Hip pain can make simple activities harder. Walking, climbing stairs, getting out of a chair, or sleeping on your side may become uncomfortable. You may also notice pain after exercise, prolonged sitting, or standing.
If you have ongoing hip pain, you may wonder, can a chiropractor help with hip pain?
In some cases, chiropractic care may help manage hip pain by addressing joint mobility, movement patterns, muscle tension, and related problems in the lower back or pelvis. The right treatment depends on what is causing your pain.
Hip pain can come from several sources. These include muscle strains, tendon problems, bursitis, osteoarthritis, injuries, and referred pain from the lower back. A proper assessment is important before choosing treatment.
APEX Chiropractic & Wellness Center provides chiropractic services and physical therapies in Greenacres, Florida. The clinic focuses on pain relief, injury recovery, mobility, and physical function.
What Causes Hip Pain?
Hip pain does not always come from the hip joint itself. The hip connects with the pelvis, lower back, and legs. Problems in nearby areas can sometimes contribute to pain around the hip.
Common causes include:
Muscle Strains
The muscles around your hip help you walk, climb stairs, stabilize your pelvis, and move your leg.
A sudden increase in activity can strain these muscles. This can happen after running, lifting, changing your workout routine, or participating in sports.
A muscle strain may cause tenderness, soreness, or pain when you move the affected area.
Tendon Problems
Tendons connect muscles to bones. Repetitive loading can irritate a tendon around the hip.
You may notice pain during activities such as walking, running, climbing stairs, or getting up from a chair.
Hip Bursitis
Bursae are small fluid filled sacs that reduce friction around joints. Irritation of a bursa near the outside of the hip can cause pain and tenderness.
You may feel more discomfort when lying on the affected side or walking for long periods.
Osteoarthritis
Hip osteoarthritis occurs when changes develop in the joint over time. It can cause pain, stiffness, and reduced movement.
Your symptoms may become more noticeable when walking, standing, or performing other weight bearing activities.
Research suggests that exercise therapy can improve pain and physical function in people with hip osteoarthritis.
Lower Back Problems
Pain felt around your hip can sometimes originate from the lower back.
Conditions affecting the lumbar spine can irritate nerves or alter movement patterns. You may experience pain in your lower back, buttock, hip, or leg.
This is one reason a complete assessment matters. Treating only the location where you feel pain may not address the underlying problem.
Injuries
Falls, sports injuries, car accidents, and other trauma can affect the muscles, joints, ligaments, or bones around your hip.
A significant injury may require imaging or evaluation by a medical professional before chiropractic treatment is considered.
Can a Chiropractor Help With Hip Pain?
Yes, a chiropractor may help with certain types of hip pain.
The goal is not to assume that every hip problem needs a chiropractic adjustment. Instead, the chiropractor should first determine whether your symptoms appear appropriate for conservative chiropractic care.
Treatment may focus on:
• Improving joint mobility.
• Addressing restricted movement.
• Supporting normal movement of the pelvis and lower back.
• Reducing muscle tension.
• Improving strength and movement control.
• Teaching therapeutic exercises.
• Helping you return to normal activities.
APEX Chiropractic & Wellness describes its chiropractic services as focused on pain relief, injury recovery, spinal health, and mobility.
The evidence for manual therapy varies depending on the specific hip condition. For example, studies of hip osteoarthritis have found that exercise can provide meaningful benefits, while the added long term benefit of manual therapy remains less certain.
That means chiropractic care should be viewed as one possible part of a broader treatment plan rather than a guaranteed solution for every cause of hip pain.
How Does Chiropractic Care Address Hip Pain?
Your treatment depends on your symptoms, examination findings, medical history, and goals.
Chiropractic Adjustment
A chiropractic adjustment involves a controlled force applied to a joint.
Depending on your condition, a chiropractor may use specific techniques for the spine or other joints that are contributing to your movement problem.
The purpose is to improve joint motion and help restore normal movement.
A chiropractic adjustment is not appropriate for every hip condition. Your chiropractor should determine whether the technique is suitable for you.
Joint Mobilization
Joint mobilization uses controlled movements to improve joint mobility.
The technique may be useful when restricted movement contributes to discomfort or reduced function.
Manual therapy research in hip osteoarthritis has produced mixed findings. Some studies report short term benefits, while other reviews have found limited evidence for long term effects.
Therapeutic Exercises
Exercises can help improve the strength and control of the muscles around your hip and pelvis.
Your program may include exercises for:
• Gluteal strength
• Hip stability
• Core strength
• Hip mobility
• Balance
• Functional movement
The exercises should match your condition. Doing too much too soon can increase symptoms.
Soft Tissue Therapy
Your chiropractor may use soft tissue techniques to address muscle tension or sensitivity around the hip.
The exact technique depends on your symptoms.
Soft tissue work may be combined with movement and exercise rather than used as the only treatment.
Movement Education
Your daily habits can affect your symptoms.
Your chiropractor may help you identify activities that increase your pain and suggest ways to modify them.
This can include changes to exercise, lifting, sitting, standing, or sleeping positions.
What Happens During a Chiropractic Hip Pain Evaluation?
A first visit should involve more than simply adjusting the painful area.
Your chiropractor may ask about:
• When the pain started.
• Whether the pain began after an injury.
• Where you feel the pain.
• What activities make it worse?
• What activities make it better?
• Whether pain travels into your thigh or leg.
• Whether you experience numbness or weakness.
• Your previous injuries and treatment.
The physical assessment may include movement tests, strength testing, range of motion, and evaluation of the lower back, pelvis, and hip.
The purpose is to identify factors that may be contributing to your symptoms.
If your symptoms suggest a condition that requires medical evaluation or imaging, you may be referred to an appropriate healthcare professional.
Can Chiropractic Care Help Hip Pain From Osteoarthritis?
It may help some people manage symptoms, but treatment should include more than manual care.
Exercise has strong support in the research for people with hip osteoarthritis. A systematic review and meta analysis involving seven trials and 886 participants found that exercise therapy improved pain and physical function at treatment and follow up.
Another systematic review found that exercise therapy can help reduce pain associated with hip osteoarthritis in the short term.
Manual therapy may provide short term benefits for some people. However, evidence does not consistently show that adding manual therapy provides long term benefits beyond exercise therapy.
This supports an important point. If your hip pain is related to osteoarthritis, a treatment plan should usually include appropriate physical activity and exercises rather than relying only on adjustments.
Can a Chiropractor Help With Hip Pain From a Muscle Problem?
A chiropractor may help when hip pain is related to muscle strain, movement limitations, or problems with strength and coordination.
For example, suppose your hip becomes painful after increasing your running distance from 3 miles to 6 miles several times per week.
The problem may involve a sudden increase in training load. Your treatment may need to address activity levels, muscle strength, movement mechanics, and recovery.
Simply treating the painful area may not be enough.
Your chiropractor can help determine whether conservative care is appropriate and whether you need additional evaluation.
Can Hip Pain Come From Your Lower Back?
Yes.
The nerves, joints, and muscles around your lower back can contribute to pain felt around your buttock and hip.
You may have both back and hip symptoms. In other cases, the hip may feel painful even when your lower back is the primary source.
This is why your chiropractor may examine your lumbar spine when you report hip pain.
Treatment may then focus on the area contributing to the symptoms rather than only the location where you feel pain.
What Exercises May Help Hip Pain?
The best exercises depend on the cause of your pain.
A general program may include controlled movements such as:
Glute Bridges
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
Tighten your abdominal muscles gently. Squeeze your gluteal muscles and raise your hips in a controlled manner.
Start with a small number of repetitions if you are new to exercise.
Hip Abduction
Hip abduction exercises target muscles on the outside of your hip.
You can perform them lying on your side or with resistance equipment, depending on your ability.
Sit to Stand
Sit on a stable chair.
Stand up without using your hands if you can do so comfortably. Sit down slowly.
This exercise works several muscles involved in daily movement.
Gentle Hip Mobility Exercises
Controlled hip mobility exercises may help when stiffness limits your movement.
However, you should stop an exercise that causes significant pain, numbness, weakness, or worsening symptoms.
A healthcare professional can help you choose exercises based on your specific condition.
When Should You See a Chiropractor for Hip Pain?
Consider an evaluation if your hip pain is persistent, keeps returning, or interferes with your daily activities.
You may also benefit from an assessment if you have:
• Pain when walking.
• Difficulty climbing stairs.
• Reduced hip movement.
• Pain after exercise.
• Hip or buttock pain that keeps returning.
• Stiffness after sitting.
• Pain that affects sleep.
• Difficulty getting in or out of a chair.
Early evaluation can help identify what may be contributing to your symptoms and whether conservative care is appropriate.
If you are looking for chiropractic care in Greenacres, you can learn more about the services available at APEX Chiropractic & Wellness. APEX Chiropractic Services
When Should You Seek Medical Care Instead?
Some hip pain requires prompt medical evaluation.
Seek medical attention if you have severe pain after a fall or accident, cannot bear weight on the affected leg, have a visibly deformed joint, or develop significant swelling.
You should also seek prompt care if hip pain occurs with fever, unexplained weight loss, severe night pain, or other symptoms that concern you.
Sudden weakness or significant numbness also requires medical assessment.
If you have had major trauma, do not assume the problem is a simple muscle strain.
How Long Does Hip Pain Treatment Take?
There is no single treatment timeline for hip pain.
A mild muscle problem may improve with appropriate activity modification and rehabilitation. Chronic conditions may require longer term management.
Your progress depends on factors such as:
• The cause of your hip pain.
• How long you have had symptoms.
• Your activity level.
• Your strength and mobility.
• Previous injuries.
• Your response to treatment.
• How consistently you follow your home exercise plan.
Your chiropractor should monitor your progress and adjust your treatment when necessary.
If your symptoms are not improving as expected, additional evaluation may be appropriate.
How Can You Prevent Hip Pain From Coming Back?
You cannot prevent every cause of hip pain, but you can reduce some risk factors.
Build Activity Gradually
Avoid sudden increases in exercise volume.
If you normally walk 20 minutes per day, increasing to 60 minutes immediately may place more stress on your muscles and joints.
Increase activity gradually.
Strengthen Your Hips and Core
Strong muscles help support movement.
A regular strengthening program can help you maintain hip and pelvic function.
Take Breaks From Sitting
Long periods of sitting can contribute to stiffness.
Stand up, walk, and change positions throughout your day.
Use Proper Exercise Technique
Poor technique can place unnecessary stress on joints and muscles.
If you are unsure about your form, ask a qualified professional for guidance.
Address Pain Early
Do not repeatedly ignore pain that affects your movement.
If symptoms continue or become worse, get an assessment.
Is Chiropractic Care Right for Everyone With Hip Pain?
No.
The right treatment depends on the cause.
A chiropractor may be appropriate for certain musculoskeletal conditions. However, some hip problems require care from an orthopedic specialist, physical therapist, primary care physician, or other healthcare professional.
A responsible treatment plan starts with identifying the likely source of your symptoms.
If chiropractic care is appropriate, treatment can be used alongside exercise, activity modification, and other conservative approaches.
Why Choose APEX Chiropractic & Wellness for Hip Pain?
If you live in Greenacres or the surrounding Palm Beach County area, APEX Chiropractic & Wellness offers chiropractic and wellness services focused on pain relief, injury recovery, mobility, and physical function.
The clinic is located at 3927 Jog Road in Greenacres, Florida. APEX lists chiropractic adjustments and other physical therapies among its services.
You can review the available services before scheduling an appointment.
View APEX Chiropractic Services
If you want to discuss whether chiropractic care is appropriate for your hip pain, you can contact APEX directly.
Contact APEX Chiropractic & Wellness
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a chiropractor help with hip pain?
A chiropractor may help certain types of hip pain related to joint mobility, muscle function, movement limitations, or related problems in the spine and pelvis. Treatment depends on the cause of your symptoms.
Can a chiropractor fix hip pain?
There is no single treatment that can fix every type of hip pain. A chiropractor may help manage certain musculoskeletal conditions, but the treatment needs to match the underlying problem.
What does a chiropractor do for hip pain?
Treatment may include chiropractic adjustments, joint mobilization, soft tissue techniques, therapeutic exercises, and movement education. The specific approach depends on your examination findings.
Can chiropractic care help hip arthritis?
It may help with some symptoms, but exercise is an important part of managing hip osteoarthritis. Research supports exercise therapy for improving pain and physical function.
Can hip pain come from the lower back?
Yes. Problems involving the lower back can cause pain that is felt around the buttock or hip. An evaluation can help determine whether the hip or lower back is contributing to your symptoms.
Should I see a chiropractor or doctor for hip pain?
It depends on your symptoms. Persistent musculoskeletal pain may be appropriate for a chiropractic evaluation. Severe pain, major trauma, inability to bear weight, fever, significant weakness, or other concerning symptoms should be medically evaluated.
Can exercises help hip pain?
Yes. Exercise can help many people with hip pain, but the right exercises depend on the cause. For hip osteoarthritis, research supports exercise therapy for pain and physical function.
How long should I wait before getting help for hip pain?
There is no universal waiting period. If your pain persists, keeps returning, limits normal activities, or affects your sleep, consider getting an evaluation instead of continuing to manage it on your own.
Can a chiropractor help hip pain after an injury?
A chiropractor may help some musculoskeletal injuries, but significant injuries should first be assessed to rule out fractures or other serious problems. Your treatment should depend on the injury and its severity.
Where can I find a chiropractor for hip pain in Greenacres?
APEX Chiropractic & Wellness is located at 3927 Jog Road in Greenacres, Florida. The clinic provides chiropractic services and physical therapies for pain and mobility concerns.
Conclusion
Can a chiropractor help with hip pain? In some cases, yes.
Chiropractic care may be useful when hip symptoms are related to joint mobility, muscle function, movement restrictions, or problems involving the lower back and pelvis.
The most important step is identifying the likely cause of your pain. Hip pain can result from several conditions, and treatment should match your specific symptoms.
Exercise is also an important part of many hip rehabilitation plans. Research supports exercise therapy for improving pain and physical function in people with hip osteoarthritis.
If your hip pain is affecting walking, exercise, work, sleep, or daily activities, consider getting a professional assessment.
For patients in Greenacres, APEX Chiropractic & Wellness provides chiropractic care and physical therapies designed to support pain management, mobility, and recovery.
