Hip Pain Treatment
Full-service chiropractic care to identify the source of your hip pain and help restore mobility.
Hip pain is discomfort in or around the ball-and-socket joint of the hip, often felt in the groin, outer thigh, or buttock, and commonly caused by osteoarthritis, bursitis, tendon strains, or referred pain from the lower back and pelvis.
Understanding Hip Pain
The hip is one of the largest and most complex joints in the human body. As a ball-and-socket joint, it provides an exceptional range of motion while simultaneously bearing the full weight of your upper body during standing, walking, running, and climbing. This combination of mobility and load-bearing responsibility makes the hip susceptible to a wide variety of injuries and degenerative conditions that can significantly impact your quality of life.
At Advanced Wellness Chiropractic in Bridgeton, MO, Dr. JC sees patients with hip pain caused by everything from acute sports injuries to chronic degenerative conditions. Regardless of the cause, our approach begins with a thorough diagnostic evaluation to identify exactly where your pain is originating. This is critical because hip pain is frequently misdiagnosed. What many patients assume is a hip joint problem may actually be referred pain from the low back, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, or a soft tissue issue in the surrounding muscles and tendons.
Common conditions that cause hip pain include osteoarthritis, trochanteric bursitis, hip flexor strains, piriformis syndrome, labral tears, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, and iliotibial band syndrome. Each of these conditions has distinct characteristics and responds best to specific treatment approaches. Dr. JC's full examination uses orthopedic testing, range-of-motion assessment, gait analysis, and, when necessary, diagnostic imaging to arrive at an accurate diagnosis.
Hip pain that is ignored or improperly treated tends to worsen over time. Compensating for hip pain by shifting your weight or altering your walking pattern can lead to secondary problems in the knees, lower back, and opposite hip. Early intervention with chiropractic care not only addresses your current pain but also prevents the cascade of compensatory injuries that develop when the hip joint is not functioning properly.
When to Seek Immediate Medical Care
Most hip pain responds well to conservative chiropractic treatment, but certain warning signs mean you should see your primary care doctor or an emergency provider right away rather than waiting for a chiropractic evaluation:
- •Inability to bear weight after a fall or significant trauma. This can suggest a hip fracture and needs imaging right away.
- •The leg appears shortened or turned outward at rest, which is a classic sign of hip fracture or dislocation.
- •Severe hip pain with fever, warmth, or redness in the joint, which can signal a joint infection.
- •Night pain that wakes you combined with unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer, which warrants urgent medical workup.
- •Sudden severe groin pain or numbness down the leg accompanying your hip pain, which can indicate a vascular or nerve emergency.
Common Symptoms
Hip pain can present in many different ways depending on the underlying cause. You may experience symptoms in the hip joint itself or in the surrounding areas including the groin, thigh, and buttock.
- Pain in the groin or front of the hip
- Aching or stiffness in the hip joint
- Pain on the outside of the hip or thigh
- Difficulty walking or climbing stairs
- Reduced range of motion in the hip
- Pain that worsens after sitting for long periods
- Clicking or catching sensation in the joint
- Pain that radiates into the buttock or leg
Three Self-Tests You Can Try at Home
These are adapted versions of the same provocation tests Dr. JC uses in the office. None of them replace a proper exam, but if one or more reproduces your symptoms, it is a strong hint about where your hip pain is coming from. Stop any test that causes sharp pain or sudden weakness.
FABER Test (Figure-4 Self-Version)
How to do it
Lie flat on your back. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee in a figure-4 position, and gently press the bent knee down toward the floor.
What to watch for
Reproduction of your pain. Pain in the groin typically points to the hip joint itself. Pain in the low back or buttock typically points to the sacroiliac joint.
What a positive test suggests
Hip joint pathology (labral tear, osteoarthritis, impingement) or SI joint dysfunction, depending on where the pain is reproduced.
Thomas Test (Hip Flexor Self-Version)
How to do it
Sit at the edge of a bed or sturdy table. Lie back while pulling one knee firmly to your chest. Let the other leg hang off the edge.
What to watch for
The hanging leg should rest below the level of the bed with the knee bent to roughly 90 degrees. If the thigh rises off the bed or the knee straightens, the hip flexors are tight.
What a positive test suggests
Tight hip flexors (psoas, rectus femoris). Common in desk workers, drivers, and runners, and a frequent driver of anterior hip and low back pain.
Single Leg Stance (Trendelenburg Screen)
How to do it
Stand in front of a mirror with your hands on your hips. Lift one foot off the floor and hold the single-leg stance for 30 seconds.
What to watch for
Your pelvis should stay level. If the pelvis drops on the unsupported side, the gluteus medius on the stance leg is weak or inhibited.
What a positive test suggests
Gluteus medius weakness on the stance leg. A common driver of lateral hip pain, IT band syndrome, and knee problems in runners.
If any of these tests reproduces your symptoms, the next step is a full evaluation. Dr. JC will examine the hip joint, pelvis, and lumbar spine together to identify every structure contributing to your pain.
How Chiropractic Care Helps
Chiropractic care for hip pain addresses the joint biomechanics and musculoskeletal imbalances involved in many hip conditions. The hip does not function in isolation. It works as part of a kinetic chain that includes the pelvis, sacroiliac joints, lumbar spine, and lower extremities. When any link in this chain is out of alignment, the hip absorbs the extra stress and begins to break down.
Dr. JC uses a combination of chiropractic adjustments to the hip, pelvis, and lumbar spine along with Active Muscle Release to treat the soft tissue components of your pain. Active Muscle Release addresses the tight muscles, tendons, and fascia that restrict joint motion and create painful trigger points. Response varies from person to person.
Some patients come to Advanced Wellness Chiropractic in Bridgeton, MO after trying medication, physical therapy, or cortisone injections. The plan is based on your exam, and Dr. JC will refer you for imaging or an orthopedic opinion when the findings call for it.
Shockwave Therapy for Hip Pain
Shockwave therapy has been studied in randomized trials for greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS), a common cause of pain on the outside of the hip. A 2020 multicenter RCT by Ramon et al. randomized 103 patients to focused ESWT or sham ESWT, each with the same exercise program, and reported better pain scores in the ESWT group at two months. Evidence is specific to this condition, and results vary from person to person.
At Advanced Wellness Chiropractic, shockwave therapy is considered case by case for chronic lateral hip pain from GTPS and hip tendinopathy, after an exam and alongside targeted exercises and chiropractic adjustments. Shockwave therapy is self-pay at our office. Most major insurance policies classify it as investigational or unproven for musculoskeletal conditions, so coverage is rare.
Learn more about Shockwave TherapyOur Treatment Approach
Following a thorough examination and accurate diagnosis, Dr. JC will create a treatment plan shaped around the specific cause and severity of your hip pain. Your personalized care plan may include:
Hip & Pelvic Adjustments
Targeted adjustments to the hip joint, sacroiliac joints, and pelvis to restore proper alignment, improve range of motion, and reduce joint inflammation.
Active Muscle Release
Hands-on soft tissue therapy that breaks up adhesions and scar tissue in the hip flexors, glutes, IT band, and piriformis muscles that restrict mobility and cause pain.
Rehabilitative Exercises
A progressive strengthening and flexibility program targeting the hip stabilizers, core muscles, and lower extremity to support long-term joint health.
Gait & Movement Correction
Analysis and correction of walking and movement patterns that place abnormal stress on the hip joint, preventing re-injury and reducing chronic wear.
Four Home Exercises for Hip Pain Relief
These are the exercises Dr. JC sends home with most hip pain patients. They take about five to eight minutes total and work best done once or twice a day. Stop any exercise that causes sharp pain, pinching in the groin, or numbness. If symptoms worsen for more than a few minutes after finishing, skip that exercise and bring it up at your next visit.
Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
Opens up the front of the hip, which is the single biggest issue for patients who sit most of the day. Tight hip flexors pull the pelvis forward and create both anterior hip and low back pain.
- Kneel on one knee with the other foot planted in front, knee bent to 90 degrees (like a marriage proposal position).
- Tuck your tailbone under by gently squeezing your glute on the kneeling side.
- Shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch in the front of the hip of the kneeling leg.
- Hold, then switch sides.
Dosage: Hold 30 seconds, 3 reps per side, once or twice daily.
Clamshells
Targets the gluteus medius, the key stabilizer for the lateral hip. Weakness here shows up as hip drop during walking or running and is a common driver of IT band and outer hip pain.
- Lie on your side with knees bent to about 45 degrees and feet stacked.
- Keep your feet together and lift the top knee toward the ceiling.
- Do not let your pelvis roll backward. Keep it stacked vertically.
- Lower under control and repeat.
Dosage: 12 to 15 reps, 2 to 3 sets per side, once daily.
Glute Bridge
Activates the gluteus maximus and teaches the posterior hip to extend properly. Patients who cannot feel their glutes fire typically overuse the low back and hip flexors instead.
- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms at your sides.
- Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips toward the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- Do not arch the low back. The motion should come from the hips, not the spine.
- Lower with control.
Dosage: 10 to 15 reps, 2 to 3 sets, once daily.
90/90 Hip Mobility
Restores internal and external rotation of the hip, the first motion lost to hip arthritis or impingement. Most desk workers are profoundly limited in this range.
- Sit on the floor with one leg bent in front of you at 90 degrees (shin perpendicular to your torso) and the other leg bent 90 degrees out to the side behind you.
- Keep both sit bones on the floor if possible. Sit tall through your spine.
- Rotate your torso toward the front leg for a few seconds, then rotate the rear leg forward to transition to the other side.
- Move slowly and stay within a pain-free range.
Dosage: 8 to 10 slow transitions per side, once daily.
A note from Dr. JC
Home exercises matter, but they are one piece of a larger plan. Most hip pain patients also have restrictions at the pelvis, sacroiliac joint, or lumbar spine that these exercises alone will not resolve. If your symptoms are not clearly improving after two to three weeks of consistent home exercise, come in for an evaluation so we can find and release the other sites contributing to your pain.
Who We See with Hip Pain in Bridgeton & St. Louis
Certain jobs and life stages drive the majority of hip pain cases we treat at Advanced Wellness Chiropractic. If you recognize yourself in one of these, you are not alone, and conservative care is often the first step.
Desk workers & medical coders
Eight-plus hours a day of sitting locks the hip flexors short and shuts down the glutes. Patients from Centene, Edward Jones, BJC coding, and SSM billing see this pattern constantly.
Construction & trades
Electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and concrete workers who squat, kneel, and carry loads asymmetrically. Usually shows up as deep groin or lateral hip pain.
Runners & walkers
Gluteus medius weakness and tight hip flexors are the classic setup. We see a lot of hip pain from marathon training groups and patients rebuilding mileage on the Katy Trail.
Pregnant & postpartum patients
Hormonal ligament laxity plus the added load on the pelvis drives SI joint and anterior hip pain. If you are pregnant, check with your obstetric clinician before starting care. Positioning and techniques are adapted to your stage of pregnancy, and new or worsening symptoms should go to your obstetric clinician.
Older adults with hip osteoarthritis
Morning stiffness, loss of internal rotation, and groin pain are the classic picture. Chiropractic care cannot reverse arthritis, but we keep patients moving and often delay or avoid replacement.
CrossFit & weightlifters
Heavy squats, deadlifts, and Olympic lifting with loss of hip internal rotation drive anterior impingement and labral irritation. We adjust programming while we treat.
Dancers & yoga practitioners
Repeated end-range hip motion can irritate the labrum and anterior joint capsule. Correcting movement patterns is as important as hands-on care.
Leg length discrepancy
Even a small discrepancy creates asymmetric load on the hips and SI joints over years. Often a hidden driver of one-sided hip and low back pain.
Side sleepers with SI pain
Sleeping on one side without a pillow between the knees loads the upper hip and SI joint all night. A simple sleep position change plus treatment often resolves the pattern.
If your hip pain is work-related, Dr. JC can help document the injury and coordinate with your employer or workers' compensation carrier. We see patients from Bridgeton, Maryland Heights, Hazelwood, Florissant, St. Ann, Creve Coeur, and across North County St. Louis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hip pain can result from a variety of conditions including osteoarthritis, bursitis, tendinitis, muscle strains, labral tears, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, sciatica, and referred pain from the lower back. Prolonged sitting, repetitive motions, overuse injuries from sports, and age-related joint degeneration are all common contributing factors. A thorough examination is necessary to determine the exact source of your hip pain so appropriate care can be recommended.
Chiropractic care addresses hip pain by restoring proper alignment and mobility to the hip joint, pelvis, sacroiliac joints, and lumbar spine. When these structures are misaligned, they create uneven stress on the hip that leads to inflammation and pain. Dr. JC uses targeted adjustments, soft tissue therapy, and Active Muscle Release to correct these imbalances, reduce nerve irritation, and improve range of motion. Response varies from person to person.
Referred pain from the lower back is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed causes of hip pain. Clues that your hip pain may originate from your back include pain that radiates from the buttock down the leg, numbness or tingling in the hip or thigh, pain that worsens with sitting or bending forward, and relief when walking. A full chiropractic examination that includes orthopedic and neurological testing can determine whether your hip pain is a local joint issue, a spinal issue, or a combination of both.
Recovery time depends on the underlying cause, severity, and duration of your hip pain. Acute hip issues such as muscle strains or joint restrictions may respond within two to four weeks of care. Chronic conditions like osteoarthritis or longstanding bursitis may require a longer course of treatment spanning several weeks to a few months for significant improvement. Dr. JC will establish clear treatment goals and milestones so you know what to expect throughout your recovery.
Beneficial exercises for hip pain typically include hip flexor stretches, piriformis stretches, clamshells for gluteal strengthening, bridges, and gentle range-of-motion exercises like hip circles. Strengthening the muscles around the hip joint provides better support and stability, which reduces pain and prevents future problems. However, the right exercises depend on the specific cause of your hip pain. Dr. JC will prescribe a customized exercise program that targets your individual needs without aggravating your condition.
Patients on Their Experience Here
From the first phone call to exception customer service, I would recommend this place 100%.
If you want a Chiropractor that is thorough and on point, he's the one.
Excerpts about the office experience, not evidence of a particular treatment result.
Related Conditions We Treat
These conditions can overlap or share contributing factors. Explore how we approach each one.
Related Services
Chiropractic Adjustments
Spinal and extremity adjustments for the hip, pelvis, and lumbar spine.
Learn MoreActive Muscle Release
Advanced soft tissue therapy that breaks up adhesions in the muscles and tendons surrounding the hip joint.
Learn MoreLow Back Pain
Treatment for low back pain, which frequently occurs alongside or is mistaken for hip joint problems.
Learn MoreGLP-1 Weight Loss and Hip Pain
Rapid weight loss can change hip biomechanics. Here is why and what to do.
Learn MoreAdvanced Wellness Chiropractic
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