Sports Therapy · Brighton & Hove
Expert assessment and hands-on treatment for hip pain, whether it's a sports injury, a chronic condition or pain that's been misattributed to the back.
Why Hip Pain Needs Careful Assessment
The hip is a deep, load-bearing joint surrounded by powerful musculature, and pain in the hip region can arise from the joint itself, the surrounding tendons, the lumbar spine, the sacroiliac joint, or referred pain from nerve structures. Getting the source right is essential to getting the treatment right.
In clinical practice, hip pain falls into several distinct patterns. Groin pain on hip rotation suggests intra-articular pathology. Lateral hip pain aggravated by crossed-leg sitting is typically tendinous. Deep buttock pain that travels down the leg may be sciatica, or may be piriformis syndrome, which responds to entirely different management.
I see a significant volume of hip presentations and take a structured approach to differentiation before any treatment begins.
Hip and lower back pain frequently overlap, and treating one when the other is the primary driver produces limited results. If you've been told you have back pain but treatment hasn't resolved it, or if your pain pattern involves the buttock, groin or thigh, a proper hip assessment is worth including in the clinical picture. See our guide on hip pain vs back pain for more detail.
Conditions Treated
Each condition has a distinct presentation, a distinct cause and a different treatment approach. Accurate identification is everything.
Deep lateral hip pain that worsens with walking, stairs, prolonged sitting with legs crossed, or lying on the affected side. One of the most common and frequently mismanaged hip conditions, often misdiagnosed as greater trochanteric bursitis. Requires specific loading education, as compressive positions actively aggravate the tendon.
Progressive degeneration of the hip joint cartilage producing groin pain, stiffness and loss of range of motion, particularly internal rotation. Morning stiffness easing with movement is characteristic. Conservative management focused on maintaining mobility and building supporting musculature significantly reduces symptoms and slows functional decline.
Abnormal contact between the femoral head and acetabulum during hip movement, producing groin pain, clicking or catching with flexion and internal rotation. Common in young active adults and athletes. Conservative management addressing movement patterns and hip strength resolves many presentations without surgery.
Pain at the front of the hip or groin, aggravated by hip flexion against resistance, kicking, sprinting, stair climbing. Common in runners, cyclists and footballers. The iliopsoas is the most frequently involved structure. Acute strains require graded loading; chronic tendinopathy requires a progressive strengthening programme.
Irritation of the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle in the deep buttock, producing buttock pain and leg symptoms that closely mimic true sciatica. A key differentiator is that hip rotation testing often reproduces symptoms. Responds very well to soft tissue therapy and stretching, completely different management to disc-related sciatica.
Pain at the inner thigh or groin, particularly with kicking, change of direction or loaded adduction. Common in football and hockey players. Adductor tendinopathy requires progressive loading; acute strains require graded rehabilitation with a clear return-to-sport protocol.
Inflammation of the bursa over the greater trochanter producing lateral hip pain and tenderness to pressure. Often secondary to gluteal tendinopathy or ITB tightness rather than a primary bursal problem. Understanding the driver, rather than treating only the bursa, determines whether it resolves or keeps returning.
Pain perceived in the hip, buttock or thigh that originates from lumbar disc, facet joint or sacroiliac pathology. Hip range of motion is typically preserved, a key differentiating sign. Treating the hip in isolation produces temporary relief at best. Requires assessment and treatment of the lumbar spine as the primary source.
How I Work
Hip pain treatment starts with accurate differentiation, then builds a plan specific to the structure involved and the demands of the patient.
Hip and lumbar screening, orthopaedic tests and movement analysis to identify the primary pain source and whether lumbar or sacroiliac involvement is contributing.
Targeted work to the hip flexors, glutes, external rotators and adductors, addressing the muscular component that maintains pain and restricts movement.
Particularly effective for gluteal tendinopathy, piriformis syndrome and deep hip rotator trigger points where manual therapy has limited reach.
Hip joint mobilisation to restore range of motion, particularly internal rotation, in osteoarthritis and post-impingement presentations.
Condition-specific progressive loading, gluteal strengthening for tendinopathy, adductor loading for groin pain, hip flexor rehab for anterior hip presentations.
Understanding which activities and positions provoke the specific structure involved, and managing load intelligently while rehabilitation progresses.
Hip and back pain overlap more than most patients realise. Our clinical guide to differentiating the two may help clarify the picture before you book.
Don't spend months treating the wrong thing. A thorough clinical assessment identifies the source and builds a plan around that, not a generic protocol.