Hip Pain
Hip pain can sit in the hip, the groin, the outside of the hip or the buttock, and the cause is often arthritis, bursitis, a gluteal tendon problem, a labral tear or a muscle strain. Our Doctors of Physical Therapy find the source and treat it at our clinics in Franklin, Brentwood and Nashville, Tennessee.
Where your hip hurts tells us where to look
Hip pain in the groin, on the outside of the hip and in the buttock usually has different causes.
Hip arthritis
Hip arthritis tends to bring a deep ache in the groin or front of the hip, stiffness after sitting and trouble with socks, shoes and stairs. Exercise, strength and movement training can help you keep doing more.
Outer hip pain: bursitis and gluteal tendinopathy
Pain on the outside of the hip, often worse when lying on your side or climbing stairs, is commonly hip bursitis or gluteal tendinopathy, also called greater trochanteric pain syndrome. Strengthening the hip muscles that support your pelvis is a big part of recovery.
Labral tears and hip impingement
A hip labral tear or hip impingement, called FAI, can cause a catching or pinching in the groin, especially when you squat, pivot or sit with your knees high.
Groin pain and hip flexor strain
A hip flexor strain or groin strain often follows sprinting, kicking or sudden changes of direction, and hurts when you lift your knee or squeeze your legs together.
Hip pain questions we hear most
Why does my hip pain get worse lying on my side?
Lying on a sore hip squeezes the tendons and bursa on the outside of it. That pattern often points to outer hip pain such as bursitis or a gluteal tendon problem, which we treat with strengthening and by changing what loads it.
Why does my hip hurt when walking?
Hip pain when walking can be joint pain, such as arthritis, or muscle and tendon pain from weakness around the hip. We watch how you walk and test each hip so the plan fits what we find.
Is it my hip or my back?
Both can hurt in the same spot, and some hip pain comes from the low back. We check the back and the hip so we treat the right one.
How we treat hip pain
Hands-on care
Manual therapy and joint mobilization to ease a stiff hip and tight surrounding muscle.
Hip and glute strengthening
Progressive strength work for the hip and glutes, with gait training so walking and stairs feel steadier.
Dry needling
Dry Needling can release tight hip and gluteal muscle when it is part of the problem.
Hip pain that comes from your back, a hip replacement, or the pelvis
If your hip pain travels down the leg or starts in the low back, read about back pain and Sciatica. Before and after hip replacement, we help you prepare and recover; the details are on post-surgical rehab. Pain in the pelvis or tailbone has a different cause, and our pelvic floor therapy team treats it.
Hip pain often travels with knee trouble, so see knee pain too. Hip pain from running, golf or lifting is covered on sports injury rehab, and joint wear is covered under Arthritis & Joint Pain.
Hip pain care in Franklin, Brentwood and Nashville
Elevate615 treats hip pain at our Franklin clinic in Cool Springs, and we also see patients at our Brentwood and Nashville clinics.
You do not need a physician referral to start physical therapy at Elevate615: Tennessee allows direct access. If longer care later needs a physician involved, we coordinate with them.
Meet the people who treat you on our team page.