So, I have jotted down some of the reasons physio is good for hip dysplasia. I'll be referring mostly to MSK (Musculoskeletal) Physiotherapy, an area that deals with bone, joint & muscle problems.
Physios can Differentially Diagnose
"Differential diagnosis" is when a health professional thinks of all the possible causes for a patient's symptoms, and begins to rule them out by how the symptoms present, how they respnod to different treatments or investigations.
There are a huge variety of causes of hip pain in young adults. It can be related to the muscles, the bones, auto-immune conditions, malignancy or it could be referred pain from the low back or pelvis, or, as we know, from previous childhood hip conditions. These causes can also overlap, and physios are great at breaking down what's going on to cause somebody's pain with an understanding of the different layers of anatomy there.
Or sometimes it could be something without a specific diagnosis, maybe a muscle group is a bit tight or weak or sore and there's no real name for it. A physio can differentiate what is going on and help you use your muscles in the correct patterning, or help you make them a bit stronger to reduce pain or discomfort.
Physios are specialists
Don't consider them to be lower in the hierarchy than your GP. In fact physios have been known to teach GPs or other medics about diagnosis and treatment of particular MSK conditions. I believe medical students have several weeks of training on MSK disorders, whereas physios learn much more in depth about this subject throughout their degree and post-graduate training. We have 'clinical autonomy,' which means we don't just have to follow instructions from a doctor, we work in collaboration with other healthcare staff but can also make our own diagnosis and treatment plan for a patient.
Physios have more time
When you see a physio, your appointment will be longer than an appointment with a GP. In most NHS MSK outpatient clinics, the initial appointment can be 30-40 minutes and follow-up appointments might be 20-30 minutes. This gives a physio more time to listen, discuss and assess your symptoms and work out a treatment plan with you.
Physios can recomend
From what they have found in their assessment, physios can make clinical recommendations to your GP, such as referral to an orthopaedic consultant, for an x-ray or to other healthcare professionals. In some settings physios can also make a direct referral to these services.
Physios can help you problem solve
Physios are experts at problem solving. We love being able to look at a person's situation and think "okay, but what can they do?" or "how can this activity be adapted to enable this person to participate?" and various other poignant questions. Physios can give helpful tips for workplace adaptions too.
Physios can help you with 'prehab'
If you already have a diagnosis, it might be that surgery (usually pelvic osteotomy or hip replacement) is already on the cards for you. In this case, even though physiotherapy itself can't change the shape of the hip socket, exercises before surgery can be hugely beneficial. Strengthening the muscles around the hip joint can help to support it better. Part of your symptoms may also arise from the ways muscles around your hips have learned to work to compensate for the shallow hip socket. Beginning to understand this muscle patterning and how to relearn the correct muscle patterning will not do any harm or damage to the joint, and will be helpful when it comes to doing rehab after surgery.
Physios can also help you work out how to maintain general cardiovascular health when hip pain prevents you from some sorts of exercise. This can be useful if the waiting list until your surgery date is long. The fitter and healthier you are going in to surgery, the easier your recovery will be.
Seeing a physiotherapist before surgery (or before a decision about surgery is made) can actually be a helpful time to let your diagnosis sink in a bit, it can give you a chance to ask questions and weigh-up your options and what the surgery will involve.
Physios can help with pain management
Long term pain can be exhausting and difficult. Whether you are waiting for a surgery date or dealing with the long term effects of living with pain and disability, a physio can discuss with you useful tips for pain management, such as pacing and modifying activities which are more tricky. They can also explain a bit more about the sciency stuff behind how pain works (in normal language!) and help you understand how your pain affects you as an individual. The better you understand your pain, the better you can be at managing in the long run.
So... don't be put off by a physio referral - it may well be a physio who is able to pick up on your symptoms and give you the correct advice or referral!
I've added links below to some useful information from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy:
Musculoskeletal Disorders
https://www.csp.org.uk/publications/physiotherapy-works-musculoskeletal-disorders-msds
Occupational Health
https://www.csp.org.uk/publications/physiotherapy-works-occupational-health
