Hip Injury


Treat your hip injuries and restore mobility with the experienced team at Restore Physiotherapy. Learn more about the types of hip injuries and their treatment.

What is a hip injury?  

Hip-Injury

A hip injury is defined as trauma or damage to the hip joint, including fractures, muscle tears, sprains, and impingement. These types of injuries are common among active individuals and the elderly and can be caused by falls, overuse, and muscle or bone degeneration.

The hip joint is the largest joint in the human body, making it often difficult to self-assess the source and reason for the pain. If you’re experiencing a persistent pain in your hip or pain that interferes with your daily life, you should get it assessed by experienced physiotherapists.

Types of hip injuries 

Calf
Hip Osteoarthritis (OA):
A degenerative condition of the joint cartilage

Poor-Posture
Gluteal Tendinopathy (Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome):
Irritation or degeneration of the gluteal tendons on the outside of the hip
Fatigue
Bursitis (Trochanteric Bursitis):
Sharp or burning pain on the side of the hip

Calf
Post-Surgical Rehabilitation:
Hip replacement surgery, hip arthroscopy, or fracture repair

Calf
Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI):
Contact between the hip bones that causes joint damage and pain
Calf
Hip Labral Tear:
A tear in the cartilage ring surrounding the hip socket

Calf
Hip Fractures:
Caused by trauma or weak bones

Calf
Adductor Strain:
Tear or overstretching of the inner thigh muscles

Professional assessment of hip pain  

At Restore Physiotherapy, we believe that the first step to effective recovery is an accurate assessment. Our team provides an objective physical examination to understand your mobility challenges, including active and passive range of motion, strength tests and neurological assessment. 

To differentiate hip pain and other musculoskeletal pains, we will also assess the range of motion at the lumbar spine as well as pelvic stability and control. This allows us to give you the right treatment for your condition. 

hip pain

 Special hip injury tests available  

Restore Physiotherapy offers the following specialised hip joint tests:

FABER test 
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FADDIR test
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Trendelenburg sign
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Thomas test
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Log roll test 
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Scour test
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Craig's test
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Piriformis test
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Physiotherapy for ligamentum teres tear and sprains  

Physiotherapy for ligamentum

The ligamentum teres is a ligament within the hip joint that connects the femoral head (the ball of the thigh bone) to the acetabulum (the hip socket) of the pelvis. This particular ligament can cause hip pain or dysfunction when it tears or suffers an injury after trauma.

Ligamentum teres tears are particularly prevalent in individuals who participate in high-impact sports, as this places repetitive stress on the hips. This form of hip injury also often correlates with hip instability or dislocations, hip impingement, and osteoarthritis.

Physiotherapy is one of the most effective ways to address ligamentum teres tears, as it helps rebuild strength and mobility. Our team at Restore Physiotherapy can run various tests to understand the extent of your injury and guide you with a personalised rehabilitation plan to recover and reduce the risk of reinjury.


Physiotherapy case study: Regaining hip function at 61 

Physiotherapy

Scenario

A 61-year-old woman suffered from a one-year history of persistent hip pain that made everyday activities (such as climbing stairs and getting in and out of her car) difficult and uncomfortable. We discovered that she had a Trendelenburg gait pattern (abnormal walking) along with significant weakness in her glute muscles. 

Solution

Restore Physiotherapy introduced a treatment plan that included six weeks of targeted manual therapy. Our plan involved soft tissue massage and trigger point release to address tightness in her gluteal and TFL muscles. 

Additionally, she also underwent a progressive hip strengthening program at home and made simple adjustments to her daily activities to reduce strain on the hip.

Results

By the end of the program, she was able to walk and drive without pain and got back her mobility confidence. This journey also motivated her to attend regular Pilates classes at our centre, which she continues to enjoy. 

Book an appointment 

Better mobility starts here. Book an appointment online or contact Restore Physiotherapy to speak to our care team.

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Frequently asked questions

We follow a structured and graduated rehabilitation program for all our patients. This means beginning by modifying activities to avoid aggravating the hip. From there, we work on improving the patient’s range of motion, building their strength, and overcoming any hip limitations. 

Finally, we help them gradually return to work, exercise, or sports based on their tolerance and goals. 

We regularly use manual therapy techniques such as soft tissue massage and trigger point therapy, and we combine this with home exercise programs. The home exercises may include resistance band work and Pilates-based exercises that are tailored to our patients’ level in our rehabilitation program.

This is done through loading programs that balance recovery with effort. We progress the load based on our patient’s tolerance, and give targeted exercises to address specific strength or movement deficits. 

A common misconception is that stretching alone is enough to relieve hip pain. While stretching can help, it’s often not enough. Strengthening the muscles around the hip is an important activity that helps improve hip strength and prevent injury from recurring.