The Movement Doc of Texas
Hip Pain Treatment in New Braunfels, TX
Pinching at the front of the hip, pain on the outside of the hip at night, a deep ache in the buttock. These behave differently, and each one needs a different plan.
- 90-minute first visit
- No referral to start
- Plan the same day
The hip carries more load than almost any joint in the body, and it shares that job with the low back and the knee. Pain felt in the hip can start in the spine, and a hip that has lost rotation or strength often shows up as knee or back pain first. Sorting out which is which is the first job.
What We See Most
The common patterns, and what each one behaves like.
Pinching at the front of the hip in a deep squat, getting out of a car, or at the bottom of a lunge. An ache over the outside of the hip that is worse lying on that side at night and climbing stairs. Deep buttock pain that builds with sitting. Groin pain in athletes who cut, sprint and kick. Stiffness first thing in the morning that loosens once you are walking.
Each of those behaves differently under testing, and that behaviour decides the plan — not the label on an old X-ray.
Frequently involved
- Hip impingement-type pain (FAI) and labral irritation
- Gluteal tendon pain on the outside of the hip, often called bursitis
- Hip flexor and adductor (groin) strains
- Deep gluteal and piriformis-type buttock pain
- Hip osteoarthritis
- Rehab after hip arthroscopy or replacement
The Assessment
What a 90-minute first visit actually covers
History that matters
When it started, which positions provoke it, and what changed in training, work or sleep beforehand. Night pain on one side and pain after sitting point in very different directions.
Clearing the back
Lumbar spine screening comes first, because pain referred from the back is one of the most common reasons hip treatment fails.
Measured strength
Hip abduction, extension and rotation strength measured with VALD dynamometry, side against side, so the plan is built on numbers rather than a hand-resisted guess.
Loaded testing
Squat depth, single-leg stance, step-downs and the specific movement that hurts for you, and how the pelvis and knee behave when the hip is asked to control them.
A program you leave with
Two or three exercises aimed at what testing found, with load and frequency written down, and a clear rule for how much discomfort during training is acceptable.
Treatment
Calm the irritable tissue, then load it properly.
Early on, the goal is to reduce irritation without stopping everything: joint mobilization where hip rotation or extension is restricted, dry needling into the gluteal and hip flexor muscles when tone is limiting movement, and changes to positions such as crossed-leg sitting and side-lying that keep aggravating a sensitive tendon.
Lateral hip and tendon pain respond to progressive loading more than anything else, and our full training facility means that loading happens in the clinic with real equipment, not a resistance band and a handout. When the hip will not tolerate heavy load yet, blood flow restriction training builds strength with light weights, and ARPwave neuromuscular therapy can help re-engage glute muscles that have stopped working well after an injury or surgery.
Getting started
A 90-minute evaluation is $185. You leave with a plan the same day, not a follow-up appointment to hear the results.
In-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, out-of-network with superbills for other plans, HSA and FSA accepted. Details on the pricing page.
FAQs
Common questions
Is my hip pain actually coming from my back?
Sometimes. Pain in the buttock or down the side of the thigh can be referred from the lumbar spine, which is why we screen the back at the first visit. If the back is involved, the plan treats both; if it is not, you avoid months of treating the wrong area.
I was told I have hip bursitis. Is that right?
Much of the pain on the outside of the hip that used to be called bursitis turns out to be irritation of the gluteal tendons, which is one reason an injection alone often gives only temporary relief. Tendons improve with the right amount of load and by avoiding the compressed positions that aggravate them, and that is what physical therapy focuses on.
Can physical therapy help hip arthritis?
Exercise-based physical therapy is a recommended first-line treatment for hip osteoarthritis, and many people reduce pain and walk further with it. We cannot promise it avoids surgery, but if you do need a replacement, going into it stronger helps your recovery afterwards.
Do you take my insurance?
We are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield. For all other insurers we are out-of-network: you pay at the time of service and we provide a CMS-1500 superbill to submit for possible reimbursement. HSA and FSA cards are accepted.
Do I need a referral for physical therapy in Texas?
Not to get started. Texas Direct Access lets you begin physical therapy without a physician referral for the first month of care. After that month a referral is required to continue, and we coordinate with your provider to get one.
Tired of working around your hip?
Start with a free 15-minute consultation, or book the evaluation and get an answer the same day.
“Alisha has helped my son tremendously after a hip injury. He is an athlete and has completely recovered after seeing her for therapy. Highly recommend!!”
— Ellie H., Google review
- Doctors of Physical Therapy
- Board-certified orthopedic specialists
- Fellowship-trained in manual therapy
- $185 evaluation · every price published