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Jordan Loewenstein, D.C. | La Jolla Chiropractor

Exercise & Stretch Library

Hip Pain
By Location

Pick the part of your hip that hurts. You’ll get the conditions that actually live there, the clues that tell them apart, and the specific stretches and exercises for each one.

Four Locations Mapped
A Program For Each Diagnosis
UTC San Diego — Near UCSD
Groin Means The Joint
Outside almost never does
Side-Sleeping Test
The best question for the outer hip
Below The Knee?
That answer sorts hip from back
Load It, Don’t Rest It
Strength is the treatment here
Start Here

Where Does It
Actually Hurt?

Hip pain sorts out better by location than almost any other joint, because the front, side and back of the hip are genuinely different problems. Groin pain usually means the joint itself. Pain on the outside almost never does. Buttock pain is often the low back. Pick your spot below and the list narrows fast.

One correction fixes most of the confusion here. The hip joint is deep in your groin, not on the side of your hip. When someone points at the bony bump on the outside and says their hip hurts, that is nearly always a tendon rather than the joint, and the two are treated completely differently. Keep that in mind as you read.

The Hip Map

Pick Your
Sore Spot

ClickTapWhere It Hurts

Pick the spot on your hip that hurts. You’ll get the conditions that live there, the clues that tell them apart, and the stretches and exercises for each one.

Front of the hip and groin

The Front of the Hip and Groin

Here is the most useful fact on this page: true hip joint problems are felt in the groin, not on the outside of the hip. Most people who say they have hip pain point to the side, and that is usually a tendon, not the joint. Groin pain is the one that means the joint itself.

Narrow It Down

Ask whether it pinches or aches. A sharp pinch at the end of the range points at impingement, a deep ache with morning stiffness points at arthritis.

1
Most common
Hip ArthritisHip osteoarthritis
Groin, not the sideStiff in the morningSocks and shoes
Deep in the groin and front of the hip, sometimes referring down to the front of the thigh and even the knee.
Most likely yours if
  • Groin pain, not pain on the outside of the hip. True hip joint pain is felt in the groin
  • Stiff for the first twenty to thirty minutes in the morning
  • Putting on socks and shoes or getting out of a car is difficult
  • Past about 50, and it has built up over years. Turning the leg inward is limited
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
  • Move most days. Walking, cycling and pool work all count
  • Strength train two or three times a week. This is the treatment, not an add-on
  • Keep the range you have. Losing internal rotation is what makes daily tasks hard
Don’t
  • Rest it because it aches. An arthritic hip stiffens and weakens fast
  • Only do cardio. Strength is what changes how it feels
  • Assume replacement is the only path. Most people improve substantially with loading
2
Hip ImpingementFemoroacetabular impingement, FAI
Pinch in the groinDeep squatsYounger and active
A sharp pinch deep in the front of the groin when the hip bends up and rotates in.
Most likely yours if
  • The classic sign is grabbing the front of your hip with a C shape between thumb and fingers
  • Deep squatting, sitting low, or pulling the knee to the chest pinches rather than aches
  • Younger and active. Common in athletes, lifters and dancers
  • Sitting for long periods is uncomfortable
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
  • Work the range that does not pinch, and build strength inside it
  • Raise your squat stance and reduce depth for a while
  • Build glute and deep core strength. That changes how the hip sits in the socket
Don’t
  • Stretch into the pinch. Forcing the end range is exactly what irritates it
  • Keep doing deep squats and long low sitting
  • Assume you need surgery. Most people respond well to a good loading program first
3
Hip Flexor StrainIliopsoas or rectus femoris strain
There was a momentSprinting or kickingLifting the knee hurts
The front of the hip and upper thigh, in the crease.
Most likely yours if
  • It happened in a moment, usually a sprint, a kick, or a fast change of direction
  • Lifting the knee against resistance reproduces it
  • Tender to press in the crease at the front of the hip
  • No groin pain with rotation, and no stiffness in the morning
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
  • Rest from sprinting and kicking for two to three weeks, then rebuild
  • Start gentle stretching after the first few days, not on day one
  • Return to sprinting gradually with build-ups rather than straight to full pace
Don’t
  • Stretch hard in the first 48 hours
  • Test it by sprinting to see if it still hurts
  • Rush back. Re-strains are extremely common in this muscle
4
Groin StrainAdductor strain or adductor-related groin pain
Inner thighCutting sportsSqueezing hurts
The inner thigh and groin, along the muscles that pull the legs together.
Most likely yours if
  • Squeezing a ball between your knees reproduces the pain
  • Common in soccer, hockey and any cutting or kicking sport
  • Tender along the inner thigh close to the pubic bone
  • Worse with sudden direction changes
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
  • Build adductor strength deliberately. Isometric squeezes early, then progressive loading
  • Return to cutting sports gradually
  • Get long-standing groin pain assessed. Several things overlap in this area
Don’t
  • Stretch aggressively in the first week
  • Go back to full sport as soon as walking is pain-free
  • Ignore groin pain lasting months. That deserves imaging
Self-checks you can do right now

The C-sign. Ask where it hurts without using words. If you cup the front of your hip with a C between thumb and fingers, that is a strong sign of a true hip joint problem.

The sock test. Can you put on socks and shoes as easily on that side? Losing that is one of the earliest signs of hip arthritis.

The squeeze test. Squeeze a rolled towel between your knees. Pain in the inner thigh points at the adductors rather than the joint.

In the meantime
  • Keep moving. Walking, cycling and pool work. A stiff hip gets stiffer with rest.
  • Sit higher. Low soft chairs and deep car seats put the hip in its most provocative position.
  • Do not stretch into a pinch. If it pinches at the front, forcing it deeper makes it worse. Work in the clean range.
  • Strengthen the glutes. Bridges and clamshells three times a week. This is the treatment for most of what is here.
  • Give it eight to twelve weeks. Hip programs are slower than people expect, and week three feels like nothing is happening.
Stop and get it looked at if

Groin pain with a fever, an inability to bear weight, pain after a fall in anyone over 60, or night pain that is severe and unrelenting. Hip fractures and stress fractures can present quietly.

Outside of the hip

The Outside of the Hip

This is what most people mean when they say hip pain, and it is almost never the hip joint. The joint lives deep in the groin. Out here you are dealing with tendons, a bursa, and occasionally a nerve. The good news is that the most common one has a very recognizable signature.

Narrow It Down

The giveaway question: can you lie on that side at night? If not, you are almost certainly looking at the first card below.

1
Most common overall
Outer Hip Tendon PainGreater trochanteric pain syndrome, gluteal tendinopathy
Cannot lie on that sideTender bony pointStairs and standing
Right on the bony point on the outside of the hip, often spreading down the outer thigh.
Most likely yours if
  • You cannot lie on that side at night. This is the single most recognizable feature
  • Pressing the bony point on the side of the hip reproduces it exactly
  • Worse climbing stairs, standing on one leg, or after standing a while
  • More common in women over 40, and in runners who ramped up quickly
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
  • Sleep with a pillow between your knees, and avoid lying on that side
  • Load the glutes progressively. This is a tendon problem and tendons need work
  • Stand evenly on both feet instead of hanging on one hip
Don’t
  • Do the classic standing IT band stretch where you cross the leg over. That compresses the exact tendon that hurts
  • Foam roll directly on the bony point
  • Sit cross-legged or with knees together and feet apart, which also compresses it
2
Hip BursitisTrochanteric bursitis
SharperMore swollenOften after a fall
The same bony point on the outside, but sharper and more inflamed than a pure tendon problem.
Most likely yours if
  • Sharper and more constant than a tendon ache
  • It often followed a fall directly onto the hip, or a sudden spike in activity
  • Very tender to even light pressure
  • Can throb at rest
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
  • Calm it first with gentle work, then progress to loading
  • Ice for 10 to 15 minutes after activity while it is sharp
  • Pillow between the knees at night
Don’t
  • Push into sharp pain
  • Compress it with crossed-leg stretches or side-lying on it
  • Stay on the calming phase forever. It has to progress to strengthening
3
IT Band Pain At The HipProximal iliotibial band syndrome
Down the outer thighRunnersSnapping
A band of tightness down the outer thigh, sometimes with a snap over the bony point.
Most likely yours if
  • The discomfort runs in a band down the outside of the thigh rather than sitting on one point
  • A snapping or popping over the bony point when you walk or lift the leg
  • Common in runners and cyclists after a volume increase
  • Often coexists with weak hip abductors
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
Don’t
  • Roll directly on the bony point on the side of the hip
  • Chase it with stretching alone
  • Keep increasing mileage while it is flaring
4
Burning Outer ThighMeralgia paresthetica
Burning and numbTight waistbandsNo weakness
A patch of burning, numbness or tingling on the outer thigh. Notably, this one is a nerve, not the joint.
Most likely yours if
  • Burning or numbness rather than an ache, in a patch on the outer thigh
  • Tight belts, waistbands, tool belts or a recent weight change preceded it
  • Worse standing or walking, better sitting
  • No weakness, and the hip itself moves normally
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
  • Loosen or remove tight belts and waistbands. That alone resolves many cases
  • Address weight change if that is a factor
  • Get it confirmed, because the burning pattern is distinctive and easily mistaken for a disc problem
Don’t
  • Keep wearing the tight belt or tool belt
  • Treat it as a hip joint problem
  • Ignore it if weakness appears. That means it is something else
Self-checks you can do right now

The side-sleeping test. Being unable to lie on that side is the hallmark of gluteal tendinopathy. It is the most useful single question for the outside of the hip.

The one-finger test. If you can press one finger on the bony point and reproduce it exactly, it is the tendon or bursa there. If it is a broad band down the thigh, think IT band.

Burning or aching? Burning and numbness on a patch of outer thigh is a nerve, not the joint or tendon, and it is usually a compressed belt line.

In the meantime
  • Pillow between the knees. Every night. It stops the top leg dropping across and compressing the tendon.
  • Stop crossing your legs. Sitting cross-legged and standing hanging on one hip both compress the tendon.
  • Skip the crossover IT band stretch. The standing version where you cross one leg behind the other is the worst thing for this.
  • Load the glutes. Side-lying abduction and clamshells, three times a week. This is the actual fix.
  • Give it twelve weeks. Gluteal tendinopathy is slow, and it responds to loading rather than rest.
Stop and get it looked at if

Pain after a fall in anyone over 60, an inability to bear weight, or severe unrelenting night pain. Also get burning outer-thigh pain checked if any weakness develops.

Back of the hip and buttock

The Buttock and Back of the Hip

Buttock pain is where the hip and the low back overlap, so the first job is working out which one you are dealing with. One question does most of the sorting, and getting it wrong is why a lot of people stretch their piriformis for months without improvement.

Narrow It Down

Start here: does the pain travel below the knee? If yes, treat the back. If no, it is probably the hip or the SI joint.

1
Check this first
Sciatica From The Low BackLumbar radiculopathy
Travels past the kneeBack involvedTingling
Buttock pain that travels down the leg, often past the knee. The source is the low back, not the hip.
Most likely yours if
  • The pain goes below the knee, or there is numbness and tingling in the leg or foot
  • Coughing, sneezing or straining makes it worse
  • Sitting is often the worst position
  • There may be low back pain too, though not always
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
  • Treat the low back. Chasing the buttock with hip stretches will not resolve this
  • Use nerve glides rather than aggressive stretching
  • Keep walking. Movement usually helps more than bed rest
Don’t
  • Force hard hamstring or piriformis stretches. They tension an already irritated nerve
  • Ignore progressive weakness, foot drop, or numbness in the saddle area. That is urgent
  • Sit for long stretches without a break
2
Most common
Deep Gluteal PainPiriformis or deep gluteal syndrome
Deep in the buttockWorse sittingSore to press
Deep in the middle of the buttock, roughly where a back pocket sits.
Most likely yours if
  • Deep buttock pain that is worse the longer you sit, especially on a hard surface or a wallet
  • Tender when you press deep into the middle of the buttock
  • It may refer down the back of the thigh but usually not past the knee
  • Better when you get up and move
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
  • Break up sitting every 30 to 45 minutes
  • Take the wallet out of your back pocket. Genuinely
  • Strengthen the glutes. A weak glute makes the deep rotators overwork
Don’t
  • Sit on a hard surface for hours
  • Only stretch it. Relief lasts about twenty minutes without strength work
  • Dig into it with a lacrosse ball for ten minutes. Brief and gentle is enough
3
SI Joint PainSacroiliac joint dysfunction
One dimple spotPoint with one fingerRolling over in bed
Right on the dimple at the top of the buttock, just off the midline. Usually one side only.
Most likely yours if
  • You can point to it with one finger, right on that dimple
  • Rolling over in bed, standing from sitting, or single-leg standing aggravates it
  • Often follows pregnancy, a fall onto the buttock, or a lot of asymmetric loading
  • Rarely travels below the knee
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
  • Load both sides evenly. Stop standing hanging on one hip
  • Build glute and trunk control. Stability is the goal here, not more range
  • Hands-on care often helps this one substantially
Don’t
  • Repeatedly stretch or crack it yourself for temporary relief
  • Do heavy single-leg work while it is irritable
  • Sleep without a pillow between the knees if side-lying hurts
4
High Hamstring PainProximal hamstring tendinopathy
Sit boneWorse sittingRunners
Right on the sit bone, at the very bottom of the buttock where the hamstring attaches.
Most likely yours if
  • Pain exactly on the sit bone, worst when sitting on a hard chair
  • Worse running uphill, doing lunges, or stretching the hamstring
  • Common in runners, sprinters and people who ramped up hill work
  • A deep, localized ache rather than radiating pain
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
  • Load the hamstring progressively. Bridges first, then longer-lever work
  • Use a cushion when sitting, and avoid sitting on hard edges
  • Cut hill running and deep lunges for three to four weeks
Don’t
  • Stretch the hamstring hard. Compression at the sit bone is exactly what irritates this tendon
  • Sit on hard chairs for long periods
  • Expect a quick resolution. This one is notoriously slow, often three months
Self-checks you can do right now

The below-the-knee question. Pain, numbness or tingling that travels past the knee points at the low back and a nerve, not the hip. That changes the entire plan.

The one-finger test. If you can put one finger right on the dimple at the top of the buttock, think SI joint. If you have to press deep into the middle of the buttock, think piriformis. If it is on the sit bone, think hamstring tendon.

The sitting test. Worse the longer you sit, and better when you stand, is typical of deep gluteal pain. Pain exactly on the sit bone when sitting on something hard points at the hamstring tendon.

In the meantime
  • Break up sitting. Every 30 to 45 minutes. This is the highest-value change for almost everything in this zone.
  • Wallet out of the back pocket. Sounds trivial, and it is not.
  • Use a cushion. Especially if the sore spot is the sit bone.
  • Go easy on stretching. Both sciatica and high hamstring pain get worse with aggressive stretching. Strengthen instead.
  • Walk. Almost everything in this region does better with regular walking than with rest.
Stop and get it looked at if

Numbness in the saddle area, loss of bladder or bowel control, or progressive weakness such as a foot that drags. That combination is a medical emergency. Also get seen for weakness that is worsening rather than pain alone.

Deep, or worse at night

Deep In The Joint, Or Waking You Up

When the pain is deep in the groin, worse at night, and getting steadily worse rather than fluctuating, the list changes. This is the group where a real diagnosis matters most before you start a program, because two of these need imaging rather than exercise.

Narrow It Down

The pattern that matters: steadily worsening, night pain, and pain on weight-bearing. That combination earns an exam.

!
Rule this out first
Hip Fracture Or Stress FractureFemoral neck fracture or stress fracture
Cannot bear weightAfter a fall, or a mileage spikeNight pain
Deep in the groin, with pain on weight-bearing that is out of proportion to what you did.
Get this checked if
  • You are over 60 and fell, even a minor fall, and now the groin hurts on weight-bearing
  • You are a runner who ramped mileage sharply, or an athlete with low energy availability or irregular periods
  • Pain with hopping or single-leg standing, and night pain
  • The leg may look shortened or turned outward after a fall
Do
  • Get imaged before you do anything else. Stress fractures of the femoral neck can progress to a full break
  • Stop weight-bearing activity until it has been cleared
  • Mention the mileage increase, or the fall, explicitly
Don’t
  • Push through it, run on it, or try to stretch it
  • Assume a normal X-ray rules out a stress fracture. Early ones often need an MRI
  • Wait weeks to see if it settles
1
Most common
Advanced Hip ArthritisAdvanced hip osteoarthritis
Groin and thighNight painLosing rotation
Deep in the groin, sometimes referring to the front of the thigh and even the knee.
Most likely yours if
  • Night pain, and difficulty finding a comfortable position
  • Stiffness that is now limiting daily tasks like socks, shoes and car seats
  • Turning the leg inward is clearly restricted compared with the other side
  • A limp that is becoming more consistent
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
  • Keep loading it. Strength consistently improves pain and function even in advanced arthritis
  • Use a stick or pole in the opposite hand if you are limping. It offloads the joint substantially
  • Have the conversation about replacement if night pain and function are the issue. Timing is a choice, not a failure
Don’t
  • Stop moving. Deconditioning makes everything about this worse
  • Rely only on medication
  • Assume exercise is pointless at this stage. It is not
2
Labral TearAcetabular labral tear
Clicking or catchingDeep groinPivoting hurts
Deep in the groin, often with a mechanical catch or click.
Most likely yours if
  • Clicking, catching or a sense of giving way deep in the joint
  • Pivoting, twisting or getting out of a car reproduces it
  • Often occurs alongside hip impingement in younger, active people
  • Pain can linger for hours after activity
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
  • Build strength in the pain-free range first. Many labral tears settle without surgery
  • Avoid end-range positions that catch
  • Get imaging if mechanical symptoms persist beyond a few months of good rehab
Don’t
  • Stretch into the catch
  • Keep doing deep squats, deep lunges and aggressive pivoting
  • Rush to surgery. A trial of proper loading comes first for most people
3
Bone Death In The HipAvascular necrosis of the femoral head
Steroid or alcohol historyProgressiveNight pain
Deep groin pain that builds steadily and is worse at night.
Most likely yours if
  • A history of long-term steroid use, heavy alcohol use, sickle cell disease, or previous hip trauma
  • Groin pain that has been steadily worsening over weeks to months
  • Night pain and increasing stiffness
  • Often between 30 and 50, which is young for arthritis
Stretches & mobility · daily
Strengthening · every other day
Do
  • Get an MRI. X-rays are normal in the early stages and early diagnosis genuinely changes the outcome
  • Mention any steroid or alcohol history to whoever assesses you
  • Reduce weight-bearing load until it is diagnosed
Don’t
  • Assume young age rules out a serious hip problem
  • Keep running on it
  • Wait for it to show up on X-ray
Self-checks you can do right now

The hop test. If you can, hop once on that leg. Sharp groin pain on landing is a stress fracture sign and means stop and get imaged, not push on.

The rotation check. Lying down, roll the relaxed leg in and out. Clearly less inward rotation than the other side is one of the earliest signs of hip joint disease.

The trend question. Is it steadily getting worse week over week, or does it fluctuate? Steady progression with night pain deserves imaging.

In the meantime
  • Use a stick in the opposite hand. If you are limping, this offloads the joint more than most people realize.
  • Keep moving within comfort. Pool work and cycling let you keep conditioning without pounding the joint.
  • Strength still matters. Even in advanced arthritis, glute strength improves pain and function.
  • Get the imaging. This is the one zone where waiting it out can genuinely cost you.
  • Sort out sleep. Pillow between the knees, and try a semi-reclined position.
Stop and get it looked at if

You cannot bear weight, you fell and you are over 60, the leg looks shortened or turned out, or you have a fever with severe hip pain. Also get seen promptly for a runner with groin pain on hopping, which can be a femoral neck stress fracture.

The Movements

Stretches &
Exercises

Every movement referenced above, in one place, with a video demo. Nothing here should reproduce sharp pain. Work in the range that feels clean and let it expand week by week. Two rules govern all of it, and they are spelled out right after this section.

Stretches and mobility

Daily is fine. Never stretch into a pinch at the front of the hip.

Single Knee-to-Chest demonstrationWatch demo
01
Single Knee-to-Chest
On your back, draw one knee toward your chest. Gentle, and the safest place to start when the hip or back is irritable.
Hold 30s · 3x each side
Figure-4 Glute Stretch demonstrationWatch demo
02
Figure-4 Glute Stretch
Ankle across the opposite knee, then draw both legs toward your chest. Opens the back of the hip.
Hold 45s · 2x each side
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch demonstrationWatch demo
03
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
Half-kneeling, tuck the tailbone under, then press the hips forward. Do not arch the low back to get more range. The single most useful stretch for a desk-bound hip.
Hold 45s · 2x each side
Tall-Kneeling Quad Stretch demonstrationWatch demo
04
Tall-Kneeling Quad Stretch
A hip flexor stretch with the back knee bent to catch the quad as well. Use a cushion under the knee.
Hold 45s · 2x each side
Pigeon Stretch demonstrationWatch demo
05
Pigeon Stretch
A deeper version of the figure-4 on the floor. Only go as far as a stretch, never into pinching in the front of the hip.
Hold 45s · 2x each side
Sciatic Nerve Glide demonstrationWatch demo
06
Sciatic Nerve Glide
Seated, straighten the knee and flex the ankle, then release. A gliding motion, not a stretch. Should never leave lasting numbness.
10 reps · 2 to 3x daily

Strengthening

Every other day. Bodyweight is plenty to start, and slow control beats speed.

Glute Bridge demonstrationWatch demo
01
Glute Bridge
Feet flat, drive through the heels, squeeze at the top. The foundation of nearly every hip program.
3 sets of 12
Clamshell demonstrationWatch demo
02
Clamshell
Side lying, knees bent, heels together, lift the top knee without rolling the hips back. Small movement, big effect.
3 sets of 15 each side
Side-Lying Hip Abduction demonstrationWatch demo
03
Side-Lying Hip Abduction
Lie on your side and lift the top leg straight up. The main exercise for the outside of the hip. Slow up, slower down.
3 sets of 12 each side
Standing Hip Extension demonstrationWatch demo
04
Standing Hip Extension
Standing tall, draw one leg straight back from the hip without arching the low back. Wakes up the glutes.
3 sets of 12 each side
Bird-Dog demonstrationWatch demo
05
Bird-Dog
On hands and knees, extend the opposite arm and leg. Trains the hip and trunk to work together, which is what protects the joint.
3 sets of 8 each side
Dead Bug demonstrationWatch demo
06
Dead Bug
On your back, lower the opposite arm and leg while keeping the low back flat. Core control without loading the spine.
3 sets of 8 each side
Two Rules

How To Know If
You’re Doing Too Much

These two rules apply to every program on this page, wherever your pain is. They are the same ones I give patients in the office, and they replace the guesswork about whether to push through something.

1
The 3 out of 10 rule

Some discomfort during these exercises is normal and even useful. Pain above about a 3 out of 10 is not. If an exercise pushes past that, reduce the range, the weight, or the number of reps.

2
The 24-hour rule

You should be back to your normal baseline within 24 hours. If it is more sore the next morning, you did too much. Cut the volume roughly in half and build back from there.

Hips reward patience more than most joints
Gluteal tendinopathy, the most common hip problem there is, typically takes around twelve weeks of consistent loading. High hamstring tendinopathy is often three months. Impingement and labral problems usually need eight to twelve weeks of good strength work before anyone should be talking about imaging or surgery. Almost none of this responds to rest, and most of it responds well to progressive loading. The people who do best are the ones still doing bridges and side-lying abduction in week six, when it does not feel like much is changing yet.
Don’t Wait On These

Signs You Should
Skip the Exercises

Most hip pain does well with sensible load management and progressive strengthening. These are the exceptions, and two of them need imaging rather than exercise.

You cannot bear weight, or the leg looks shortened or turned outward after a fall
A fall in anyone over 60 followed by groin pain on weight-bearing, even if the fall seemed minor
A runner with groin pain when hopping after a sharp increase in mileage. That can be a femoral neck stress fracture
Numbness in the saddle area, or loss of bladder or bowel control. That is a medical emergency
A hot, swollen hip with a fever
Progressive weakness, a dragging foot, or numbness that keeps spreading
Steadily worsening deep groin pain with night pain, especially with a history of steroid or heavy alcohol use
Pain that is getting worse week over week rather than fluctuating
Not sure which one you’ve got? That is exactly what a first visit is for.
Book an Exam
Common Questions

Hip Pain
Questions

Is hip pain on the outside actually the hip joint?

Usually not. True hip joint problems are felt in the groin, not on the outside. Pain on the bony point at the side of the hip is almost always gluteal tendinopathy, a tendon problem, and the giveaway is being unable to lie on that side at night. This distinction matters because the two need completely different treatment.

Why does my hip hurt when I lie on that side?

That is the signature of gluteal tendinopathy, sometimes called greater trochanteric pain syndrome. Lying on the side compresses the tendon against the bone. Sleep on the other side with a pillow between your knees, and avoid the standing crossover IT band stretch, which compresses the same tendon. The actual fix is progressive glute strengthening.

What does groin pain mean in the hip?

Groin pain is the classic location for true hip joint problems, which is why people often grab the front of the hip in a C shape to describe it. In someone over 50 with morning stiffness and difficulty putting on socks and shoes, that suggests hip arthritis. In a younger active person with a sharp pinch at the end of the range, it suggests femoroacetabular impingement.

Is my buttock pain sciatica or my hip?

The question that sorts it out is whether the pain travels below the knee. If pain, numbness or tingling goes past the knee, that points to a nerve from the low back and the back is what needs treating. Deep buttock pain that gets worse the longer you sit and does not go past the knee is more likely piriformis or deep gluteal pain.

Should I stretch my hip if it hurts?

It depends entirely on the diagnosis, which is why this page separates them. Gluteal tendinopathy gets worse with the standing crossover stretch. Hip impingement gets worse when you force the pinching end range. High hamstring tendinopathy gets worse with hamstring stretching. Meanwhile an arthritic hip genuinely benefits from daily range of motion work. Getting this backwards is a common reason hip pain drags on.

What is the pain right on my sit bone?

Almost certainly proximal hamstring tendinopathy, where the hamstring attaches to the sit bone. It is worst sitting on hard surfaces, and worse with hill running and deep lunges. It responds to progressive loading and gets worse with stretching, because stretching compresses the tendon against the bone. Use a cushion and expect it to take about three months.

When is hip pain an emergency?

Get seen immediately if you cannot bear weight, if you fell and are over 60, if the leg looks shortened or turned outward, or if you have a fever with severe hip pain. Numbness in the saddle area or loss of bladder or bowel control with buttock pain is a medical emergency. Runners with groin pain when hopping should be assessed for a femoral neck stress fracture before continuing to train.

How long does hip pain take to get better?

Gluteal tendinopathy typically takes about twelve weeks of consistent loading. Hip impingement and labral irritation usually need eight to twelve weeks of a good strength program before deciding anything further. High hamstring tendinopathy is often three months. Arthritis improves with strength work over six to twelve weeks and then needs maintaining. Week three usually feels like nothing is happening, which is normal.

Can a chiropractor help with hip pain?

Yes. Hip pain is closely tied to the low back, pelvis and the way you load the leg, and telling hip pain apart from referred back pain is a large part of the exam. Dr. Loewenstein assesses the hip alongside the back and pelvis, uses hands-on care to restore motion, and builds the loading program that resolves it. Treatment starts on the first visit at the UTC San Diego office.

UTC San Diego · Mon–Fri 9am–7pm · Sun 10am–4pm

Find Out What’s
Actually Going On

Narrowing it down by location gets you most of the way there. A hands-on exam gets you the rest of the way, and treatment starts on visit one.

Book an Appointment(858) 558-3111
5151 Shoreham Place, Suite 175 · UTC San Diego, CA 92122 · Near UCSD
JL
Dr. Jordan Loewenstein, D.C.
D.C. · M.S. Nutrition · ART Certified · Webster Certified · sdspinecare.com
Clinically reviewed August 2026
Related Pages
Foam Rolling: How to Do It RightTight Hip FlexorsPiriformis ExercisesLow Back Pain ExercisesKnee Pain by LocationAbout Dr. Loewenstein
This page is general educational information and is not a substitute for a professional diagnosis or individualized medical advice. Pain location narrows the possibilities, it does not confirm a diagnosis. Stop any exercise that causes sharp pain. If you cannot bear weight, fell and are over 60, have a fever with hip pain, or have numbness in the saddle area or loss of bladder or bowel control, seek medical care immediately.