A 30 minute Hip Assessment with an accredited exercise physiologist in Epping.
Prefer to talk? Call 03 7047 6261
Epping clinic · Accredited clinicians · Book online in a minute
These are common, everyday signs your hip is not moving or coping the way it used to, and they are worth working through properly rather than living around.
Hip pain in your 40s, 50s and 60s is usually about load versus capacity. That means the amount of work your hip is being asked to do, walking, stairs, getting in and out of cars, has crept above what the muscles and joint around it can comfortably handle right now.
The hip joint itself, the muscles that wrap around it (like the glutes), and the tendons that attach them all share the job of moving and supporting you. If one part is underprepared, whether from a long period of less activity, an old injury, or simply years of daily wear, the others end up taking more strain than they are used to.
This is why the ache is often worse with specific movements, bending to put on socks, turning over in bed, the first few steps after sitting, rather than being constant. Those are the exact positions that ask the most of a hip that has lost some of its capacity.
It lingers because the natural response is to avoid the sore movements, which feels sensible but can quietly reduce capacity further over time. The way through is usually a steady, well-matched increase in the right kind of load, not more rest and not pushing through pain.
We build plans from the evidence, not guesswork. Here is some of it.
Exercise is identified as a cornerstone of hip and knee osteoarthritis management alongside weight loss and education.
Katz et al. (2021). Diagnosis and Treatment of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis: A Review. JAMA. PubMed 33560326OARSI guidelines designate structured land-based exercise programs as core first-line treatment for hip osteoarthritis.
Bannuru et al. (2019). OARSI guidelines for the non-surgical management of knee, hip, and polyarticular osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. PubMed 31278997Management of gluteal tendinopathy involves exercise to reduce tendon load, though evidence for specific treatments remains limited.
Grimaldi et al. (2015). Gluteal Tendinopathy: A Review of Mechanisms, Assessment and Management. Sports Med. PubMed 25969366A feasibility study showed supervised movement-pattern training improved function compared with no treatment in patients with chronic hip pain.
Harris-Hayes et al. (2016). Movement-Pattern Training to Improve Function in People With Chronic Hip Joint Pain: A Feasibility Randomized Clinical Trial. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. PubMed 27117727Research summaries are general information, not advice about your situation. Your assessment is what tells us what applies to you.
Easing off the sore movements can feel like the right call, and it often helps in the short term. But hips are built to bear load. When rest goes on too long, the muscles around the joint lose capacity, and the same walk or drive that used to feel fine starts to feel harder, not easier.
Printed stretches or a standard set of hip exercises are a reasonable starting point, but they are not built for your hip, your stiffness pattern or your daily demands. If the load is not matched to what your hip can currently manage, progress stalls or the ache flares again.
Groin or side-of-hip pain often has more to do with what is happening at the pelvis, lower back, or the strength through your glutes and trunk than the hip joint itself. Focusing only on the painful area can miss the actual driver of the problem.
Pushing through on a good day, then avoiding everything on a bad one, is one of the most common patterns we see. It keeps the hip in a cycle of flare and retreat, rather than building the steady, tolerable increase in load that actually builds capacity over time.
We start by talking through how long this has been going on, what it is getting in the way of, and what you have already tried.
We watch you walk, sit, stand, and manage steps, and we check the strength and range of movement around your hip, pelvis and lower back.
You leave knowing what is likely driving the pain and what a sensible next step looks like, whether that is a home program or ongoing sessions with us.
If you are not sure whether this is for you, come in and talk it through with us. That is exactly what the assessment is for.
Answer a few quick questions and we will get in touch to book you in.
Accredited clinicians who will explain everything in plain language.
No referral is needed to book a Hip Pain Assessment. If you have an NDIS plan or a DVA card, bring the details along and we can talk through how that works alongside your assessment.
Comfortable clothes you can move in, like you would wear to go for a walk, and shoes you can walk and step in. We will likely watch you walk, sit, stand and go up or down a step.
30 minutes. That gives us enough time to talk through your history, look at how your hip moves under load, and start putting together a plan with you.
Exercise physiology is claimable through many private health extras policies, and we are an NDIS and DVA registered provider. Bring your card or policy details and our team can check what applies to you.
That is common and it is useful information, not a reason to cancel. Tell us what happened and we will work around it on the day.
For most people, the right type and amount of movement is safe and is part of how a hip rebuilds capacity. We assess first so any exercise we suggest is matched to what your hip can currently handle.
Yes, there is parking available at Unit 11, 58 Willandra Drive, Epping, close to the entrance.
You will leave with a clearer picture of what is driving your hip pain and a plan for what to do next, whether that is a program with our exercise physiologist or a further conversation about your options.
Book a $79 Hip Pain Assessment at our Epping clinic and find out what is actually going on.
Prefer to talk? Call 03 7047 6261.