Hip Pain
Hip pain can sit in the groin, the outer hip or the buttock, and the cause may be arthritis, bursitis, a gluteal tendon, a labral tear or a muscle strain. Sometimes it is not the hip at all but the low back. Our physical therapists in Laguna Niguel find out which, and treat it.
Where your hip hurts tells us where to look
The hip is a deep ball-and-socket joint surrounded by strong muscle, so pain can come from several places.
Hip arthritis
Stiffness and an ache in the groin or front of the hip, worse after rest and with long walks.
Outer hip pain: bursitis and gluteal tendinopathy
Pain on the point of the hip, often worse when you lie on that side or climb stairs. It is called greater trochanteric pain syndrome.
Labral tears and hip impingement (FAI)
Pinching or catching in the front of the hip, often with deep flexion, as in sitting low or squatting.
Groin pain and hip flexor strains
Common in runners and in sports with sprinting and kicking.
How we treat hip pain
Hands-on care
Manual therapy and joint mobilization for the hip and the spine.
Hip and glute strengthening
The hip is only as stable as the muscles around it, so strengthening is the center of most plans.
Gait and movement
We watch how you walk, run or ride, in our Sports Lab when it helps, and retrain the pattern that overloads the hip.
Before and after a hip replacement
If a hip replacement is coming, getting stronger first helps your recovery, and we guide you afterward. Read more on post-surgical rehab. Arthritis in more than one joint is on arthritis and joint pain, and knee pain that goes with a stiff hip on knee pain. Athletes with hip and groin injuries will find more on sports injury rehab.
More about the hip from the LOR blog
Questions about hip pain
Is it hip bursitis?
Hip bursitis is an inflamed cushion at the point of the hip, often alongside a sore gluteal tendon. It hurts when you press on the hip or lie on it.
What is a hip labral tear?
A hip labral tear is damage to the rim of cartilage around the hip socket. It can cause pinching or catching in the front of the hip, especially when you sit low or squat.
What is a hip flexor strain?
A hip flexor strain is a pulled muscle at the front of the hip, common with sprinting and kicking. It hurts when you lift the knee or stretch the hip back.
Why does my hip hurt at night?
Hip pain lying on side at night usually points to the outer hip: the bursa and the gluteal tendon are compressed when you lie on them. Hip pain when walking more often comes from the joint itself or from the low back.
Hip pain care in Laguna Niguel, California
LOR Physical Therapy treats hip pain at our Laguna Niguel clinic, 31271 Niguel Road, Suite J, for patients across South Orange County.
Whether your insurance plan needs a referral differs from plan to plan: call the number on your insurance card to check, or call us before your first visit and we will help you find out.
Meet the people who treat you on our team page.