Hip & Knee Pain Treatment in Cedar Park, TX

About This Condition

Understanding Hip & Knee Pain

Hip and knee pain frequently come from the same kinetic chain — restricted hip mobility leads to altered knee mechanics, and altered knee mechanics create hip loading problems. Treating one without understanding the other often produces temporary relief at best. This is particularly relevant for athletes who squat, run, or do any sport requiring repetitive lower-body loading.

Many patients who come to us in Cedar Park and Leander have already been told they need surgery — for a labral tear, meniscus issue, or knee degeneration. In many cases, PT is highly effective and surgery can be avoided or deferred indefinitely. Dan and Elaine are Doctors of PT, fellowship-trained in orthopedic manual therapy, and they take a systematic approach to figuring out where in the chain the problem actually originates before deciding how to treat it.

Does This Sound Familiar?

Hip or groin pain when squatting deep or sitting in a car for long periods
Knee pain going up or down stairs, or after sitting for a while
A clicking or clunking in the hip during movement
Knee swelling or stiffness that comes on after activity
A feeling that your knee might give out
Sharp pain at the outer knee that starts after a specific distance when running

What We See

Common Symptoms & Causes

Symptoms

Pain in the front, side, or back of the hip with squatting or running
Knee pain with stairs, squatting, or prolonged sitting
Clicking or clunking sensation in the hip
Knee swelling after activity or the morning after training
Instability or a sense the knee might give way
Pain at the outer knee that comes on predictably after a set distance or volume

Common Causes

Hip impingement (FAI) — bony contact limiting hip mobility
Kneecap pain syndrome — kneecap not tracking correctly
IT band syndrome from hip abductor weakness
Meniscal irritation from rotational load or poor knee mechanics
Weak glutes and hip abductors — knee takes compensatory load
Training load spikes without adequate recovery time

How We Help

How PT Liftology Treats Hip & Knee Pain

Assessment starts with a movement screen to identify where in the chain the problem originates — not just where it hurts. Hip impingement that looks like a hip problem is often driven by restricted hip internal rotation and poor hip control under load. Knee pain that looks like a kneecap tracking problem is often driven by hip abductor weakness and foot pronation. Getting this right determines whether treatment works or just provides temporary relief.

From there, we use manual therapy to restore hip mobility, specific strengthening for the glutes and hip stabilizers, and technique coaching for the movements that matter to you — squatting, running, lunging, or whatever your sport demands. Most patients continue training throughout their rehab with appropriate modifications. We accept HSA/FSA payments, no referral is needed to get started, and every session is one-on-one with a Doctor of PT.

Related Services

Depending on your presentation, treatment may include:

Orthopedic Manual Therapy Sports Physical Therapy Movement Analysis Dry Needling

What to Expect

Recovery: What It Typically Looks Like

Timelines vary based on the specific diagnosis and your baseline. Your clinician will give you a realistic picture at the first visit.

1

Phase 1 — Reduce Inflammation & Identify the Root Cause

Hands-on assessment, manual therapy, and load modification. We identify which structures are irritated and what's driving the pattern. Training modifications allow you to stay active without continuing to aggravate the issue.

2

Phase 2 — Hip & Glute Strengthening

Progressive loading for the glutes, hip abductors, and hip external rotators. Squat and lunge mechanics refined. Hip mobility work continued. Most patients see significant functional improvement in this phase.

3

Phase 3 — Return to Sport & Full Load

Full return to squatting, running, jumping, or your sport of choice. Movement is assessed under load before discharge. A home maintenance program ensures the gains hold.

What Our Patients Say

Real Patients, Real Results

★★★★★

"Elaine is awesome. She has kept me pain free and away from knee surgery for years. She is marvelous."

Harold I.

Knee Pain, Surgery Prevention

★★★★★

"I wish I had come across Dr. Elaine and Dr. Dan earlier in my recovery from an extensive hamstring avulsion fracture. I'm extremely grateful for PT Liftology's pragmatic approach to healing, which emphasizes proper mechanics. Highly recommend them to anyone seeking clarity on their own recovery journey!"

Steven G.

Hamstring Pain & Recovery

Related Conditions

We Also Treat

Conditions that often appear alongside hip and knee pain or share similar root causes:

Common Questions

FAQ — Hip & Knee Pain

For many people, yes. Hip impingement involves bony anatomy that doesn't change with PT, but symptoms are driven by how the hip moves and what loads it handles — both of which respond very well to hands-on care. The majority of patients with symptomatic hip impingement improve significantly with PT focused on hip mobility, movement mechanics, and strength. Surgery is typically considered when PT hasn't produced adequate improvement after a meaningful trial.

Not necessarily. In most cases we can modify the squat — depth, stance, loading position — to allow continued training while we address the root cause of the pain. Complete avoidance of squatting is rarely the right approach and often prolongs recovery. The goal is to find a version of the movement that doesn't aggravate things while we fix what's driving the problem.

IT band pain is almost always a compression issue — the IT band compresses against the lateral femoral condyle during knee flexion around 30 degrees, which is exactly the angle at which the knee moves during running. The underlying driver is usually hip abductor weakness (especially gluteus medius) combined with a training load that exceeds tissue tolerance. Foam rolling the IT band itself addresses the symptom but not the cause.

It depends significantly on the type and location of the tear, the severity of symptoms, and your activity level. Degenerative meniscal changes in an older athlete often respond very well to PT within 6–10 weeks. Acute traumatic tears in a younger athlete may take longer, and some presentations are better suited to surgical management — in which case we'd discuss that with you honestly. Many people are surprised by how much improvement is possible without surgery.