Hip Pain

Hip pain is an umbrella term for pain around your hip. The location of the pain often says something about the cause. Pain in your groin, buttock or thigh, sometimes down to your knee, fits a problem in the hip joint itself, such as osteoarthritis.

With osteoarthritis you often feel stiff when you start moving after rest, for example in the morning or after sitting for a long time. It becomes more common from age 45. In younger athletes, groin pain can also come from overloaded muscles and tendons, or from a hip that pinches in certain movements (hip impingement).

Pain on the outside of your hip usually comes from an irritated tendon or bursa. You can read more about this on our hip bursitis page.

We ask where the pain is, when it started and which movements bring it on, such as walking, climbing stairs or sitting for a long time. Your physiotherapist then examines your hip, the way you walk and the strength of your leg and glute muscles.

With VALD Force Decks we measure how you load each leg, so you can see differences between left and right.

Exercise therapy is the foundation. For osteoarthritis and hip impingement, exercise is one of the first steps, and for pain on the outside of your hip you strengthen your hip and glute muscles. You also stay active, for example by walking or cycling.

In our gym you build up step by step towards your work, your sport or a long walk.

Your recovery time depends on the cause. Osteoarthritis does not go away. With exercise therapy, pain and limitations still decrease on average, in the longer term as well.

With overload you rebuild your training in steps, at a pace your hip can handle. Your physiotherapist adjusts the plan based on your symptoms and measurements.