Hip Pain Treatment

We provide hip pain treatments for a wide range of conditions.  The hip joints are an important part of the musculoskeletal ‘engine’ which keeps us moving. The hips, the pelvis and the lower back work closely together, and so we always assess and treat them all together to achieve long-lasting relief from any symptoms.

The hip joint itself, if in trouble, will be felt as pain or discomfort in the groin area. Any symptoms on the outside of the hips are usually due to tight muscles around the pelvis. Good news if this is you, as these are usually very easy to treat.

We often help runners, gym goers and other athletes with hip issues, as the hips can be subject to a lot of strain in certain sports and on certain machines over at the gym.

If the pain has been ongoing for a while we may suspect arthritis. This can be genetic, or caused by previous injuries, accidents, or mechanical imbalances such as rotated or misshapen hips or knees, or leg-length differences.

Our approach

To find the root cause of symptoms and exactly which structures are affected, we first note all the details about how symptoms came about, what it feels like, timing, daily pattern, aggravating and relieving factors.

We also ask about any issues with your spine and the rest of the lower limb joints, your health in general, and any significant events in the past such as accidents or surgery.

We then observe the hips, stationary and in motion, and may perform special orthopaedic tests. We also assess the rest of the lower limbs, pelvis and spine, as often the whole body’s posture can contribute to symptoms. We note any restrictions or pain, and any asymmetry.

Once we have established our working diagnosis we will always take time to explain to you what we found, and let you know how we can help, and whether we need to make any referrals.

We then use specific massage, mobilisation and stretching techniques to improve the flexibility in joints and muscles, relieve tension, improve freedom of movement and mechanics, and ensure good circulation for effective recovery.

Where appropriate, we also use sports taping to support the injured area as it heals and provide additional stability during the recovery phase.

During the session, we will also provide advice on exercise, posture and other techniques to aid fast recovery and maintain the treatment results.

Exercise and Advice

These are some of the most common techniques and exercises we prescribe for knee injuries or pain:

Squats and Half-Squats

All-round lower limb strength

We love squats as they are such all-rounders – adding strength and control throughout the lower limb and pelvis.

Standing with your feet hip-width apart, bend the knees and hips so your bottom is lowered and ‘sticking out’ backwards. There’s no graceful way of doing a proper squat! Come back up to standing, leading the movement with the buttock muscles.

Keep your feet flat on the floor if possible.

There’s no need to squat a long way down in order to feel most of the benefit, so a half-squat or just as far as your knees can bend comfortably, will still be well worth doing.

Forward Lunge Stretches

Stretching the front of the thigh and pelvis: Rectus Femoris, Iliopsoas 

Stand with your feet hip-width apart.

Step forward with one leg, leaving the other behind, and bend the front knee further forward, leaving the knee of the back leg straight, but not locked.

You should feel a stretch to the front of the thigh in the leg that’s left behind. You can gently increase the stretch by bending the front knee further.

Always keep both hips facing straight forward, not allowing the pelvis to twist away from the stretch.

Side Lunge Stretch

Stretching the inner thigh muscle group: Adductors

Stand with your feet hip-width apart.

Step to the side with one leg, and bend the knee. The other knee should stay straight, but not locked. You should feel a stretch to the inner thigh in the leg where the knee is straight.

You can gently increase the stretch by bending the other knee further and/or stepping further away to increase the gap between the feet.

Always keep both hips facing straight forward, not allowing the pelvis to twist away from the stretch.

Outer Hip Stretch

Stretching the outer thigh and lower back: Gluteus Medius, TFL, QL, Erector Spinae Group 

To stretch the left, going into right side-bend (always stretch both sides. We’ve chosen one to make the description easier to follow):

Standing, cross the left foot behind the right, and stretch your left arm up over your head. Reach across to the right, creating a right side-bend through the back.

Push your pelvis to the left to increase the effect.

If you’re feeling flexible and stable, you can make also pull on the wrist with your right hand to increase the side-bend through the spine.