Category: Hip Pain

Why are my hips so stiff all the time?
The most likely answer is that you’re one of the many people affected by hip osteoarthritis. This condition occurs naturally as the hips age, and it can also be related to past hip injuries.

Medical researchers agree that hip osteoarthritis is a common reason why people’s hips are so stiff. They estimate that 1 in 4 people who live to age 85 will develop this condition. Besides age and past injuries, there are other factors that can increase your risk of hip osteoarthritis. A physical therapist can talk with you about these factors. They can also help you find ways to treat hips that are stiff all the time.

These risk factors can be why your hips are so stiff

There are many factors that can increase your risk of developing the pain and stiffness of hip osteoarthritis. Some of these factors include:
- Doing high-impact activities regularly — Staying active generally decreases your risk of hip osteoarthritis. But doing a lot of high-impact activities can actually increase your risk. Such activities can include playing sports like football or hockey. Also, manual laborers could be more susceptible to this type of arthritis.
- Gender — Although both men and women can develop hip osteoarthritis, studies show that women are 10% more likely to develop this condition.
- Genetics — Some researchers report that your family genetics can play a role in developing hip osteoarthritis. One study estimates that 58% of the cases of this condition are linked to genetics.
Ways a physical therapist can help reduce hip osteoarthritis symptoms

There are many therapy techniques that can benefit people living with stiffness and pain caused by hip osteoarthritis. A few of the techniques your physical therapist may use include:
- Joint mobilization
- Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)
- Specific strength and stability training
- Dry needling
- At-home care
- Ergonomics training
- Virtual therapy
Advent Physical Therapy offers high-quality hip osteoarthritis treatment

Ready to start doing something about your hip osteoarthritis symptoms? Our team at Advent PT is here to help you find effective care for hip osteoarthritis. We offer free screenings that can determine if your symptoms are being caused by an arthritic hip. In addition, our physical therapists are adept at constructing individualized therapy plans designed to reduce hip pain and improve hip range of motion.

Contact our team today for more information about our hip osteoarthritis services or to schedule an initial appointment.
December 8, 2020
How can physical therapy help with hip bursitis?
Feeling pain at the point of your hip? Does it extend into the outside of your thigh? If you answered yes to these two questions, you likely have a condition called hip bursitis.

It’s estimated that 15% of women and 8.5% of men develop bursitis in one of their hips. This condition occurs in the small cushioning sacs that reduce friction between soft tissue and bones. These sacs are called bursae. Often, medical professionals refer to hip bursitis as trochanteric bursitis. A physical therapy specialist can offer many forms of help to people with hip bursitis.

Physical therapy for hip bursitis can help you in these ways

Turning to a physical therapy specialist for help with hip bursitis is an excellent decision. These medical professionals are trained to treat the musculoskeletal system, which includes the hips. Some of the ways your physical therapist can help you include:
1. Educating you about hip bursitis — Underlying factors can lead to hip bursitis. If you don’t know what they are, they can hold back your treatment. Your physical therapist can help educate you on the underlying factors of hip bursitis, such as:
- Certain types of exercise you do or overdo.
- Ill-fitting footwear.
- Sitting or standing posture.
- How your legs move as you walk (gait).
1. Increasing hip muscle strength — Weakness in the muscles that move and support the hip is a common cause of trochanteric bursitis. Such weakness increases the pressure placed on hip bursae, which leads to inflammation. Physical therapists can show you how to perform therapeutic exercises to strengthen your hip muscles. One study of such exercises found that they were able to:
- Increase strength in the hip flexors by 24.4%.
- Boost hip extensor strength by 47.8%.
- Improve hip abductor strength by 41.2%.
1. Decreasing pain — The most important goal of hip bursitis physical therapy is to reduce your pain. A technique that your physical therapist could use to meet this goal is dry needling. This therapy method involves your physical therapist using thin needles to create a local twitch response in soft tissue around the hip. Such a response can help reduce tension in the hip and reduce your pain. A study of hip bursitis patients reveals that dry needling had reduced their hip pain by nearly 20% after one week of use.
Back in Motion Physical Therapy is ready to help you treat hip bursitis

Keen to find effective hip bursitis physical therapy? Our Back in Motion physical therapy specialists are primed to help you find the top-notch care you need. They can perform a free screening to confirm that your symptoms are due to hip bursitis. Furthermore, our team is adept at constructing individualized therapy plans that can help you in all three of the ways mentioned above.

Feeling unable to come into one of our physical therapy clinics? That’s OK! We offer virtual therapy and at-home care services that you can use without leaving home.

Contact us today for more information about our therapy services for hip conditions or to schedule an initial appointment.
December 6, 2020
Why are my hips so stiff after sitting?
Do you always feel like your hips are stiff after sitting? Turns out, this is a pretty common experience. Sitting for a long time can affect your back, hips, knees and other parts of your body. Join us as we explore why your hips may be stiff after sitting, and find out how physical therapy can help manage the pain and stiffness.

Why are my hips so stiff?

Sitting for prolonged periods of time places your hamstrings in a relaxed position. These large muscles in your legs help support the hips and power the movements of your legs. Sitting for multiple hours per day over a period of weeks and months can lead to weaker hamstrings, which increases strain on your hips.

Sitting at a desk for too long also weakens your glutes, core and hip extensor muscles. When all of these muscle groups are weaker, it can increase strain and pain on your hips.

Additionally, poor posture while seated can increase strain on your hips. Make sure you sit with your back straight and supported by the chair. Keep your feet planted firmly on the ground. Your knees should be level with your hips, bent at a 90-degree angle.

Getting up at least once per hour to stretch and move around for 10 or 15 minutes can help keep the muscles active to help reduce and prevent pain and stiffness.

Other reasons your hips are stiff

While these conditions are less common than weak and tired muscles or poor posture, it is also possible that your hips are stiff because of:
- Arthritis
- Tendinitis
- Bursitis
- Spondylitis
- Injury
If your hip pain is persistent or more intense than a mild soreness, you should visit your doctor or physical therapist for an examination.

Treating your hip pain with physical therapy

When you have pain and stiffness in your hips, a physical therapist can perform an examination to identify the cause. They can recommend if you need to visit a doctor for medication or other treatments or if you’re a good candidate for physical therapy.

Treating stiff hips with physical therapy usually involves stretches, exercises and hands-on techniques that help improve your strength and flexibility. The goal is to make the hips stronger and more flexible, as well as strengthening other muscle groups that help support the hip joints. Doing this helps reduce and prevent pain from chronic conditions and injuries.

Visit Rehab Access for hip pain treatment

Are you tired of having stiff hips every day that make it hard for you to move around and enjoy yourself? Our physical therapists at Rehab Access can examine your condition and provide a course of treatment that can help you reach your recovery goals. Contact our team today for more information about why your hips are so stiff or to schedule an initial appointment.
December 6, 2020
Why do I have hip pain during pregnancy and what can I do?
For many women, pregnancy leads to many positive feelings. It can cause joyful anticipation, for instance, but being pregnant can also lead to physical pain that you may not have felt before.

One issue that many women face during pregnancy is hip pain. A medical study from 2018 reports that over 32% of pregnant women develop hip pain, and pain in this joint typically develops during the third trimester. If you are having hip pain during pregnancy, a physical therapist can help pinpoint which issue is causing your pain, and these specialists also offer effective treatment options for hip pain.

Common causes of hip pain during pregnancy

The hip and pelvic area contains many structures, and it’s this complexity that makes these areas prime candidates for pregnancy-related pain. Just a few of the issues that can cause hip pain in pregnant women are:
- Sciatica
- Hormones softening connective tissue
- Round ligament dysfunction
- Pelvic floor dysfunction
- Poor posture
What can physical therapists do to treat hip pain during pregnancy?

After determining the source of your hip pain, your physical therapist will develop a personalized plan to treat it. Some of the therapy techniques that could be used in such a plan include:
- Joint mobilization to decrease stiffness in the hip joint.
- Soft tissue mobilization to reduce tension in muscles that support your hips.
- Therapeutic exercises to build up your hip muscles.
- Ergonomics recommendations to help improve your posture.
- Pelvic rehabilitation to strengthen and stretch pelvic floor muscles.
Need help with hip pain during your pregnancy? Excel PT is here to help you!

Are you one of the many women who has developed hip pain while pregnant? Our physical therapists at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy can help you treat your pain. Our team offers free screenings that can reveal the source of your hip pain. Furthermore, we are adept at constructing therapy plans that are individualized to fit your needs. These plans are also designed to decrease pain and prevent it from returning.

Finding it harder to leave home while you’re pregnant? You can still get care from our experienced therapists. In fact, we offer virtual therapy and at-home care services that are intended to be used for in-home treatment.

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
December 6, 2020
What can I do about hip pain during pregnancy?
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]You might have expected back pain or even pelvic pain during your pregnancy. Yet you might not have expected to have hip pain.

However, you aren’t alone in experiencing this type of pain; medical researchers found that about 32% of women have hip pain during their pregnancy. This pain may be linked to the weight gained during pregnancy, and it could also be caused by a hormone called relaxin that can cause your posture to change. Fortunately, there are several tips that can help treat hip pain during pregnancy.

Three tips that can lead to decreased hip pain during pregnancy

Most times, hip pain during pregnancy starts in the second or third trimester, but it can occur at any time during the pregnancy. If you’ve started feeling hip pain, here are three tips that can help reduce it:
1. Get a pregnancy pillow — A pregnancy pillow can help reduce many of pregnancy’s aches and pains while you’re sleeping. These pillows are often a full body length long. They can be arranged to target many types of pain. For hip pain, the pillow can be placed between your legs when sleeping on your side. This can help realign the hips and decrease pain.
1. Wear a pelvic belt — Pelvic belts are intended to provide additional hip support during pregnancy. They are padded for comfort, and many are adjustable so they can fit women with different hip sizes. A medical study reports that pelvic belts can help reduce hip pain and could have other positive effects on the body.
1. Go to physical therapy — Doing exercises and stretches is a common tactic to reduce hip pain. But you might not know which movements are best or safest for your needs. A physical therapist can show you the most effective exercises for you. They can also go beyond exercise and use other techniques that can decrease your pain, including:
Ready to decrease hip pain during pregnancy? Armor Physical Therapy can help!

You don’t have to be resigned to enduring pregnancy-related hip pain. Our Armor PT team is ready and willing to help you find therapeutic care that can reduce your pain. We can perform a free screening of your hips to pinpoint the issue(s) causing your pain. Then, our specialists will construct an individualized therapy plan for you that can decrease your pain and prevent its recurrence.

Not comfortable leaving home to get our help? You don’t have to! Our team offers several services you can use from home, including at-home care and virtual therapy. You can even start getting our help without first going to your doctor for a referral.

Contact us today for more information about our hip pain treatment services or to schedule an initial appointment. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
December 3, 2020
Why you need physical therapy for a hip labral tear
Pain in the hip or groin that gets worse by lots of standing, walking or sitting. Clicking sounds when you move your hip. Increased hip stiffness. These are all symptoms that you can experience when you have a hip labral tear.

The labrum is a ring of cartilage found in both the shoulder and hip. In the hip, this structure helps to cushion the hip joint and helps hold it in place. Hip labral tears are far more common than some people might think; one study reports that almost 39% of the patients surveyed had this injury.

Surgery is an option that’s often used to treat a hip labral tear. However, physical therapy can also be used as a treatment option when the tear is minor.

Three ways physical therapy can help people with hip labral tears

Physical therapists are experts at helping people with many musculoskeletal disorders, including hip labral tears. Your physical therapist can evaluate your hip to determine the most effective treatment options for you. They can also build you an individualized treatment plan, which offers three specific benefits:
1. Decreased pain — It can be hard to reduce pain caused by a hip labral tear. Often, people aren’t sure which moves will make their pain worse and which can help decrease it. A physical therapist can help you learn the movements that place stress on your hip joints. They can also teach you ways to modify normal daily activities while also reducing stress on your hips, which can help decrease your pain.
1. Improved range of motion — Hip labral tears often lead to stiffness in your hip joint. Your physical therapist can help you find techniques designed to improve your hip range of motion (ROM). One option they can use is manual therapy, which can significantly improve ROM. A medical study on patients with hip labral tears reveals that manual therapy helped improve hip function scores by 44 points in 12 sessions.
1. Faster recovery if you do need surgery — In some cases, your injury might require surgery. But that doesn’t mean physical therapy can’t benefit you. Physical therapists can help prepare the hip for the rigors of surgery with pre-surgical rehab. In addition, they can help you recover strength and function after surgery with post-surgical rehab. The combination of these two types of rehab can lead to a faster recovery from surgery.
Find help for your hip labral tear at Advent Physical Therapy

Ready to find effective help for a hip labral tear? Our Advent Physical Therapy team is primed to help you get the top-notch therapeutic care you need. Our specialists offer complimentary screenings that can confirm you have a hip labral tear. They can also build you a personalized therapy plan designed to reduce your pain, and our plans can even help you prepare for and recover from a hip surgery.

Not able to come to one of our clinics for help? No worries! Our team offers several therapy services that allow you to get care from home, including virtual therapy and at-home care sessions. We can even get you started with your physical therapy if you don’t have a doctor’s referral.

Contact our team today for more information about how we can help with your hip issues or to schedule an initial appointment.
November 7, 2020
Get moving again with physical therapy for your hip labral tear
A chronic feeling of unsteadiness when you’re on your feet. Pain when moving, bending or rotating your hip joint. Clicking sounds in your hip when you move. Have all these symptoms? it’s likely you have an injury called a hip labral tear.

The hip labrum is a rim of cartilage around the outside of the hip socket. This structure helps keep the head of the femur in the hip socket, and it also helps reduce friction as the hip moves. Sports injuries, hip structure problems and chronic conditions can all lead to a hip labral tear. Researchers report that up to 55% of people with hip or groin pain have developed this injury.

Physical therapy specialists can help you find effective treatment for a hip labral tear, and they can help you meet goals designed to help you get moving again.

Meeting these two hip labral tear physical therapy goals can help get you moving again

Physical therapists are trained to treat problems with the human musculoskeletal system. This training makes them experts in improving your ability to move.

Your physical therapist will seek to help you reach two goals during your hip labral tear physical therapy. Achieving these goals can help improve your ability to move normally:
1. Reducing pain — Damage to any soft tissue tends to cause pain, and a hip labral tear is no exception. Fortunately, your physical therapist can help you find ways to decrease your pain. One therapy technique that can help them meet this goal is dry needling.
This therapy method involves your physical therapist carefully placing very thin needles into soft tissue around the injury site. This helps create a local twitch response in the tissue. One study shows that dry needling helped patients reduce their hip pain by at least 52 points in four to eight weeks.
1. Improving hip function — You’ll need your hip to be functioning normally before you can move it normally. Physical therapists can help you increase the function in your injured hip. Manual therapy is one category of therapy that your physical therapist can use to help you reach this goal.
This therapy category includes techniques where your physical therapist uses their hands to perform specific movements. These movements are intended to mobilize soft tissue or joints. A study on manual therapy shows how well it can work for hip function. This study reveals that 12 manual therapy sessions led to a 44-point improvement in hip function scores.

Seeking hip labral tear physical therapy? You’ll find it at Excel PT!

You might not know where to turn for hip labral tear physical therapy that can help you get moving again. Excel Sports & Physical Therapy has a team of therapy specialists who offer the care you’re looking for.

We can do a comprehensive evaluation of your hip to determine if you have a hip labral tear. Our physical therapists can then build you a personalized therapy plan designed to reduce your symptoms and improve your ability to move. Our team can even help you get therapy from home. This is possible thanks to the at-home care and virtual therapy services we offer.

Contact our team today for more information about hip labral tear physical therapy we offer or to schedule an initial appointment.
November 7, 2020
Two hip strengthening exercises to use in physical therapy
Sitting down to chat with friends. Walking to the mailbox. Bending down to grab something from a low shelf at the grocery store. All these normal daily tasks can be harder to do if you have a hip problem.

Unfortunately, far too many Americans are living with issues that cause hip pain and other symptoms. For instance, it’s estimated that more than 27 million U.S. adults have hip osteoarthritis. Physical therapy can be an excellent option for treating the pain and other symptoms of hip problems. Therapeutic exercises are one of the most common treatment techniques therapists use for hip issues, and there are two hip strengthening exercises that are often included in physical therapy plans for the hip.
1. Clamshell exercise
Several hip strengthening exercises can add benefits to your physical therapy plan. One option that your physical therapist may show you how to do is the clamshell exercise. This exercise is intended to strengthen the gluteus medius, which helps stabilize your pelvis and hips. It can also help balance the muscles of the butt, pelvic floor, and inner and outer thigh.

How to perform the clamshell exercise
- Lie down on the floor or a bed with your affected hip up.
- Pull your knees up toward your chest until they’re bent at about 45 degrees.
- Raise the top knee upward slowly while keeping your feet together.
- Slowly lower your knee back to the starting position.
- Repeat these steps until you’ve completed 10 to 15 repetitions; then do 10 to 15 repetitions with the other leg.
1. Side-lying leg lift
Another physical therapy exercise that’s used to improve hip strength is the side-lying leg lift. This exercise helps build strength in the gluteus medius, and it can also help increase the strength of other hip stabilizers like the gluteus minimus and thigh muscles.

How to perform the side-lying leg lift exercise
- Lie down on a yoga mat or a bed with your affected hip upward.
- Keep your leg as straight as possible while slowly raising it into the air.
- Slowly lower your leg back to the starting position.
- Repeat these movements until you’ve done 10 to 15 repetitions. You can then repeat these steps with your other leg.
Advent Physical Therapy can help you find more hip strengthening exercises and therapy techniques

Need more help boosting the strength in your hips? Our team at Advent Physical Therapy can help you find the most effective strengthening options for you. We offer complimentary screenings that can pinpoint the root cause of your hip weakness. Additionally, our team excels at building personalized therapy plans designed to reduce pain and improve the strength and function of your hips. We can even help you from home thanks to our virtual therapy and at-home care services, and we can get you started with physical therapy even if you don’t have a doctor’s referral.

Contact our team today for more information about our therapy services or to schedule an initial appointment.
November 4, 2020
Two hip impingement physical therapy exercises that help reduce pain
Stiffness in the groin. Popping or clicking sounds in the front of the hip. Pain in the buttocks or thigh. People who are feeling these symptoms could be dealing with an issue called hip impingement.

This condition is also known as femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), and it occurs when abnormal contact occurs between the head of your femur and the hip socket. It’s estimated that up to 15% of the adult population has this hip condition. Physical therapists can show you exercises and other techniques to treat hip impingement symptoms. Here are two exercises that can be particularly helpful:
1. Hip flexor stretch
The hip flexor stretch is a physical therapy exercise that can offer benefits to hip impingement sufferers. The hip flexors are located at the front of your hip, and they help pull the hip forward and upward. Tightness in these muscles can result in the hip being pulled too far forward, which can lead to increased hip pain. Doing the hip flexor stretch can relax these muscles and lead to less pain.

How to do the hip flexor stretch
- Kneel down so the affected knee is on the floor. Your other foot should be in front of you and flat on the floor.
- Keep your torso straight and lean forward until you feel a stretch in the affected hip.
- Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Return to the starting position and rest for a few seconds.
- Repeat these steps until you’ve completed three repetitions of the stretch.
1. Piriformis stretch
Another exercise that could be included in your hip impingement physical therapy plan is the piriformis stretch. Your piriformis muscles are located under the gluteus maximus in the buttocks. Their job is to help rotate the hip so that the knee and foot move outward, and tight piriformis muscles can lead to too much rearward pressure on the hip joint. Reducing this pressure and decreasing pain are two goals of the piriformis stretch.

How to do the piriformis stretch
- Lie down flat on your back with your feet flat on the floor. If necessary, you can place a yoga or exercise mat under you.
- Place the affected ankle over the other knee.
- Grab the thigh of your bent leg and pull it toward you until you feel a stretch in the back of your hip.
- Hold this stretch for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Return to the starting position, and rest for a few seconds.
- Repeat the steps for this exercise until you’ve completed it three times.
Learn more hip impingement physical therapy exercises and other treatment techniques at Excel PT

Want to find out more about exercises and other treatment methods that can be used during hip impingement physical therapy? Our Excel Sports & Physical Therapy team is here to help you find the knowledge you’re looking for. We offer comprehensive evaluations that can determine if you have FAI. Our physical therapists also excel at building individualized therapy plans that can include therapeutic exercises and techniques like:
- Joint mobilization
- Soft tissue mobilization
- Astym^® therapy
- Aquatic therapy
- Dry needling
- Running training
- At-home care
- Virtual therapy
Contact our team today for more information about all the therapy services we offer for hip conditions or to schedule an initial appointment.
November 2, 2020
Why do you need physical therapy for a hip labral tear?
Waking up at night with hip pain. An aching hip that feels worse when you walk or bend forward. Clicking or popping noises when your hip moves. People dealing with such symptoms likely have an injury known as a hip labral tear.

The hip labrum is a thin ring of cartilage that coats the outer rim of your hip socket, and a medical study found that nearly 39% of those surveyed had a hip labral tear. Your primary care doctor may recommend that you have physical therapy for a hip labral tear. However, you might not be sure why this type of care can help your hip injury.

Four reasons you need physical therapy when you have a hip labral tear

Physical therapists are trained to treat a wide range of musculoskeletal disorders. This includes providing physical therapy for injuries like hip labral tears. Here are four key reasons why people with this issue should seek a physical therapist’s help:
1. Building hip muscle strength — Weak hip muscles can make injuries like a hip labral tear more likely. Your physical therapist can use therapeutic exercises to help build hip muscles up. A study of patients who used therapeutic hip exercises found that the exercises helped:
- Boost hip flexor strength by 24.4%
- Increase hip extensor strength by 47.8%
- Improve strength of hip abductors by 41.2%
1. Reducing hip pain — Hip pain is the most common symptom of a hip labral tear. A therapy specialist can use techniques like dry needling to reduce this pain. One dry needling study reveals that it decreased patients’ worst level of pain by almost 53 points.
1. Improving hip function — Hip injuries typically lead to reduced hip function; this can make walking and other normal daily activities harder to do. Working with a physical therapist can help boost your hip function after an injury. One study of a therapy method called manual therapy reports that it helped improve hip function by 44 points in 12 sessions.
1. Decreasing risk of future hip injury — A comprehensive physical therapy plan can address all the symptoms of your hip labral tear. Such a plan can also help address underlying issues that could lead to a repeat of this injury. Even better, it can help reduce your risk of post-injury issues like hip osteoarthritis.
SSOR offers physical therapy for hip labral tears

Ready to find effective physical therapy for your hip labral tear? Our SSOR therapy team can help you get the top-notch therapeutic care you need for this injury. We can perform a comprehensive screening to confirm that you have a hip labral tear. Then, our specialists will create a personalized rehab plan for you. This plan will be designed to help you get all four of the benefits discussed above.

Is your hip injury keeping you stuck at home? No worries! You don’t have to leave home to get help from our team. We offer at-home care and virtual therapy services that you can use right from your home.

Contact us today for more information about our hip injury treatment services or to schedule an initial appointment.
November 2, 2020
What’s causing my hip pain after walking?
Walking is an excellent form of exercise, and it’s also something that most people do every day. However, feeling pain in your hip after walking can make you less enthusiastic about this activity. This type of pain can be caused by a variety of issues, but there are four specific issues that are likely to cause you hip pain after walking.
1. Bursitis
A condition called bursitis could be the reason for hip pain after walking. This condition happens when the cushioning sacs called bursae become inflamed, and the inflammation can be the result of overuse, infections, poor posture or sports injuries. When bursitis is affecting the hip, it’s often called trochanteric bursitis after a structure in the hip called the greater trochanter.

The greater trochanter is the point of the femur bone, and there’s a bursa on this point that can become inflamed. Trochanteric bursitis also tends to get worse after walking because the muscles that attach to the greater trochanter rub against the bursa, and this increases the irritation.
1. Labral tear
Hip pain after walking can also be caused by a labral tear. The labrum is a cartilage structure, and it forms a thin lip around the hip socket in the pelvis. Typically, the labrum helps the hip move smoothly and keeps the ball of the femur seated firmly in the hip socket. However, tears in the labrum can cause pain in your hip. These tears could happen during a car accident or while playing sports.
1. Hip osteoarthritis
Another cause of hip pain after walking is hip osteoarthritis. It’s reported that 18.5% of men and 28.6% of women are likely to develop this type of arthritis in their lifetime. Hip osteoarthritis occurs when hip cartilage wears away naturally as you age. As a result, your bones can rub together as you walk and lead to post-walk pain.
1. Pinched nerves
This issue can also lead to hip pain after you take a walk. Pinched nerves occur when nerves are caught between or rub against another body structure. This can include structures like muscles, tendons, bones and spinal discs. Sciatica, or a pinched sciatic nerve, can often lead to hip pain. The pain can be more intense after walking because the movement increases the pinching or irritation of the affected nerve.

Hip pain after walking can be treated at Peak Performance

Our physical therapy experts at Peak Performance can treat the root cause of your hip pain. We’ve helped many patients successfully reduce hip pain, and we can even help you figure out why your hip hurts with a free screening. Then, we’ll develop a personalized therapy plan for you that targets your hip pain with therapy techniques such as:
- Therapeutic exercises
- Anodyne^® therapy
- Ergonomics training
- Manual therapy
- Virtual therapy
Are you ready to find relief from your hip pain? Contact us today for more information about how we can treat your pain or to schedule an initial appointment.
September 11, 2020
Living with hip pain? Here’s some information that can help you
Your hips are crucial joints that help you walk, run, stand up, sit down or just get around in general. When one or both of them start to hurt, you’ll notice it quickly because it becomes difficult to move.

Unfortunately, hip pain is all too common among Americans; medical research shows that up to 15% of Americans over 60 have chronic pain in their hip. This type of pain can be caused by an injury or condition affecting the muscles, ligaments or joints. Physical therapists can help you learn more about hip pain and the treatment options for it.

When should you seek professional care?

Hip pain is identifiable by any dull, persistent achiness or sharp and stinging pain in or around the hip. Sometimes your hip may hurt because of overuse. In these cases, the pain may go away on its own after a few days of rest.

Hip discomfort can also be a sign of a more serious issue. If you notice any of these symptoms, seek professional help immediately:
- Pain that lasts for more than a few weeks
- Stiffness or loss of motion
- Increased pain when bending or lifting your leg
- Increased pain from sitting or walking or activity
- Pain that stems from your hip into your groin
- Swelling
- Redness and warmth
- Sensitivity to touch
What can cause hip pain?

Hip pain can be related to many causes. You should learn about the issues that can cause this type of pain so you’ll know when to seek medical attention. This is especially true if you know you’re prone to some of the specific causes.

Some of the common causes of hip discomfort include:
- Tendinitis
- Arthritis
- Pregnancy
- Fractures
- Bursitis
- Hip labral tears
- Muscle strains
Treating hip pain

Treatments for hip pain can vary depending on the cause and personal factors like your age and medical history. Some causes of hip discomfort may require surgery, but many others can get better with physical therapy.

Physical therapy focuses on reducing your pain and improving your strength and mobility. Improving the strength and flexibility of your muscles and ligaments can help relieve pressure and provide much-needed support to your bones and other structures. Physical therapy plans for hip issues often include:
- Stretching and exercising — A physical therapist can show you therapeutic exercises for your hip. These can help stretch tight muscles or strengthen muscles that are weak.
- Manual therapy — This a category of therapy where physical therapists use their hands to move and manipulate the affected hip. Research shows that manual therapy has an 81% success rate for patients with hip osteoarthritis.
- Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) — Physical therapists perform this technique by running special metal tools over the affected area. A medical study reports that IASTM helped improve hip range of motion by up to 19%.
Physical therapists can also help you recover from surgery. If you have to get a total hip replacement to resolve your hip pain, you should seek post-surgical rehab from a physical therapist.

Advent Physical Therapy can help treat your hip pain

Advent Physical Therapy is ready to partner with you to treat your hip discomfort. We’ll start you off with a free screening designed to reveal the cause of your pain. Then, our physical therapists will build you a personalized therapy plan intended to reduce your pain and prevent it from returning. You can even get help from us without leaving your home thanks to the at-home therapy and virtual care appointments we offer.

Contact our team today for more information about how we can help with your hip issues or to schedule an initial appointment.
September 4, 2020