Hip pain:
Hip pain treatment for arthritis, bursitis and stiff hips in Polk County
If walking, stairs or lying on your side have started to hurt your hip, you're in the right place. Physical therapy is a first-line treatment for most hip pain. At Core Rehabilitation's clinics in Lake Wales, Haines City and Winter Haven, Florida, a licensed physical therapist finds what's driving yours and builds a plan to get you moving comfortably again.
Serving Lake Wales · Haines City · Winter Haven
What's actually going on: Hip pain: the short version
Your hip is a ball-and-socket joint that carries your weight with every step. The strong muscles around it, especially the buttock muscles on the side of the hip, keep your pelvis level when you walk and take load off the joint. When those muscles are weak, or the joint is irritated, walking, stairs, getting in and out of the car and sleeping on your side start to hurt.
Where it hurts gives a clue. Pain deep in the groin or the front of the hip often comes from the joint itself, as in hip osteoarthritis. Pain on the outside of the hip, worse when you lie on that side, is often a tendon problem called greater trochanteric pain syndrome, which many people know as hip bursitis. Buttock pain often comes from your lower back, and a tight or strained hip flexor causes pain at the front of the hip.
Each cause is treated differently, so your therapist works out what's driving your hip pain before choosing a single exercise. A plan for an arthritic hip looks different from a plan for outer-hip pain or a back problem.
When hip pain needs to be checked first
Most hip pain is safe to assess with a physical therapist, but a few signs need a doctor first. If any of these apply, see a doctor or go to urgent care before you book physical therapy.
You fell and can't put weight on the leg, or the leg looks shorter or turned out. This can be a hip fracture: call 911 or go to the emergency room.
A hot, swollen, very painful hip with a fever.
Hip or groin pain with a history of cancer, unexplained weight loss, or pain that's worse at night and doesn't ease when you change position.
Calf pain, swelling or warmth, especially after surgery or a long trip, which can be a sign of a blood clot. Call 911 if you also feel short of breath or have chest pain.
If none of these apply, physical therapy is a safe and reasonable place to start.
How we help: How physical therapy treats hip pain
Physical therapy for hip pain starts with an evaluation. Your therapist checks how your hip moves, how strong your hip and thigh muscles are, how you walk, climb stairs and balance on one leg, and whether your lower back is involved. They also ask what your hip stops you from doing, so the plan is built around your goals.
Treatment is mostly active: strengthening for the buttock and thigh muscles, exercises to restore how far the hip moves, and walking and balance work. Hands-on care, such as joint mobilization and soft tissue work, can ease stiffness so the exercises go further. Heat, ice or electrical stimulation can calm a flare, and you get simple changes for sleeping, sitting and stairs.
For hip osteoarthritis, the 2019 American College of Rheumatology and Arthritis Foundation guideline strongly recommends exercise, and a cane when it helps you walk. If you need a hip replacement, physical therapy before and after surgery builds the strength and confidence you need for daily life.
"Should I keep walking with hip pain?"
Usually, yes, at a level your hip tolerates. Walking keeps the joint and muscles working, while long rest lets them weaken. If walking makes your pain clearly worse that evening or the next day, your therapist helps you adjust the distance, pace or surface.
"Does hip pain mean I'll need a hip replacement?"
Not necessarily. Many people with hip arthritis manage well for years with exercise and a few changes to their routine. If you and your surgeon do decide on a replacement, getting stronger beforehand helps your recovery.
How long it lasts: How long does hip pain take to go away?
It depends on the cause. A muscle strain or outer-hip tendon pain often settles over several weeks of the right exercise. Hip arthritis is a long-term condition, so the goal is less pain and more activity, and many people feel a difference within a few weeks of regular exercise.
If your pain keeps getting worse, or stops you walking, your therapist will help you get a doctor's opinion.
What to expect: How long does it take to feel better?
Results differ from person to person. After your evaluation, your therapist will tell you what's realistic for you.
Your first visit is a conversation about when your hip hurts, what makes it better or worse and what you want to get back to. Then comes testing. It usually takes about 45 to 60 minutes. A licensed physical therapist does your first evaluation and writes your plan of care. Between therapist visits, a physical therapist assistant may treat you under that plan. Here's what your first visit involves →
Early on, the focus is calming pain, getting your hip to move more easily and finding a sleeping position that doesn't wake you.
As you progress, strength, balance and walking work helps with stairs, low chairs, getting in and out of the car and longer walks, plus a planned return to golf, pickleball or the gym if that's your goal.
Before you come in, wear shorts or loose pants and comfortable walking shoes, and bring any imaging or reports you have.
Who treats it: Who treats hip pain: a physical therapist, an orthopedic doctor or your family doctor?
For most hip pain without the warning signs above, a physical therapist is a good first stop. In Florida you can book directly, without a referral.
See an orthopedic doctor first, or as well, if pain stops you from walking, keeps getting worse despite treatment, or you're considering an injection or surgery. We're glad to work alongside your doctor.
Related care: Where to go next
Where to get treated: Hip pain treatment at our Winter Haven, Lake Wales and Haines City clinics
Winter Haven: 3017 Cypress Gardens Rd, about a mile from LEGOLAND Florida. Mon–Fri 9–12 and 1–5. 863-268-6523.
Lake Wales: 2031 State Rd 60 East, at SR 60 and Buck Moore Rd. Mon–Fri 8–12 and 1–5. 863-678-0705.
Haines City: 50 Maxcy Plaza Circle, just off US 27. Mon–Fri 8–12 and 1–5. 863-421-2000.
Every clinic treats hip pain, before and after hip surgery, and Spanish-speaking staff are available. Most new patients get a first appointment within a few days to three weeks.
Common questions about hip pain
Can physical therapy help hip pain?
Yes, for most causes. Exercise is a first-line treatment for hip arthritis and for outer-hip pain (often called hip bursitis). Your physical therapist builds a plan to strengthen the hip, ease stiffness and keep you walking.
What causes hip pain?
Common causes are hip osteoarthritis, outer-hip tendon pain (greater trochanteric pain syndrome, often called hip bursitis), muscle strains such as a hip flexor strain, and pain that comes from the lower back. Where it hurts and what sets it off help your therapist tell them apart.
Can sciatica or my lower back cause hip pain?
Yes. Pain in the buttock or down the back of the thigh often comes from the lower back, including sciatica. Your therapist checks your back as part of a hip evaluation. More on back pain and sciatica.
How should I sleep with hip pain?
If the outside of your hip hurts, avoid lying on that side. When you lie on the other side, put a pillow between your knees so the top leg doesn't drop across. Lying on your back with a pillow under your knees also helps many people.
Do I need a referral for hip pain treatment?
No. In Florida you can start physical therapy without a physician's referral. If you need treatment beyond 30 days for a problem no doctor has assessed, a doctor must review and sign your plan of care.
Where can I get hip pain treatment in Winter Haven?
At Core Rehabilitation, 3017 Cypress Gardens Rd, Winter Haven (863-268-6523). We also treat hip pain at our Lake Wales and Haines City clinics.
Do you treat hips after a hip replacement?
Yes. Post-surgical rehab at Core Rehabilitation covers total hip replacement and hip arthroscopy. It follows your surgeon's protocol and is offered at all three clinics.
Request an appointment
Tell us a little about you and your preferred location, and our team will reach out to schedule your visit. Prefer to talk? Call the clinic nearest you.
Lake Wales · 863-678-0705
Haines City · 863-421-2000
Winter Haven · 863-268-6523