Can a Chiropractor Help With Hip Pain?
When most people think of a chiropractor, they think of back and neck pain. Hip pain doesn’t usually make the list. So when patients mention their hip during a visit, it’s often an afterthought: “My hip has been bothering me too, but I figured that’s not something you handle.”
In many cases, it is. The hip, pelvis, and low back work as one connected system. A problem in one area often shows up as pain in another. In my years of practice since 2008, a large share of the “hip pain” I’ve evaluated has turned out to involve the low back, the pelvis, or the muscles around the hip, not the hip joint alone.
That said, not all hip pain is a chiropractic problem. Here’s how to tell the difference.
Where Your Hip Hurts Tells Us a Lot
“Hip pain” can mean very different things depending on where you feel it. The location is one of the first things I ask about, because it points toward the likely source.
Pain in the Groin or Front of the Hip
Pain deep in the groin or the front of the hip often involves the hip joint itself, the ball-and-socket joint where the thigh bone meets the pelvis. Common causes include osteoarthritis (wear-related changes in the joint cartilage), irritation of the labrum (the ring of cartilage that lines the hip socket), and tight or strained hip flexors, the muscles that lift your leg.
Pain on the Outside of the Hip
Pain on the outer hip, especially when lying on that side or climbing stairs, often comes from the tendons and soft tissue over the greater trochanter, the bony point on the side of your hip. This is commonly called hip bursitis, though the gluteal tendons are often involved too. Weakness or poor control in the gluteus medius, a key hip stabilizing muscle, frequently plays a role.
Pain in the Back of the Hip or Buttock
This is where chiropractic care often helps most. Pain in the back of the hip or deep in the buttock frequently comes from the sacroiliac (SI) joints, where the spine connects to the pelvis, or from the lumbar spine (low back). Tension in the piriformis, a deep muscle in the buttock, can also cause pain here and sometimes irritates the sciatic nerve.
Many people call this hip pain, but the source is often above the hip joint.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help Hip Pain
When hip pain has a mechanical source, meaning it comes from how joints and muscles are moving and loading, chiropractic care can help in several ways:
Restoring motion in the SI joints and low back. When these joints are restricted, the hips and surrounding muscles often compensate, leading to pain and tightness.
Improving hip joint mobility. Chiropractors can use gentle mobilization or adjustment of the hip joint to improve range of motion, which can help with stiffness, including some cases of mild to moderate hip arthritis.
Reducing muscle tension. Tight hip flexors, glutes, and piriformis muscles often ease once the joints around them move better.
Addressing contributing habits. Long hours of sitting, uneven standing, and repetitive sports movements all affect the hips. I’ll talk with you about what may be feeding the problem.
If you sit for most of the day, this connection may sound familiar. I cover it in more detail in why does my back hurt after sitting all day? You can also learn more about how we approach posture issues.
For a broader look at how we treat hips, knees, shoulders, and other joints, visit our joint pain relief page.
When Hip Pain Is Really Back Pain
One of the most common things I see is hip pain that starts in the low back. Irritation of the lumbar joints or nerves can refer pain into the buttock, hip, and sometimes down the leg.
Signs your hip pain may be coming from your back:
The pain changes when you bend, twist, or sit for long periods
You also have low back stiffness or pain
The pain travels into the buttock or down the back of the thigh
You notice tingling or numbness in the leg
If pain shoots down the leg, sciatica may be involved. Read more on our sciatica relief page or in my post on how chiropractic care helps with sciatica. For low back complaints in general, see our back pain relief page.
When to See Someone Else First
Honest recommendations are part of how we practice. Some hip pain needs imaging, a medical evaluation, or a different specialist before chiropractic care is appropriate. See a medical provider promptly if you have:
Hip pain after a fall, especially in an older adult (possible fracture)
Inability to put weight on the leg
A hot, swollen, or red joint, or hip pain with fever
Sudden, severe pain with no clear cause
Locking, catching, or giving way in the hip that keeps getting worse
Hip pain with unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer
A child or teen with a new limp or hip or knee pain
If you walk in and I find something that needs a different provider, I’ll tell you directly and point you in the right direction. You can read more about this in my post on red flags in chiropractic care.
Hip Pain in Specific Groups
Athletes
Runners, soccer players, and other athletes often deal with hip flexor strain, SI joint irritation, and gluteal tendon issues from repetitive loading. See our sports injury treatment page and our season-by-season guide for Northern Utah athletes.
Pregnancy
Hip and pelvic pain are common during pregnancy as hormones loosen ligaments and posture shifts. I’m trained in the Webster Technique, a chiropractic approach focused on pelvic balance during pregnancy. Learn more on our prenatal and postnatal chiropractic page.
Desk Workers
Sitting keeps the hip flexors in a shortened position for hours, which can pull on the pelvis and low back. Small changes in how you sit and move during the day, combined with care for restricted joints, often make a noticeable difference.
What to Expect at Your Visit
Your visit starts with a conversation about where the pain is, when it started, and what makes it better or worse. Then I’ll examine your hip, pelvis, and low back to check joint motion, muscle tension, and how you move.
Your adjustment is based on what I find, not a preset routine. You’ll leave knowing what I think is causing your pain, what I did, and whether I think you should come back. For more detail, see what to expect and how a chiropractic clinic diagnoses issues.
Every visit is a $30 flat rate, with no membership, no contracts, and no treatment plan sales. We also accept HSA and FSA cards. More on our pricing is on our affordable chiropractor page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a chiropractor help with hip pain?
Yes, in many cases. Chiropractic care can help hip pain that comes from the low back, the sacroiliac joints, restricted hip joint motion, or tight muscles around the hip. If your pain needs imaging or a medical evaluation, we’ll tell you and refer you to the right provider.
How do I know if my hip pain is coming from my back?
Hip pain that changes with bending, twisting, or sitting, comes with low back stiffness, or travels into the buttock or leg often starts in the low back or pelvis. An assessment can help pinpoint the source.
Can a chiropractor adjust the hip joint?
Yes. Chiropractors can use gentle mobilization or adjustment techniques to improve motion in the hip joint. Care is based on your assessment, and adjustments are always matched to your comfort and condition.
When should I see a doctor instead of a chiropractor for hip pain?
See a medical provider first if your hip pain follows a fall, you can’t bear weight, the joint is hot or swollen, you have a fever, or the pain is sudden and severe. A child or teen with a new limp should also be evaluated by a medical provider.
How much does a chiropractic visit for hip pain cost?
Every visit at Bones Chiropractic is a $30 flat rate at both our Layton and Roy locations. There are no memberships, contracts, or treatment plans, and we accept HSA and FSA cards.
Walk In for Hip Pain Relief
If hip pain is slowing you down, walk in during business hours at either location. No appointment needed, no commitment required.
Layton: 2146 N Main St, Suite 548 | (801) 902-9818 | Mon to Fri 10am to 6pm, Sat 10am to 2pm. Learn more about our Layton clinic.
Roy: 4868 S 1900 W | (801) 820-5916 | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 10am to 6pm, Sat 10am to 2pm. Learn more about our Roy clinic.