Hip Pain & Injury Physiotherapy in Wellingborough

Vidhi Sharma

Specialist Neurological Physiotherapist

Registration: HCPC PH111536, CSP Member
Specialisms: neurological and stroke rehabilitation, falls prevention, elderly and post-operative rehabilitation
Phone: 07858 700 126
Please mention Mobile Physiotherapist.co.uk when you call
Email: vidhi.d3@gmail.com

Hip pain treated at home in Wellingborough

Most hip pain does not need surgery and does not need a scan, but it does need the right diagnosis, because treatment for a worn hip joint, an irritated tendon and referred pain from the back have almost nothing in common. People in Wellingborough usually get in touch once the pain has started shaping the day — shorter walks, avoided stairs, broken sleep.

Time spent waiting for an orthopaedic opinion is time your hip is usually getting weaker, not better. Starting the strengthening now means you arrive at that appointment in better shape whatever it concludes.

Hip problems we see most often

Hip osteoarthritis

Stiffness first thing in the morning, groin pain that can travel to the thigh or knee, and a walking distance that has quietly been shrinking. Strengthening and graded activity are the first-line treatment and the evidence for them is good.

Gluteal tendinopathy and trochanteric bursitis

Pain over the bony point on the outside of the hip, worse lying on that side at night, climbing stairs or standing on one leg. Often mislabelled as arthritis, and it needs a very different loading programme.

Hip impingement and labral irritation

Pinching groin pain at the end of range — deep squatting, getting in and out of the car, sitting for long periods. More common in younger and more active people.

Groin, hip flexor and adductor strains

Usually a clear moment of injury, or a sudden increase in activity. Recovery depends far more on graded loading than on rest.

Pain referred from the lower back

Buttock pain, pain travelling below the knee, or pins and needles. This is not a hip problem at all, and treating it as one is why some people make no progress for months.

After a hip fracture or a fall

Rebuilding walking, balance and confidence, which is largely work that happens after hospital discharge and continues well beyond it.

Hip, or back? They are not the same problem

A large share of "hip pain" turns out not to be the hip joint at all, and this is the most common reason people spend months doing exercises that were never going to help. As a rough guide:

Groin pain, sometimes referring into the front of the thigh or as far as the knee, points to the hip joint itself.
Pain over the bony point on the outside of the hip, worse lying on that side, points to the gluteal tendons and bursa — not the joint.
Buttock pain travelling below the knee, or pins and needles and numbness, usually points to the lower back.

These three need genuinely different treatment, so the first appointment is spent working out which one you have before any programme is written.

What the first visit involves

A proper conversation about how the pain behaves — when it started, what makes it worse, how it affects sleep, and what you have stopped doing because of it
Assessment of hip movement, strength, balance and walking, plus a check of the lower back where the picture is unclear
A look at the stairs, chair and bed you actually use, which is the practical advantage of being assessed at home
A short, specific exercise programme matched to what your hip currently tolerates — not a generic sheet
A straight answer about what is going on, roughly how long it should take, and whether anything needs a GP or consultant opinion

Treatment and how long it takes

Most hip rehabilitation is progressive strengthening, because the hip is a joint that responds to load and gets worse with avoidance. Alongside that, treatment usually includes hands-on work where it helps, advice on pacing and on how to sleep more comfortably, walking and stairs practice, and adjustments to the everyday movements that keep aggravating things.

Many hip problems improve meaningfully over six to twelve weeks. Long-standing tendon problems are slower and are honestly measured in months. Appointments usually start weekly or fortnightly and spread out as the programme takes hold — you are not asked to commit to a block of sessions before anyone knows what is wrong.

Already had a hip replacement?

This page is about hip pain that has not been operated on. If you have had a hip or knee replaced and want help with the recovery — walking, stairs, swelling and getting strength back — the hip and knee replacement rehab page for Wellingborough covers that instead.

Home visits across Wellingborough

Vidhi covers Wellingborough and the surrounding area including Finedon, Irthlingborough, Earls Barton, Wollaston, Rushden and Higham Ferrers. Whether your care has been through Isebrook Hospital in Wellingborough or Kettering General, home physiotherapy runs alongside it rather than replacing it.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a referral?

No — you can book directly. Start with the free phone call, which is there to work out whether this is the right service for your hip before anyone commits to an appointment.

Why does my hip hurt more at night?

Night pain that is worse when you lie on the affected side is a classic pattern for gluteal tendinopathy and trochanteric bursitis, and it often improves with fairly simple changes to how you lie plus a specific loading programme. Night pain that is unrelenting and unrelated to position is worth a medical opinion, and Vidhi will say so if that is what she hears.

Can physiotherapy delay a hip replacement?

Sometimes, though it depends on the joint. Strengthening and activity reliably reduce pain and improve walking in hip osteoarthritis, and some people improve enough that surgery moves further down the road. Where surgery is clearly needed, the same work makes the recovery afterwards quicker.

What if my hip pain is actually my back?

Then you get treatment for your back. Pain that sits in the buttock, travels below the knee, or comes with pins and needles or numbness points to the lumbar spine rather than the hip joint, and Vidhi assesses both rather than assuming.

How much does it cost?

The phone enquiry is free. Current visit rates are on Vidhi's prices page, and she will confirm the cost before anything is booked so there are no surprises.

Do you visit at home across Wellingborough?

Yes, every appointment is a home visit, covering Wellingborough, Finedon, Irthlingborough, Earls Barton, Wollaston, Rushden and Higham Ferrers.