Condition
Physical Therapy for Hip Pain in Tupelo, MS
Groin, outer hip, and buttock pain from arthritis, tendon problems, impingement, or post-surgical recovery.
Hip problems present in different places depending on the source. Groin pain often points to the joint itself; pain on the outer hip frequently involves the gluteal tendons; buttock pain may come from the hip, the lumbar spine, or both.
Sorting that out matters, because the treatments differ substantially. A gluteal tendon problem loaded like an arthritic hip usually gets worse.
Common symptoms
- Groin pain with walking, pivoting, or getting out of a car
- Outer hip pain, often worse lying on that side
- Stiffness putting on shoes or socks
- Buttock pain that may travel into the thigh
- A limp or shortened walking distance
- Pinching at the front of the hip when squatting deeply
What tends to cause it
- Hip osteoarthritis
- Gluteal tendinopathy and greater trochanteric pain
- Femoroacetabular impingement and labral irritation
- Hip flexor or adductor strain
- Referred symptoms from the lumbar spine
- Weakness in the hip abductors affecting gait mechanics
How physical therapy helps
- Determines whether symptoms arise from the hip joint, tendon, or spine
- Restores hip range of motion where it is limited
- Strengthens the gluteal and surrounding hip muscles progressively
- Improves walking mechanics and stair tolerance
- Manages tendon-related pain with appropriate loading rather than rest alone
- Supports recovery after hip replacement or arthroscopy
What the evaluation involves
- History and symptom location mapping
- Hip range of motion measurement
- Strength testing of the hip and core
- Special testing for impingement and tendon involvement
- Lumbar spine screening
- Gait, stair, and single-leg stance observation
Treatment approaches
- Progressive gluteal and hip strengthening
- Manual therapy and joint mobilization
- Tendon loading programs with graded progression
- Gait retraining and walking tolerance progression
- Positioning and sleep advice for outer hip pain
- Post-operative rehabilitation within surgical precautions
Questions
Hip Pain FAQs
Is hip pain always coming from the hip joint?
No. Outer hip pain often involves the gluteal tendons rather than the joint, and buttock or posterior hip pain can be referred from the lumbar spine. Determining the source is a primary aim of the evaluation, since treatment differs.
Can physical therapy delay the need for a hip replacement?
Exercise-based therapy commonly improves strength, walking tolerance, and function in hip arthritis, and many people manage well non-surgically for a period of time. It does not reverse joint degeneration, and whether and when to pursue replacement is a decision for you and an orthopedic surgeon.
Services that may apply
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Ready to get started?
Request an appointment online, or call the clinic and we can talk through what you are dealing with and what the first visit would involve.