Older woman holding hip in pain outdoors

Try Pelvic PT for Hip Pain

By Christy Sieler, PT, DPT March 01, 2024 Posted in: Physical Therapy

Have you experienced hip pain and can’t seem to get relief? Maybe you’ve already tried physical therapy in the past to help improve the pain, but it didn’t work. If you haven’t tried Pelvic PT, it might be the missing link your body is looking for.

What is Pelvic PT?

Pelvic physical therapists have in-depth, personalized training in the area of the body commonly referred to as the “core.” The core includes the diaphragm (our breathing muscle), muscles of the low back, abdomen, and pelvic floor. The core is the connecting center of our bodies. It literally connects the upper extremities to the lower extremities.

How Pelvic PT Can Help Hip Pain

Many muscles in the pelvic floor area directly affect the function of our hips. It is very common for dysfunctions in the pelvic floor to result in hip pain. Since pelvic floor physical therapists specialize in addressing pathologies of the pelvic area, we often see common hip disorders which can include, but are not limited to: sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain, hip bursitis, labral tears and so many more.

Pelvic PTs have the unique ability to treat the hip by incorporating its complex coordination with the pelvic floor. Also, due to the hip’s connection to the pelvic floor, Pelvic PTs can also treat many other symptoms that might coincide with hip pain: urinary leakage or urgency, pain with intercourse, and pelvic pain to name a few.

Here at CHI Health, our Pelvic PT’s are experts in working with muscles of the pelvic area and are skilled in delivering muscle and joint relief techniques to these areas. Pelvic PTs can also instruct their patients in core retraining which can set the foundation for you to better support the joints of the hips. In addition to pain relief and strengthening, Pelvic PTs can train their patients in proper body mechanics to facilitate a return to work and do the things they love without causing repeat injuries.