Hip pain doesn't mean you stop squatting or running. Our fellowship-trained Doctors of PT diagnose the root cause — lateral hip pain, osteoarthritis, or FAI — and build a plan to get you back to full activity.
Common Diagnoses
Hip pain isn't just one thing. Click each section below to learn about the three most common causes we see in lifters and runners — and what to do about each one.
Lateral hip pain (sometimes called gluteal tendinopathy) is pain on the outside of your hip caused by irritation of the tendons attached to your glute muscles. It's the most common cause of lateral hip pain in runners and active adults.
Lateral hip pain occurs when the gluteal tendons are overloaded beyond their capacity. Common contributing factors include:
Tendons heal with progressive loading, not rest. We use isometric and eccentric hip strengthening (e.g., side-lying hip abduction, single-leg stance) to rebuild tendon capacity while modifying aggravating activities. Most runners can stay training with intelligent load management.
Hip osteoarthritis is degenerative wear of the cartilage in the hip joint, leading to pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion. It typically affects adults over 50 and is more common in people with a history of hip injuries, structural abnormalities (like FAI), or high-impact sports.
Hip osteoarthritis develops when cartilage in the hip joint wears down over time. Contributing factors include:
While arthritis is degenerative, symptoms can be managed effectively with conservative care. We use joint mobilization, strengthening of hip stabilizers, and activity modification to reduce pain and improve function. Low-impact cross-training (cycling, swimming) can maintain fitness while offloading the joint. Surgery (hip replacement) is reserved for severe cases.
Hip impingement (FAI) is a structural condition where an irregular bone shape causes the top of your thigh bone to pinch against your hip socket during certain movements — especially deep bending at the hip. It's common in athletes who perform repetitive deep hip flexion (squatting, deadlifting, running).
FAI is caused by structural bone abnormalities that develop during growth or from repetitive loading. Contributing factors include:
While FAI is a structural issue, most cases respond well to conservative care. We use hip strengthening, mobility work, and movement retraining to reduce impingement forces. Modifying squat depth and avoiding end-range flexion can allow continued training. Surgery — a minimally invasive procedure called hip arthroscopy — is reserved for cases that don't improve with physical therapy.
Evidence-Based Resources
Lateral hip pain doesn't mean you stop running. A Doctor of PT breaks down the root causes and gives you 3 evidence-backed exercises to keep training.
Hip impingement doesn't always mean surgery. Here's how to modify training and strengthen your way through FAI symptoms.
Book a free 15-minute phone call with a Doctor of PT. We'll figure out what's going on and build a plan to get you back to training.