It usually follows a plan tailored to your needs. You can expect an evaluation. You will receive a personal set of exercises and hands-on care when needed. We will check in regularly to track your progress.
Keith Chan is a New York State-licensed physical therapist at In Touch NYC Physical Therapy. He treats hip arthritis with an individualized approach.
Key Takeaways
- Physical therapy for hip arthritis focuses on reducing pain, improving mobility, and strengthening the muscles that support the hip joint.
- A typical PT plan includes an evaluation, range-of-motion work, strengthening exercises, low-impact aerobic activity, and home exercises.
- Walking is usually helpful for hip arthritis when started gradually, but high-impact exercise, deep squats, heavy leg presses, and hard twisting should be avoided unless cleared by a therapist.
- Many people notice less pain within 4 to 6 weeks of consistent therapy, while larger improvements may take several months.
- Hip arthritis cannot be cured, but physical therapy can help manage symptoms, improve daily movement, and support recovery before or after hip replacement surgery.
How Physical Therapy Helps Hip Arthritis
Physical therapy treats hip arthritis without drugs or surgery. A licensed physical therapist studies how you move, identifies weak or stiff areas, and develops an exercise program to address them. The aim is to take pressure off the hip joint so you can move with less pain and keep doing daily activities.
The logic is simple. Stronger muscles around the hip share the load that the worn joint can no longer handle alone, which helps reduce pain over time.
A hip therapy plan also retrains how you walk, sit, and stand so you stop straining the joint out of habit. A Cochrane review found that exercise improves both pain and function for people with hip and knee osteoarthritis.
Understanding Hip Arthritis
Hip arthritis is the gradual breakdown of cartilage in the hip joint. Cartilage is the smooth cushion that lets the bones glide against each other. When it wears thin, the bones begin to rub, and the joint becomes stiff and sore.
Symptoms and Causes
Osteoarthritis is the most common form, and it usually develops with age, a history of hip injury, or excess body weight. The signs tend to build slowly rather than appear overnight. Watch for:
- Pain in the groin, thigh, or buttock
- Stiffness after sitting or sleeping
- Trouble walking, bending, or putting on shoes
Pain on the outside of the hip may also overlap with conditions like greater trochanteric pain syndrome, which a physical therapist can help distinguish during the evaluation.
What Happens During a PT Evaluation
Your first visit starts with a conversation, then a hands-on exam. The therapist asks when your hip hurts, what makes it worse, and which activities have become difficult, including whether symptoms may relate to nearby issues such as piriformis syndrome physical therapy. This history gives the clinician context before any testing begins.
Next comes the movement screen. The therapist measures your hip range of motion, checks your strength, and watches how you walk and stand.
These tests identify the source of your pain and help shape an individualized plan of care, including clear goals and a starting point for your exercise plan. You do not need imaging to diagnose hip arthritis, though a doctor may order an X-ray to rule out other causes.
Physical Therapy Exercises for Hip Arthritis
Physical therapy exercises for hip arthritis fall into three groups: range of motion, strength, and low-impact aerobic work, similar to the principles used in hip joint pain physical therapy exercises. Your therapist chooses the right mix based on your stage and goals, and the plan changes as you improve.
Early on, the focus is gentle motion and pain relief. Later, the work shifts toward building strength and staying active. Start slow and ease off if pain sharpens.
Range-of-Motion and Stretching
These exercises keep the hip flexible and chip away at pain and stiffness. They are usually where a new plan begins, since loosening the joint makes everything else easier.
- Lying hamstring stretch: Lie flat on the floor with both legs straight. Lift one leg toward your chest until you feel a gentle pull behind the thigh, then hold the stretch for about 30 seconds. Lower it slowly and switch sides.
- Knee-to-chest: Lie on your back with both feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Bring one knee toward your chest while bending your knee on the resting leg, and hold this position before returning to the starting position.
- Standing hip stretch: Hold on to a chair for balance, then gently swing one leg to loosen the joint through its range. Keep the movement small and controlled.
Strengthening Exercises
Strong muscles act as a support system for the hip and lighten the load on the joint. Bodyweight comes first, then resistance bands once the movements feel easy.
- Bridges: Lie on your back with your feet flat and knees bent. Push through your heels, squeeze your glutes, and lift your hips until your shoulders, hips, and knees form a straight line. Hold this position for about six seconds, then lower slowly.
- Clamshells: Lie on your side with your knees bent and stacked. Keep your feet together and raise the top knee without rolling your hips back, then return to the starting position.
- Straight-leg raises: Lie on your back and lift your leg straight up about a foot off the floor while keeping the knee locked. Hold briefly, then lower with control.
Pilates-based therapeutic exercise is one approach some clinicians use here, since it builds core strength and control that support the hip during everyday movement.
Low-Impact Aerobic Activity
Aerobic exercise keeps your heart healthy and your hips moving without hard impact. Swimming, cycling, and using an elliptical are gentle forms of exercise that suit most people with hip arthritis.
Water physical therapy is especially useful because it supports your body weight as you move, reducing strain on your joints. Keep sessions short at first and build from there.
Is Walking Good for Arthritis of the Hips?
Yes, walking is good for hip arthritis. It keeps the joint moving, builds leg strength, and helps with weight control, all of which take stress off the hip. Begin with short, slow walks and add distance as you feel ready. If walking outdoors bothers you, a treadmill or elliptical offers the same benefit with less impact.
Hip Arthritis Exercises to Avoid
Some movements overload an arthritic hip and can set your progress back. Until a therapist clears them, steer away from these:
- High-impact activities like running or jumping
- Deep squats and heavy leg presses
- Hard twisting moves that pivot on one hip
Pay attention to how the joint feels afterward. Soreness that lingers is a signal to scale back, while sharp or sudden pain means you should stop and check with your therapist.
Physical Therapy for Hip Arthritis Pain Relief
Pain relief in physical therapy comes from more than exercise alone. Manual therapy, a category of hands-on treatment, loosens stiff joints and tight muscles, making movement feel easier. When soft tissue restriction is part of the problem, tools like the Graston Technique can help address it before you exercise.
Physiotherapy for hip pain is the same practice under a different name, and the goal is steady relief without leaning on medication. Therapists may also use heat, ice, or small changes to your daily habits to keep pain manageable. Most of this work carries over into a home routine you can keep up between visits.
What Results to Expect
Results depend on your injury, your goals, and your consistency. Most people see steady, gradual change rather than an instant fix.
How Long Recovery Takes
Many people feel less pain within 4 to 6 weeks of regular therapy exercise. Larger gains can take several months, depending on how far the arthritis has progressed. Consistency matters more than intensity, and skipping sessions or home exercises is the fastest way to stall.
Can Hip Arthritis Be Cured?
No, hip arthritis cannot be cured. Once cartilage wears down, it does not grow back. Physical therapy will not reverse the damage, but it can reduce pain and improve your mobility, and many people stay active for years by managing symptoms well.
Other Treatment Options
When physical therapy alone is not enough, a few other paths can help.
Newer Treatments for Hip Arthritis
Some people use injections, such as corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid, to calm pain and inflammation. Others explore newer options like platelet-rich plasma, though the research remains mixed. These work best alongside an exercise plan, not as a replacement, so discuss them with your doctor.
When Surgery Becomes an Option
Surgery is considered when pain is severe, and other treatments stop working. A hip replacement swaps the damaged joint for an implant.
Physical therapy before and after surgery improves how well and how fast you recover, and most people return to daily activities within a few months.
Choosing a Physical Therapist for Hip Arthritis
Look for a licensed physical therapist who regularly treats hip arthritis. It is reasonable to ask whether they have experience with hip osteoarthritis or guiding people through hip replacement recovery.
A good clinician explains what is happening in your hip, sets clear goals, and reassesses your plan as you progress. In New York, we offer one-on-one hip physical therapy at In Touch NYC Physical Therapy upon request.
