HIP PAIN
Understanding Hip Pain
Your hips play an important role in walking, running, lifting, training, and nearly every movement involving your lower body. Hip pain can develop suddenly following an injury or gradually as the demands placed on the area change. Understanding what may be contributing to your symptoms can help guide the right approach to recovery.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR SYMPTOMS
Hip pain can affect everything from everyday movement to athletic performance.
The hip is a strong, mobile joint surrounded by muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other structures that work together to support and move your body. Symptoms can vary depending on the structures involved, how the hip is being loaded, and the activities that aggravate it.
COMMON SYMPTOMS
Pain around the front, side, or back of the hip
Pain into the groin or upper thigh
Discomfort with walking or running
Pain with squatting, bending, or getting up from a chair
Stiffness or reduced hip movement
Pain when lying on the affected side
COMMON CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
Muscle or tendon irritation
Sudden increases in activity or training
Changes in hip strength or mobility
Repetitive loading or prolonged positions
Sports or workplace demands
Previous injury or trauma
COMMON HIP CONDITIONS
Hip pain can be associated with a number of different injuries and conditions. Some commonly encountered examples include:
Hip Flexor Strains & Tendon Irritation
Muscles and tendons at the front of the hip can become irritated following sudden movements, repetitive activity, or increases in training and loading.
Gluteal Tendinopathy
Irritation of the gluteal tendons around the outside of the hip can cause pain with walking, running, stairs, prolonged standing, or lying on the affected side.
Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
Pain around the outside of the hip may involve the gluteal tendons and other tissues surrounding the greater trochanter and is often aggravated by compression or repetitive loading.
Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI)
The shape and movement of the hip joint can contribute to symptoms during certain positions, particularly deeper hip bending, squatting, or rotational movements.
Hip Labral Injuries
The labrum is a ring of cartilage around the hip socket. Injury or irritation can contribute to pain, clicking, catching, or discomfort with certain movements and activities.
Hip Osteoarthritis
Changes within the hip joint can contribute to pain, stiffness, and reduced movement and may make walking, bending, or other weight-bearing activities more difficult.
Where you feel hip pain is only part of the picture.
Symptoms around the hip, groin, or buttock can sometimes be influenced by the lower back or other surrounding structures, making a thorough assessment important.
HOW WE CAN HELP
Helping you move, load, and use your hip with confidence.
We assess how your hip moves and responds to load while also considering the lower back, pelvis, knee, and other surrounding areas when relevant. Your work, sport, training, and everyday demands help us determine what your hip needs to be able to tolerate.
Thorough Assessment
We’ll discuss your symptoms, injury history, activities, and goals while assessing hip movement, strength, relevant joints, muscles and tendons, movement patterns, and neurological function when appropriate.
Hands-On Care
When appropriate, joint mobilization and soft tissue techniques may be used to help manage symptoms and restore comfortable movement.
Rehabilitation
Progressive mobility, strengthening, and loading exercises can help restore function and gradually build your capacity for walking, running, lifting, training, sport, and everyday activities.
Education
We’ll help you identify aggravating activities and determine how to modify and gradually reintroduce them during recovery.
Your hip needs to do more than simply move without pain. Our goal is to help restore the strength, movement, and confidence you need for the activities that matter to you.
TAKING THE NEXT STEP
Manage the load while keeping your hip moving.
Modify Aggravating Activities
Temporarily adjusting how much, how often, or how intensely you walk, run, lift, train, or perform other aggravating activities can help reduce irritation while maintaining activity where possible.
Maintain Comfortable Movement
Where appropriate, continue moving your hip through comfortable ranges and maintaining tolerable everyday activity rather than unnecessarily avoiding movement altogether.
Consider an Assessment If:
- Pain isn’t improving
- Symptoms repeatedly return
- Hip movement or strength is decreasing
- Walking, running, or weight-bearing is becoming more difficult
- Symptoms interfere with work, exercise, sport, sleep, or everyday activities
*Please note that these are general examples and do not replace medical advice.
Seek Urgent Medical Attention If:
- Significant hip pain or loss of function follows trauma
- You are unable to bear weight following an injury
- The hip or leg appears visibly deformed following trauma
- Significant swelling, redness, warmth, or fever develops
- Numbness or weakness develops suddenly or progressively worsens
*Please note that these are general examples and do not replace medical advice.
Let's build a plan that works for you.
Whether you’re recovering from an injury, dealing with ongoing pain, or looking to improve the way you move, we’re here to help you take the next step with confidence.