Hip Pain Can Impact Everyday Movement, Athletic Performance

Our hips play a central role in how we move, balance and stay active throughout life. From simple daily tasks to high-level athletic performance, hip mobility, strength and stability are essential to maintaining independence and preventing hip pain.

Lafayette physical therapist Patrick Yoder, PT, DPT, who practices at Franciscan Health, shares why hip health matters and how physical therapy can help people move and live better.

Key Takeaways: Hip Pain And Activity

• Healthy hips are essential for everyday movement and athletic performance.
  From walking and standing to sports and recreation, strong and mobile hips help the body move efficiently and reduce the risk of pain or injury.
• Hip pain can happen for different reasons. Tight muscles, limited mobility and nerve irritation can all contribute to hip pain. Physical therapists assess the whole movement system to identify and address the root causes.
• Physical therapy and staying active can relieve hip pain and restore function.
  Targeted therapy, movement-based treatment and gradual activity progression can reduce pain, improve mobility and help people return to the activities they enjoy.

Why Are Hips So Important For Daily Athletic Activity?

Many people don’t realize just how much their hips are involved in everyday life. Basic movements, such as walking, getting out of a chair, rolling out of bed, picking items up from the floor, or even putting on pants, rely heavily on healthy hip motion and strength.

“A lot of times, I think we take our hips for granted, like we don't really fully realize all the vital ways our hips are necessary throughout our daily life,” Yoder said.

The hips are equally important for athletic movements. Activities such as jumping, changing directions, kicking, or rotating through a swing all require strong, mobile hips that work in multiple planes of motion. Without adequate hip mobility and stability, the body compensates elsewhere, often leading to pain or injury.

“It's important to have mobility in all the different planes of movement, such as like forward and back, side to side, that rotation as well, along with the strength and stability to be able to perform these activities both efficiently and effectively,” Yoder said.

What Are The Main Causes Of Hip Pain?

Hip pain can be complex, with many possible causes. Some cases are related to specific diagnoses, such as osteoarthritis, while others have no clear medical explanation.

Physical therapists evaluate hip pain from a whole-body movement perspective, examining how your joints, muscles and nerves interact.

Yoder explained several common contributors to hip pain:

Snapping hip

A snapping hip, or a popping sensation in your hip, may be caused by tight muscles either near the surface or deep within the hip.

“In physical therapy, it is possible to address the tightness in those specific muscles through a variety of manual therapy techniques, maybe some exercises,” said Yoder. “For these patients to return to daily activities with little to no pain.”

Piriformis syndrome

Piriformis syndrome occurs when tightness in a deep hip muscle irritates the nearby sciatic nerve.

“While I would definitely evaluate the back, I would also be looking at the hip and the surrounding muscles, particularly one that attaches at the hip called the piriformis,” Yoder said. “What people don't realize is right around the piriformis is where that sciatic nerve travels, and where it could get irritated. Sometimes after alleviating the trigger points in the piriformis and other surrounding muscles, it alleviates their sciatic symptoms.”

Limited hip mobility

Limited hip mobility can reduce power and increase strain on other areas such as the lower back.

“If a golfer lacks hip internal and external rotation, they're losing out on a lot of potential power with their swing. This can also relate to other sports too,” said Yoder. “They also might start relying more on their back for the power and then, that causes lower back pain.”

This is where addressing muscle tightness, improving mobility and restoring hip strength can significantly reduce pain and improve function. Working with a physical therapist can help.

What Can Patients Expect From Physical Therapy For Hip Pain?

Physical therapy for hip pain begins with a thorough assessment of hip strength, mobility and movement patterns to determine what may be contributing to the pain. Treatment is then tailored to address those specific concerns.

Physical therapy for hip pain may include hands-on techniques, targeted exercises and advanced approaches such as dry needling.

“Dry needling is known to create some neurological and chemical changes in the muscle to help alleviate that pain and tension that patient may be experiencing,” Yoder said. “That allows the physical therapist to progress the patient in more like functional movement exercises for them to return to the activities that they really enjoy.”

Physical therapy is far more than low-level exercise, Yoder added.

For athletes, including golfers, physical therapy can also include performance-based assessments that connect physical limitations to movement mechanics. Improving hip mobility and strength can lead to better performance and reduced pain.

“If there are golfers that are unable to execute basics of the golf swing, likely because of physical limitations, I'm here to help,” he said.

Can Activity Help Hip Pain?

Staying active is one of the most effective ways to support hip health. While pain in the hips cannot always be fully prevented, movement plays a critical role in maintaining hip function.

“One of the best ways to prevent hip pain is staying active, even with as simple of an activity as walking,” Yoder said.

Physical activity can include going to the gym, but everyday movement such as gardening, household chores, cooking or spending time with others all contribute to physical health. The key is finding activities that are realistic, enjoyable and sustainable.

People experiencing hip pain should follow up with their  doctor or a physical therapist to see if there is something going on that they can help with.

“If you are having difficulties with your daily activities physically, I encourage you to come see a physical therapist,” said Yoder. “’Let's see what we can do together to help manage your pain to allow for more activity.”

Yoder also suggests pacing and gradual progression to make daily activity manageable. Break tasks into smaller, tolerable portions and slowly increase over time. This approach helps people regain confidence and function without overwhelming their bodies.

Hip pain doesn’t have to limit daily life or the activities you love. With early evaluation, targeted treatment and the right movement strategies, physical therapy can help restore confidence, mobility and function.