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Jordan Loewenstein, D.C. | La Jolla Chiropractor

UTC San Diego · Hip pain

Hip pain chiropractor in San Diego

Groin pinch, outer-hip ache, deep buttock pain or a hip that clicks and catches: each one comes from a different structure, and the exam tells me which. Treatment starts the same visit.

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Quick answer

Yes, chiropractic care helps most hip pain, and the first job is working out where it is actually coming from. Pain in the groin usually means the hip joint itself; pain on the outside of the hip is usually the gluteal tendons or bursa; deep buttock pain is more often the piriformis or the SI joint, and sometimes the low back referring down. I examine the hip, the pelvis and the low back together, then treat with soft tissue work, hip and pelvic adjustments, and two or three targeted home exercises. First visit is 45 minutes at my UTC San Diego office, same-day openings, most insurance accepted.

Where it hurts tells me where to treat

The hip is where four different problems get called the same thing. Find yours.

  • Groin, deep in the front of the hip, worse sitting low, getting out of the car, or pivoting; sometimes a click or catch: usually the hip joint itself, often the labrum or impingement. The hip labral tear guide covers this one.
  • Outside of the hip, tender to lie on, worse on stairs and standing on one leg: the gluteal tendons and bursa (greater trochanteric pain), which is a tendon problem, not an inflammation problem, and responds to loading more than rest.
  • Deep in the buttock, worse sitting, sometimes into the back of the thigh: the piriformis and deep rotators, or the sacroiliac joint if it sits closer to the dimple at the base of the back.
  • Front of the hip and thigh with a stiff low back, especially after sitting: tight hip flexors pulling the pelvis forward. Common in desk workers and cyclists.
  • Pain that also runs down the leg below the knee, or with numbness: that is the low back, not the hip, and it is on my sciatica page.

Not sure which? The hip pain by location guide walks through each spot with the self-checks, or just come in and let the exam settle it.

See a physician first if the hip pain followed a fall and you cannot bear weight, if it comes with fever or unexplained weight loss, or if you have groin pain with a history of steroid use or heavy alcohol use, which needs imaging to rule out problems in the bone.

How I treat it

The first visit is 45 minutes and most of it is the exam: hip range of motion, orthopedic tests that load the joint, the tendons and the SI joint separately, and a look at how the pelvis is sitting with you face down. If the exam is clear, treatment starts right then.

Settle itHeat and e-stim when the muscles are guarding, then soft tissue work on the glutes, piriformis, hip flexors and the band down the outside of the thigh. I am ART certified; this is where that gets used most.
Restore motionAdjustment of the hip, the sacroiliac joints and the low back segments that are stiff. A hip that has lost rotation loads everything around it; getting it back is usually the turning point.
Take the load offFor labral and impingement patterns, gentle traction and mobilization of the joint rather than forcing range. For tendon patterns on the outside of the hip, the opposite: progressive loading, because rest makes those worse.
Two or three things for homeA glute exercise, a hip flexor stretch, or a single-leg drill, matched to your pattern. The full library is in the hip guide.

Weeks for most, longer for tendons

A few weeksHip flexor tightness, SI joint or piriformis pain, and a recent flare of outer-hip pain usually settle in a few weeks: once or twice a week to start, then spreading out.
Two to three monthsGluteal tendon pain (outer hip) and labral or impingement patterns take longer because tendon and cartilage adapt slowly. Progress comes in steps, and the home loading matters as much as the visits. A labral tear that keeps catching despite good conservative care gets an orthopedic referral; most do not need one.

Pain usually fades before the strength and motion underneath have recovered. Finishing the corrective phase is what stops the outer-hip pain coming back every time you start running again. I reassess as we go; if nothing has changed after the first few weeks, the plan changes or I refer you on.

Hip pain by locationHip flexor stretchesLabral tear exercisesPiriformisSI joint

Common questions

Can a chiropractor help with hip pain?

Yes, for the common causes: hip flexor tightness, piriformis and SI joint pain, gluteal tendon pain on the outside of the hip, and labral or impingement patterns managed conservatively. I examine the hip, pelvis and low back together, because hip pain often has more than one source, and treat with soft tissue work, adjustments and a short home program. Fractures, infections and advanced arthritis are referred.

How do I know if my hip pain is the joint or something else?

Location is the first clue. Groin pain with sitting low or pivoting points to the joint. Outer-hip pain that hurts to lie on points to the gluteal tendons. Deep buttock pain points to the piriformis or SI joint. Pain running below the knee points to the low back. The exam confirms it with tests that load each structure separately.

Is it hip pain or sciatica?

Sciatica travels: down the back of the leg, often below the knee, sometimes with numbness or tingling. Hip pain stays in the groin, outer hip or buttock and gets worse with hip movement rather than with coughing or bending the spine. Deep buttock pain can be either, which is why I examine both.

Should I stretch or strengthen for hip pain?

Depends on the pattern. Hip flexor and piriformis pain respond to stretching plus glute strength. Outer-hip tendon pain responds to progressive loading and gets worse with aggressive stretching across the hip. Labral and impingement patterns need motion restored without forcing range. That is why the exam comes before the exercise list.

Do I need an X-ray or MRI for hip pain?

Usually not to start. Imaging is for pain after a fall, inability to bear weight, red flags, suspected advanced arthritis, or a labral pattern that is not improving with conservative care. Many labral tears and bony changes on MRI are also found in people with no pain, so the result has to match the exam.

How many visits will I need?

Hip flexor, SI joint and piriformis problems often settle in a few weeks at once or twice a week. Gluteal tendon pain and labral or impingement patterns take two to three months, with the home loading doing much of the work. I reassess as we go and change the plan if it is not moving.

Ready to find out what’s causing your hip pain?

Same-day openings are usually available, including Sundays. In-network with most major plans. 5151 Shoreham Place, Suite 175, UTC San Diego, near UCSD.

Book onlineCall (858) 558-3111

Jordan Loewenstein, D.C.
ART Certified · M.S. Nutrition · Webster Certified