Struggling with hip pain in Warrington?
If you're finding it difficult to:
- Walk without pain or stiffness
- Get up from a chair or out of bed comfortably
- Sleep on your side without being woken by hip pain
You’re not alone — and you don’t have to just put up with it. Hip Pain is one of the most common conditions we treat at Stockton Heath Physiotherapy & Wellness. In most cases, it’s very treatable — without injections or surgery.
The good news
Does this sound like you?
Deep groin pain when walking, weight-bearing or after activity
Pain on the outer side of the hip or buttock
Stiffness getting out of a chair or first thing in the morning
Pain that radiates down the outer thigh
Aching at night when lying on the affected side
Reduced range of movement when rotating the hip
Why does hip pain happen?
Hip pain is often misattributed. Pain in the groin or deep in the hip joint usually comes from the hip itself — commonly osteoarthritis or labral irritation. But pain on the outer side of the hip is a different condition entirely, typically involving the gluteal tendons and bursa — known as GTPS (Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome) or lateral hip pain.
GTPS is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed and mismanaged hip conditions we see. Many patients are given advice that actually makes it worse — stretching the ITB, crossing the legs, sitting with the hip adducted. The correct approach involves specific loading of the gluteal tendons and modification of the positions and movements that provoke the condition.
Hip osteoarthritis is frequently undertreated with the assumption that nothing can be done short of a replacement. In reality, a structured exercise and manual therapy programme can significantly reduce pain and improve function, often allowing patients to defer or avoid surgery entirely.
Common contributing factors
- Osteoarthritis — gradual wear of the hip joint surface
- Weak gluteal muscles placing excessive load on the hip tendons
- Sudden increase in walking or exercise activity
- Sleeping positions that compress the lateral hip structures
- Poor movement mechanics and hip control when walking or climbing stairs
Why you shouldn’t ignore your hip pain
- Hip arthritis that isn’t managed tends to worsen and limit activity progressively
- GTPS that is mismanaged (particularly with the wrong stretches) often becomes chronic and much harder to treat
- Reduced hip mobility causes compensatory overload of the knee and lower back
- Disrupted sleep from hip pain at night compounds pain sensitivity and slows recovery
Early treatment = faster recovery. Most patients start to notice improvement within the first few sessions.
How we treat Hip Pain
Physiotherapy assessment & manual therapy
Hands-on treatment and specific exercise prescription
Shockwave therapy
Particularly effective for GTPS and gluteal tendinopathy
EMTT
For hip osteoarthritis and chronic hip conditions
Strength and rehabilitation programme
Rebuilding gluteal strength and hip control
Orthotics
Where gait mechanics are contributing to hip loading
Why patients choose Stockton Heath Physiotherapy & Wellness
Shockwave therapy on-site — clinically proven for gluteal tendinopathy and GTPS, often producing significant improvement where rest and other treatments haven’t worked
We correctly diagnose and distinguish between hip arthritis and lateral hip pain — two conditions that are frequently confused and require completely different treatment approaches
20+ years treating patients in Warrington — established, trusted, local
11 specialist clinicians across physiotherapy, sports therapy, women's health and more
CSP & HCPC registered chartered physiotherapists — fully qualified and regulated
Clear recovery plan from your first appointment — you leave knowing what's wrong and what happens next
Start fixing your hip pain today
