Hip & Leg Pain

About Hip & Leg Pain

Have you been experiencing hip and thigh pain? Are you unable to be as active as you want due to hip pain? The hip joint moves through a large range of motion and is stable enough to support the weight of the body. This means that if something is wrong with your hip, you’ll feel it in multiple places! It is not surprising that hip pain can have a big impact on your ability to be as active as you need to be. 

If you’ve been experiencing hip, thigh, knee, or leg pain, call MVPT Physical Therapy today to request an appointment with one of our skilled physical therapists. We will work to help manage your pain so you can return to a normal, healthy lifestyle!

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Common Hip and Thigh Pain Conditions 

Having mobile hip joints is also key to a healthy back and core. When the hips do not move as they should, the normal forces of walking, bending, and squatting are transferred to the spine instead of the hips. This puts additional strain on your back and can cause back pain to occur.

Hip pain can be felt at the joint itself, or in the groin and/or buttock. This can occur due to limited motion of the hip and cause abnormal stress on other muscles, tendons, or ligaments in the area. Pain due to injury from the hip is typically felt in the area around the hip, but with more severe irritation, radiating pain can even be felt into the thigh or knee.

Mayo Clinic has pinpointed several leading causes of hip, knee, and leg pain. While many causes exist, the most likely are:

  • Arthritis
  • Dislocation
  • Hip fracture
  • Sprains and strains
  • Tendonitis
  • Pinched nerves
  • Osteoporosis

Hip, thigh, knee, and leg pain are surprisingly common. Thus, their source can come from a variety of things. If you’re experiencing pain in any part of your leg, pinpointing the exact spot can help you determine the cause.

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Symptoms of Hip and Thigh Pain

Aching or stiffness around the hip, groin, back, or thigh may be a sign of an injury or chronic condition. A decreased range of motion can also be a sign of other problems which may later result in hip, knee, or leg pain.

Sometimes, inactivity can contribute to immobility and pain as well. While some hip, knee, and leg pains go away, those lasting longer than a few days may require attention from a physical therapist!

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How Can Physical Therapy Relieve Hip Pain?

By assessing your hip range of motion, strength, and joint mobility, your physical therapist will determine the root of your problem and create an individualized treatment plan that will address your symptoms and sets you up for success following discharge from our care. 

At your first appointment, your physical therapist will do a thorough assessment of your body, taking note of your range of motion and flexibility in your hip region.

Your physical therapist will also provide you with prescribed exercises to complete at home.

Based on the findings, they will create an individualized care plan that may include:

  • Manual therapy techniques
  • Estim for pain control
  • Exercises and strengthening
  • Stretching and flexibility exercises

This will help you continue the benefits of physical therapy outside of the time in our clinic. By improving your hip joint mobility, strength, and range of motion, we will help you get back to the activities you love.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Hip & Leg Pain

Pain that originates in the hip and travels down the leg can be caused by hip joint osteoarthritis, bursitis, muscle strains, or labral tears.

However, hip and leg pain is also frequently a referred symptom coming from a compressed nerve in your lower back (such as sciatica), where the pain is felt in the leg even though the structural problem is in the spine.

Physical therapists treat hip pain by combining hands-on manual therapy with highly targeted therapeutic exercises. Your physical therapist will perform specific joint mobilizations to restore hip range of motion, stretch tight surrounding tissues like the hip flexors or IT band, and prescribe targeted strengthening for the gluteal muscles to improve joint stability and tracking.

Hip pain that worsens when you lie down or sleep on your side is often a sign of hip bursitis or tendonitis, where the fluid-filled sacs or tendons on the outside of the hip become compressed and inflamed against the mattress. Sleeping with a supportive pillow placed between your knees can help keep your hips and pelvis in neutral alignment, reducing this painful pressure.

Yes, your feet are the foundation of your movement, and if your arches collapse or your feet roll inward excessively (overpronation), it forces your entire leg to rotate inward. This altered alignment changes the angle of your hip joint during every step, which can strain the surrounding muscles and lead to chronic hip, thigh, or leg discomfort.

True hip joint pain, such as from osteoarthritis or a labral tear, is typically felt deep in the groin or the front of the hip and usually causes stiffness when bending the joint. Pain on the outside of the hip or in the buttocks is more commonly related to muscle strains, tendon irritation, or referred discomfort from the lower back.

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If you’ve been struggling with hip pain and have been unable to be as active as you would like, contact our office. At MVPT Physical Therapy, we are your partner in health to help you overcome hip pain to live a full and active lifestyle.