the hip bone which will make it look like you have hip protrusion.
Is it Normal for the Hip Bone to Stick Out when Lying Down?
Yes, it is normal for the hip bone to stick out when you’re lying down if you don’t have any associated injury previously or if someone is too skinny.
Is it normal for the Hip Bone to Stick Out?
It could mean a multitude of things. It depends on how much you eat and work out and how much muscle you have. For athletes, it means that you’re fit. But if you’re worried about it, you may consult a doctor.
Conclusion
Hip bones sticking out is a common problem. Hip bones are the two most prominent bones of our body. The joint that it makes with the femur helps us to walk, run, and in many movements of the leg. If any injury occurs in the associated joint or bone it may cause pain.
Treatment is needed in severe cases. If you feel stressed out even if it’s not that serious, you should consult with a doctor who specializes in pelvic ailments.
