How can you care for your child who has a hip injury?
Try the following tips to help relieve your child's hip pain, swelling, and stiffness. If your child becomes upset or won't cooperate, don't force your child.
- Rest.
Have your child rest and protect the injured or sore hip. Have your child stop, change, or take a break from any activity that may be causing pain or soreness.
- For sleep, put your child on the side that isn't injured.
- Avoid things that might increase swelling.
For the first 48 hours after an injury, don't let your child do things that might increase swelling. These things include taking hot showers, using hot tubs, and using hot packs.
- Apply heat.
- After 2 or 3 days, you can try applying heat to the area that hurts. Types of heat therapy include microwavable packs and disposable heating patches.
- Apply heat for 10 to 20 minutes at a time.
- You might also try switching between cold and heat.
- Resume normal activities.
After 48 to 72 hours, if swelling is gone, your child can carefully do their normal activities.
- Rub your child's hip.
Gently massage or rub your child's hip to relieve pain and encourage blood flow. Don't massage the injured area if it causes pain.
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