Hip Pain Treatment in Exeter – Regain Strength, Flexibility, and Freedom
Is Hip Pain Affecting Your Everyday Life?
Hip pain can be incredibly disruptive, whether it’s a sharp pain that catches you off guard with every step or a persistent ache that makes sitting, standing, or even lying down uncomfortable. The hip is a key joint in the body, responsible for supporting your weight and helping you move freely. When something goes wrong, it can feel like your entire life has come to a halt. Pain, stiffness, difficulty walking, and limited range of motion can make even the simplest tasks a challenge.
You Might Be Asking Yourself:
Why do I feel pain in my hip when I walk or sit for long periods?
Why does my hip feel stiff or catch during certain movements?
Could this be arthritis, or is it something else like a tendon or muscle issue?
Will I need surgery, or can this heal with physiotherapy?
At Quay Kinetics Physio in Exeter, we understand how frustrating and exhausting hip pain can be. We focus not just on managing the pain but on addressing the root cause so you can get back to the activities you love, whether that’s walking, running, climbing, or simply enjoying your daily life without discomfort.
Common Causes of Hip Pain We Treat:
Hip pain can result from a variety of issues, whether it’s an injury, overuse, or an underlying condition. Our team is experienced in diagnosing and treating a wide range of hip problems, including:
Hip Impingement (Femoroacetabular Impingement): A condition where extra bone grows around the hip joint, leading to pain and reduced mobility, especially during certain movements.
Labral Tears: Damage to the cartilage that surrounds the hip joint, causing pain, clicking, or instability.
Tendonitis and Bursitis: Inflammation of the tendons or bursa around the hip joint, leading to pain, swelling, and tenderness.
Hip Flexor Strain: A common injury in athletes or those with tight or weak hip flexors, causing pain in the front of the hip and limiting movement.
Acute Osteoarthritis Flare-Ups: Sudden increases in pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility due to inflammation in the joint.
Gluteal Tendinopathy: Pain in the outer hip due to inflammation or damage to the gluteal tendons, often aggravated by walking, running or lying on your side.
Chronic Hip Conditions and Overuse Injuries:
For some, hip pain is a chronic issue that slowly worsens over time. This can significantly impact your quality of life, especially if you’ve been living with the pain for years. We treat a variety of long-term conditions, such as:
Osteoarthritis: The gradual wearing down of cartilage in the hip joint, leading to pain, stiffness, and difficulty moving.
Trochanteric Bursitis: A condition where the bursa over the outside of the hip becomes inflamed, leading to pain, especially when lying on the affected side.
Hip Flexor or Hamstring Tendinopathies: Chronic pain from overuse injuries, often experienced by athletes and active individuals such as runners and climbers.
Snapping Hip Syndrome: A sensation of the hip ‘snapping’ during movement, sometimes accompanied by pain or discomfort.
Why Choose Quay Kinetics Physio for Your Hip Pain?
At Quay Kinetics Physio, we don’t just treat your hip pain – we assess the root cause and develop a personalised plan that addresses your specific needs. We take a holistic approach to hip pain, ensuring that we restore both strength and flexibility. Whether it’s helping you regain your strength through targeted exercises or improving your flexibility to relieve tension and prevent further injury, we’ll guide you every step of the way.
Additional Services We Offer:
If necessary, we can refer you for further imaging, such as X-rays or MRIs, to help pinpoint the exact cause of your hip pain. We also work closely with GPs and Consultants and can advise on the use of joint steroid injections when appropriate. Alongside traditional physiotherapy techniques like manual therapy and exercise, we also offer treatments such as taping and acupuncture to reduce pain and promote healing.
Our Comprehensive Approach Includes:
Accurate Diagnosis: We start by identifying the root cause of your hip pain through a thorough assessment.
Manual Therapy: Hands-on techniques to reduce pain, improve joint mobility, and promote healing.
Exercise Therapy: Tailored exercises to strengthen your hip muscles and improve flexibility, essential for long-term recovery.
Movement Optimisation: Teaching you how to move in ways that protect and support your hips, whether at home, work, or in sport.
Taping: Supporting the hip joint during recovery, particularly for athletes or those returning to activity.
Acupuncture: Used alongside other therapies to manage pain and inflammation, helping to speed up your recovery.
Take Control of Your Hip Pain
Hip pain can feel like it’s taking control of your life, but with the right treatment, you can regain your strength, flexibility, and confidence. At Quay Kinetics Physio in Exeter, we have a proven track record of helping clients recover from hip pain and return to their active lives.
Book your consultation today and start your journey toward a pain-free, more mobile future.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hip Pain
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It varies by age group. In younger, active people, hip impingement (femoroacetabular impingement or FAI) and muscle-tendon problems around the hip are the most common causes. In people over 50, osteoarthritis becomes more likely, though it's not the only possibility, many people are told they have "hip arthritis" when the pain is actually coming from the lower back, the gluteal tendons, or the hip flexors. A proper assessment distinguishes between these, which matters because the treatment for each is quite different.
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Yes, and it's one of the most common misdiagnoses we see. The nerves that supply the hip area originate in the lower lumbar spine, so problems like disc bulges or facet joint irritation in the lower back can refer pain directly into the hip, groin, or buttock. The pain can feel identical to a true hip problem. We routinely screen both the hip and the lower back during assessment to make sure we're treating the right source.
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Not necessarily. Many hip conditions in runners, like gluteal tendinopathy, hip flexor irritation, or mild impingement, respond better to modified loading than complete rest. Stopping entirely can actually weaken the structures around the hip and make the problem worse when you return. We'll identify exactly what's irritated, tell you whether running is helping or hindering recovery, and if modification is needed, give you a clear return-to-running plan with specific milestones.
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Most hip pain does not require surgery. Even when imaging shows osteoarthritis, physiotherapy-led exercise and load management can significantly reduce pain and improve function, often delaying or avoiding the need for a replacement altogether. Hip replacement is typically considered when pain is severe, persistent, and significantly affecting daily life despite a sustained course of conservative management. If we feel you'd benefit from a surgical opinion, we'll discuss it openly and help you prepare physically.
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Hip impingement (femoroacetabular impingement or FAI) is a condition where the shape of the hip joint causes the bones to pinch against each other during certain movements, particularly deep flexion, twisting, or squatting. It's common in active people, especially climbers, runners, and those who sit for long periods. The good news is that having an impingement shape on a scan doesn't automatically mean you'll have pain, many people with FAI morphology are completely symptom-free. Physiotherapy focuses on improving the movement and muscle control around the hip to reduce symptoms without needing to change the bone shape.
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Hip pain at night, particularly when lying on the affected side, is often caused by gluteal tendinopathy or trochanteric bursitis, both of which involve the tendons and bursa on the outside of the hip being compressed against the bone. Side-sleeping directly on the painful hip loads these structures, which is why the pain wakes you up. Simple modifications like sleeping with a pillow between your knees, avoiding crossing your legs during the day, and targeted strengthening of the gluteal muscles can make a significant difference.