Condition
Hip Pain Treatment in Austin, TX
Where the hip hurts — groin, side or buttock — points toward very different problems. That distinction drives everything that follows.
Understanding hip pain
"Hip pain" is used for at least three separate regions. Groin pain usually implicates the hip joint itself. Lateral pain over the bony point is usually tendon and bursa. Buttock pain is often the lumbar spine or deep gluteal structures.
Getting that geography right is most of the work. It determines whether care is aimed at the joint, at tendon loading, or at the spine.
Symptoms people describe
These are the patterns most often reported. You may have some and not others, and the mix matters during the evaluation.
- Deep groin pain with squatting, rotating or getting out of a car
- Pain on the outer hip when lying on that side at night
- Pinching at the front of the hip at the bottom of a squat
- Buttock pain with sitting or with running
- Stiffness putting on socks and shoes
- Clicking or catching with hip rotation
- Pain that appears at a consistent distance while running
What causes it
Hip joint-related pain
Groin-dominant pain, often with restricted internal rotation. Includes labral irritation, femoroacetabular patterns and osteoarthritis-related change.
Gluteal tendinopathy
The most common cause of lateral hip pain, especially in women over 40 and in runners. Classically painful lying on that side and with single-leg loading.
Deep gluteal irritation
Buttock pain with sitting, sometimes with nerve-like symptoms down the leg, related to structures around the sciatic nerve as it passes through the deep hip.
Lumbar spine referral
The lumbar spine commonly refers into the buttock and lateral hip. A hip that examines normally but hurts anyway raises this possibility.
Load and training change
Increases in running volume, hill work, or a return to squatting frequently precede lateral and anterior hip complaints.
When it should be evaluated
- Hip pain lasting more than two to three weeks
- Night pain lying on the affected side
- Progressive loss of hip range of motion
- Groin pain that limits squatting, running or getting in and out of a car
- Buttock pain with any leg symptoms
Red flags — seek medical care promptly
- Inability to bear weight after a fall, particularly in older adults — possible fracture
- Hot, swollen, painful hip with fever
- Progressive night pain unrelated to position with unexplained weight loss
- New leg weakness or numbness in the groin region
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.
How we evaluate it
- Localizing the pain precisely and reproducing it with specific tests
- Hip range of motion, particularly internal rotation, compared side to side
- Single-leg loading and control assessment
- Lumbar spine screening to rule referral in or out
- Assessment of running or squatting mechanics when relevant to your goals
How care is approached
Load management for tendon problems
Gluteal tendinopathy responds to reducing compressive positions — crossing legs, hanging on one hip, aggressive stretching into adduction — and progressive loading.
Chiropractic care
Directed at the hip, pelvis and lumbar spine where restriction and irritability are contributing to how the hip loads.
Neurologic rehabilitation
Rebuilding hip control in single-leg stance and in the specific patterns you need — running, squatting, stairs, cycling.
laser therapy
May be used for temporary relief of minor joint and muscle pain and joint stiffness around the hip as part of a broader plan.
What helps between visits
Stop stretching a compressive tendon
For lateral hip pain, pulling the knee across the body compresses the irritated tendon. It is one of the most common self-treatment mistakes.
Sleep with a pillow between the knees
Keeps the top hip out of adduction and frequently reduces night pain immediately.
Avoid hanging on one hip
Standing with weight shifted into one hip for long periods loads the same structures repeatedly.
Build single-leg strength
Step-ups, split squats and controlled single-leg work address the actual demand better than bilateral training alone.
Frequently asked questions
- Is my hip pain arthritis?
- Groin pain with restricted internal rotation in an older adult raises the possibility, but many causes of hip pain are not arthritis. An examination and, when needed, imaging clarify it.
- Why does my hip hurt when I run?
- Common reasons include gluteal tendon loading, deep gluteal irritation and hip joint-related pain, usually following a change in volume, surface or intensity. The location of the pain narrows it considerably.
- Should I foam roll my IT band?
- It can feel good temporarily. It does not lengthen the band, and rolling directly over an irritated gluteal tendon often makes things worse.
Have hip pain? Start with an evaluation.
An evaluation is the starting point. Dr. Schuch examines what is happening, explains what he finds, and tells you honestly whether this is something the practice can help with.