Hip Pain & Injury Physiotherapy in Wellington

Jacob Youngson

Head of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at Healthsec Rehab

Registration: HCPC PH122755
Specialisms: neurological and stroke rehabilitation, falls prevention, elderly and post-operative rehabilitation
Phone: 01743 630 138
Please mention Mobile Physiotherapist.co.uk when you call
Email: jacob.youngson@health-sec.co.uk

Hip pain treated at home in Wellington

Hip pain is easy to work around until suddenly it is not. People in Wellington typically get in touch when the limp has become permanent, when getting out of the car has started to hurt, or when they realise they have been planning the day around avoiding the stairs. Almost all of it is treatable, and most of the treatment is loading the hip properly rather than resting it.

If you are waiting for an orthopaedic appointment, that waiting time is not dead time. The strength and walking tolerance you build now carry through whatever the outcome of the appointment turns out to be.

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 Wellington covers that instead.

Home visits across Wellington

Wellington sits inside the Telford catchment, and the Healthsec Rehab team covers it along with Admaston, Shawbirch, Hadley, Oakengates and the surrounding villages. Care through the Princess Royal Hospital can be worked alongside rather than duplicated.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a referral?

No — you can book directly. The free 15-minute telephone consultation is the usual starting point, and it is there to work out whether physiotherapy is the right answer for your hip before anyone books anything.

Is it arthritis, or something else?

Hip osteoarthritis is common but is only one cause. Pain on the outer hip is more often gluteal tendinopathy or bursitis; groin pain in more active people can be impingement or a labral problem; and buttock pain that travels down the leg is often the lower back rather than the hip at all. The assessment is what separates them.

What happens in the first appointment?

A conversation about how the pain behaves through the day, then a physical assessment of movement, strength, balance and walking, and a look at the stairs, chair and bed you actually use. You finish with a small number of specific exercises and a clear explanation of what is going on.

Is exercise safe if the joint is already worn?

Yes, and it is the mainstay of treatment. Strengthening does not wear a joint out. What tends to make hip arthritis worse is the gradual reduction in activity that pain causes, because the muscles supporting the joint weaken and it becomes harder to walk any distance.

How many appointments will I need?

Most people are seen every one to two weeks at first, then less often as the programme takes hold. Many hip problems settle over six to twelve weeks, though long-standing tendon problems take longer. You will get an honest estimate after the first assessment rather than being committed to a block up front.

Can you help me prepare for a hip replacement?

Yes. Building strength beforehand, and sorting out the practicalities of stairs, chairs and bed in advance, consistently makes the first weeks after surgery easier.