(Image of Dysplasia from Wikimedia Commons)

If you have hip pain, someone may have told you that it's from hip dysplasia. In this article, we'll look at what hip dysplasia is, what surgeons believe about it, and what the science actually says.

If you're worried about hip pain and hip arthritis as a result of your hip dysplasia, read on to understand the myths and realities that even your physician might not know. 

Article Summary

• Hip Dysplasia, or shallow hip sockets, is common in the asymptomatic population.
• There are no known tests to determine whether dysplasia seen in an X-ray is the cause of a person's hip pain. 
• Long-term and large scale studies show no relationship between hip dysplasia, hip pain, and...

I used to have horrendous hip pain at night. Any time I rolled on to my side, I would get a gnawing, aching sensation in my hips.

I didn't want to take pain pills or muscle relaxants. Doctors were of no help. Chiropractors just wanted to pop my spine, and that never helped my hips feel better.  Acupuncturists wanted to stick needles in me. Massage therapists kept trying to push harder to make the hip pain go away. But nothing really helped.

...Until I realized that nobody was helping me strengthen my hips.

If you're frustrated with constant hip pain when sleeping at night, I have two videos that'll help you. These are the exact exercises I found helpful for me, and I hope they're helpful for you.

So if your hips hurt at night,...

Pain relief, confidence, and better athletic performance can all come from correcting bad posture. Learn how to hold your body more efficiently with functional training.

Table of Contents

• What are the Mental and Emotional Effects of Bad Posture?
• What Are the Physical Effects of Bad Posture?
• Good Sitting Posture
• Good Standing Posture
• Good Athletic Posture
• Bad Standing Posture
• Does Bad Posture Really Matter?
• What Causes Bad Posture?
  • Common Activities that Lead to Bad Posture
• How to Fix Bad Posture with Functional Training
  • Hunchback Posture
  • Anterior Pelvic Tilt
• 4 Keys for Good Posture

What Are the Mental and Emotional Effects of Bad Posture?

Some of the clearest effects of poor posture are related to mental health. For many...

This is a one hour interview with someone who has FAI and hip arthritis. He is in his mid 50s and has improved his hips and reduced pain over the course of 5 or 6 years with GREAT results.

Peter Interview Short Version (12 minutes)

Peter Interview Full Interview (57 minutes)

Use functional training to heal and repair these key causes of chronic pain and movement impairment.

Table of Contents

• A Quick Primer on How to Identify Muscle Imbalances
  • The 2 Types of Muscle Imbalance
• How Do You Fix Joint Muscle Imbalances?
• How Do You Fix Symmetry Muscle Imbalances?
• A Quick Primer on How to Identify Muscle Dysfunction
• How Do You Fix Dysfunctional Muscles?
• Sensations to Pay Special Attention to When Fixing Muscle Imbalance and Dysfunction
• 1) Sharp Sensations in the Muscle You’re Activating, or Uncontrollable Jitters
  • 2 Strategies for Activating Weak Muscles
• 2) You Feel the Wrong Muscles Activate
• 3) Pinching or Jamming at the Joints
  • 3 Strategies for Fixing Joint Jamming
  • Apply Observation and...

Use functional training to root out and repair these key causes of chronic pain and movement impairment.

Table of Contents

• Types of Muscle Imbalances
  
  • Joint-Muscle Imbalance
  • Symmetry Muscle Imbalance
• Why do Muscle Imbalances Matter?
• Why the Impacts of Muscle Imbalance are Difficult to Study
• A Note for Skeptics
• How to Identify Muscle Imbalances
• Muscle Dysfunction vs. Muscle Imbalance
• Where do Muscle Imbalances and Dysfunctional Muscles Come From?
• How to Identify Muscle Dysfunction
• Apply Functional Tests to Your own Dysfunctional Muscles
• What is Normal Muscle Function?
• Aim for “Uncommon” Muscle Function
• The Role of Bones in Muscle Dysfunction and Imbalance
• What’s the Point of Finding Dysfunctional Muscles and...

ATM = Always Think Muscles. When you’re trying to get to the root of your joint pain, don’t forget to assess muscle function around the joint. Chances are, this is where your challenge lies, and that functional training can help you overcome it. 

Table of Contents

• Understanding Joint Pain
• Why the Orthopedic Theory of Joint Pain is Wrong
• Your Labrum, Meniscus, and Intervertebral Discs are Just Not That Important
• Why Most Joint Pain is Really Muscle Pain
• Joint Pain and Post-Workout Muscle Soreness 
• Joint Pain and Pushing Muscles Beyond Their Limits
• Joint Pain and Consistent Muscle Pain
• 3 Ways to Think About and Resolve Joint Pain

Here’s a controversial statement: joint pain is really...

Squats. Split squats.

If you've ever taken a group fitness class, you've done them. If you've ever had a trainer, you've done them. If you've had a forward-thinking chiropractor or massage therapist, you've done them.

You've also heard the admonition: DON'T LET YOUR KNEES GO PAST YOUR TOES.

It's usually delivered with a serious warning. "It's dangerous," they say.

"If you let your knees go too far forward, it's bad for your knees."

"Your knees aren't designed for that kind of motion."

"I don't want you to hurt your knees."

"Your knees may explode."

Scary stuff.

Nothing about these warnings is nefarious. There's no deceit intended.

But there's a lot of half-truth and mythology baked into these warnings.

Heck, even I...

Anterior tilt of the pelvis is when you're spilling your guts out and jamming your spine into extension all day.

It contributes to back, hip, knee, and leg pain.

People often ask: HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?

So I made a video about it. In this video, I explain the common causes of anterior pelvic tilt in modern life, and I also demonstrate a simple drill to improve your pelvis control. 

Check out the full video below or watch it on YouTube.

"I spent my Thanksgiving break in bed crying and researching surgery options..."

I want to share an important story with you today. Here's the background.

I've been coaching a young woman named Erica online for the last couple of months.

She has hip dysplasia. Doctors often claim that hip dysplasia is a guaranteed path to hip pain and arthritis. The only solution for hip pain from dysplasia, they say, is drastic surgery.

The other week, Erica was over-the-moon excited about what she'd accomplished in such a short period of time - especially because of what her well-renowned expert hip surgeon in Los Angeles told her.

Let's set the stage.

I am 30 years old and for my entire adult life I have been physically active...