The hip is one of the hardest working joints in the body. It helps support balance, movement, and stability every time you walk, exercise, climb stairs, or shift positions throughout the day. When the joint becomes irritated, many patients first notice stiffness or tightness before the pain becomes more constant.
Hip pain can develop for many different reasons. Some patients are active runners or golfers dealing with repetitive stress. Others begin noticing gradual changes from arthritis, cartilage wear, or long-term inflammation. In some cases, the problem is not just inside the joint itself. Tight muscles, irritated tendons, movement restrictions, and compensation patterns may all affect the way the hip moves and feels over time.
Inside the hip joint, the labrum helps create stability and cushioning during movement. Cartilage helps the joint glide smoothly with less friction. When these structures become irritated or begin wearing down, movement may feel less comfortable and less natural than it used to.
At North Texas Musculoskeletal Medicine, we provide non-surgical treatment options for hip pain using regenerative medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. Our approach focuses on movement, joint health, tissue healing, and helping patients stay active long term.
Common shoulder conditions include:
Hip arthritis
Hip arthritis develops when the cartilage inside the joint gradually wears down over time. As the protective surface becomes thinner, movement may feel stiff, painful, or less stable. Patients often notice discomfort with walking, standing, stairs, or prolonged activity.
Labral tears
The labrum helps stabilize and cushion the hip joint during movement. Repetitive rotation, sports activity, and structural stress may lead to small tears that affect stability and mobility within the joint.
Hip bursitis
Hip bursitis involves irritation of the bursa along the outer portion of the hip. Patients commonly notice pain while lying on the affected side, walking longer distances, or standing for extended periods.
Iliotibial band syndrome
The IT band runs along the outside of the hip and thigh and helps support movement during walking and exercise. Repetitive friction and overuse may irritate the tissue and create pain along the outer hip or knee, especially in runners and cyclists.
Piriformis syndrome
The piriformis muscle sits deep within the glute area near the sciatic nerve. When the muscle becomes tight or irritated, it may create glute pain, sitting discomfort, or symptoms that radiate down the leg.
- Gluteal tendonitis
- Hip impingement
- Groin strains
- Hamstring injuries
- Overuse conditions
Common symptoms may include:
- Groin pain
- Outer hip pain
- Glute pain
- Hip stiffness
- Pain while walking
- Pain with stairs
- Reduced mobility
- Clicking or catching sensations
- Pain after exercise
- Difficulty sleeping comfortably
- Pain that radiates into the thigh or low back
Hip Pain Treatments
Regenerative Procedures
Regenerative medicine focuses on supporting the body’s natural healing response in damaged or chronically irritated tissue.
PRP for Hip Conditions
PRP uses concentrated platelets from your blood to support healing and reduce inflammation in damaged tendons, ligaments, and soft tissues around the hip. PRP may be considered for tendon injuries, bursitis, labral irritation, and chronic overuse conditions. Learn more.
Stem Cell Therapy / BMAC
Stem cell therapy and BMAC use cells and growth factors from bone marrow to support tissue repair and joint health. These procedures may be considered for cartilage degeneration, arthritis-related hip pain, and chronic tissue damage. Learn more.
Prolotherapy
Prolotherapy uses targeted injections to stimulate healing and support weakened connective tissue around the hip joint. About prolotherapy.
ESW / EMTT
ESW and EMTT use non-invasive energy-based technology to stimulate healing, improve circulation, and support recovery in chronically irritated soft tissues.
Certain tissues in the hip have limited blood supply, which can make healing slower after injury or repetitive strain. Regenerative medicine focuses on supporting repair in areas that may struggle to fully recover on their own.
Osteopathic Manipulation
Dr. Rijo Philip, DO uses Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) to evaluate movement restrictions, gait mechanics, and compensation patterns throughout the hips and lower body. Some dysfunctions are subtle and may not appear clearly on imaging, but they can still affect the way the hip moves and performs during activity.
Conservative Care
Conservative treatment may include mobility work, rehabilitation guidance, supportive exercise, and activity modification. In some cases, reducing stress on irritated tissues gives the body an opportunity to recover more effectively.
Dr. Dennis E. Minotti, DO is our lead regenerative medicine provider and has treated more than 8,000 musculoskeletal cases. He works with patients experiencing chronic hip pain, arthritis, labral injuries, and movement limitations that interfere with activity and long-term mobility. Treatment plans are designed around the condition, activity level, and goals for recovery.
Many patients come to us because they want to keep moving comfortably and avoid more invasive procedures if possible. Regenerative medicine and osteopathic care may help support healing while focusing on long-term joint health and mobility.
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Get Treatment for Your Hip Pain
Why Hip Pain Often Becomes Chronic
The hip absorbs force constantly throughout the day. Walking, exercise, standing, and repetitive movement all place stress on the joint and surrounding soft tissue. When irritation continues without proper healing, small problems may gradually become more limiting over time.
Many patients also begin compensating without realizing it. They shift weight differently while walking, avoid certain movements, or tighten surrounding muscles to protect the joint. Over time, those patterns may place added stress on the low back, knees, pelvis, and glute muscles.
How Hip Mechanics Affect Movement
Healthy hip movement plays a major role in balance, posture, and lower body mechanics. When mobility becomes restricted, the body often adapts in ways that affect nearby joints and muscles.
At our practice, Dr. Rijo Philip, DO evaluates how movement restrictions and structural compensation may contribute to ongoing hip pain and stiffness. Improving movement quality may help reduce unnecessary stress throughout the body and support more efficient movement during activity.
Can Hip Conditions Heal Without Surgery?
Not every hip condition requires surgery. Some patients improve with conservative care, regenerative medicine, rehabilitation, and osteopathic treatment depending on the severity of the condition and the tissue involved.
Early treatment may also help prevent ongoing irritation and compensation patterns from becoming more difficult to manage over time.
What to Expect During Your Evaluation
Your visit begins with a detailed discussion about symptoms, injuries, activity level, footwear, and treatment history. Dennis E. Minotti, DO and Dr. Rijo Philip, DO evaluate gait mechanics, balance, instability, range of motion, and movement patterns contributing to stress on the foot and ankle.
Ultrasound evaluation may also be used to assess tendons, ligaments, and soft tissue structures in real time.
Personalized Treatment Planning
Every patient has different goals for recovery. Some want to continue exercising comfortably. Others are focused on walking longer distances, reducing stiffness, or staying active without relying on pain medication.
Treatment recommendations may include PRP, stem cell therapy, prolotherapy, ESW/EMTT, rehabilitation guidance, or Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine depending on the condition and tissue involved.
Risks of Repeated Cortisone Injections
Cortisone injections may temporarily reduce inflammation and pain. However, repeated use may raise concerns regarding cartilage health, connective tissue strength, and long-term joint support over time.
At our practice, treatment planning focuses on movement, tissue health, and supporting long-term joint function whenever appropriate.
Hip Pain FAQs
Why does my hip hurt when I walk for long periods?
Hip pain with walking is often related to arthritis, tendon irritation, labral injuries, bursitis, or changes in hip mechanics that place stress on the joint over time.
Can PRP help hip arthritis?
PRP may help reduce inflammation and support joint function in some patients with mild to moderate hip arthritis.
Why does my hip hurt at night?
Hip pain at night is commonly associated with bursitis, joint inflammation, arthritis, or irritation of the surrounding tendons and soft tissues.
What is a hip labral tear?
The labrum is a ring of cartilage that helps stabilize and cushion the hip joint. Tears may develop from sports activity, repetitive rotation, instability, or degeneration over time.
Why does my hip pain spread into the groin or thigh?
The hip joint and surrounding nerves may refer pain into nearby areas including the groin, glutes, thigh, or low back.
Can hip bursitis heal without surgery?
Many cases of hip bursitis improve with conservative care, regenerative medicine, rehabilitation, and activity modification depending on the severity of inflammation.
Why does my hip feel stiff after sitting?
Hip stiffness after sitting is often related to inflammation, arthritis, joint restriction, or tight surrounding soft tissues that become less mobile after prolonged inactivity.
Can regenerative medicine help hip pain?
Regenerative medicine may help support healing and reduce chronic irritation in certain tendon injuries, arthritis-related conditions, labral injuries, and overuse conditions involving the hip.
Why does my hip click during movement?
Clicking or catching sensations may develop from labral irritation, tendon movement, instability, or mechanical dysfunction within the hip joint.
Can hip instability improve without surgery?
Some cases of hip instability may improve with rehabilitation, regenerative medicine, and treatment focused on improving connective tissue support and movement mechanics.
What causes pain on the outside of the hip?
Outer hip pain is commonly associated with bursitis, gluteal tendon irritation, IT band dysfunction, or chronic tension along the outside of the hip.
Can ESW / EMTT help chronic hip pain?
ESW and EMTT may help stimulate healing, improve circulation, and support recovery in chronically irritated soft tissues surrounding the hip.
Helping DFW Patients
We regularly work with patients throughout Dallas–Fort Worth who are frustrated by stiffness, reduced mobility, and hip pain that slowly begins limiting the way they move. Many are active adults who want to continue exercising, golfing, traveling, and staying independent without immediately considering surgery.
Take the Next Step
Hip pain does not always begin with a major injury. For many patients, it starts with stiffness after sitting, discomfort during long walks, or movement that simply feels less smooth than it used to. If hip pain is beginning to affect the way your body moves and recovers, our team can help you explore non-surgical treatment options focused on mobility, healing, and long-term joint health.
Schedule a consultation to see if regenerative hip treatment is right for you.