Pelvic Prime's Anatomy Academy Series

Solutions for Hip Instability

Address hip instability with expert care to strengthen muscles, improve stability, and prevent discomfort.

Strengthen and Stabilize Your Hips to Prevent Pain and Improve Function

Comprehensive Care for Hip Instability, Labral Issues, and Hip Impingement

Hip pain can significantly impact your mobility and daily life. Whether it’s due to instability, labral tears, or femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), addressing the root cause is essential for lasting relief. At Pelvic Prime, we specialize in treating these conditions with tailored, one-on-one care to restore stability, reduce pain, and improve your quality of life.

Common Causes of Hip Pain

Hip instability, labral tears, and impingement are distinct conditions that often share overlapping symptoms. Understanding their causes can help guide treatment:

Hip Instability:

- Caused by loose ligaments, cartilage damage, or weak supporting muscles.
- Can result from trauma, repetitive stress, or congenital abnormalities like hip dysplasia.

Anatomical diagram of the hip joint, highlighting the acetabular labrum and ligamentum teres structures.

Labral Tears:

- Occur when the cartilage surrounding the hip socket (labrum) is torn.
- Often caused by repetitive twisting motions, structural abnormalities, or trauma.

Hip Impingement (FAI):

- Results from abnormal contact between the femoral head and hip socket.
- Often associated with bone overgrowth or structural irregularities.

Young adult male runner experiencing leg muscle pain during a run, showing discomfort and strain.

Signs You May Need Treatment

Symptoms of hip instability, labral tears, and impingement include:

Pain in the groin, outer hip, or buttocks.
Clicking, locking, or catching sensations in the hip.
Limited range of motion or stiffness, especially during deep bending or rotation.
Feelings of giving way or instability in the hip joint.
Discomfort during prolonged sitting, walking, or athletic activities.

If you experience these symptoms, early intervention can prevent further complications.

How Pelvic Prime Can Help

At Pelvic Prime, we provide individualized care to address your hip concerns effectively. Our approach includes:

1. Comprehensive Evaluation

A thorough assessment of your hip’s strength, mobility, and alignment to identify contributing factors.

2. Manual Therapy

Hands-on techniques to reduce stiffness, improve joint alignment, and alleviate pain.

3. Targeted Strengthening Exercises

Building stability in the hip, glutes, and core to address imbalances and prevent further injury.

4. Movement Retraining

Teaching proper biomechanics to reduce stress on the hip and enhance functional movement patterns.

5. Education and Prevention

Providing guidance on activity modifications, posture, and exercises to support long-term hip health.

Treatment Options

For Hip Instability:

Strengthening programs targeting the glutes and core.
Manual therapy to restore joint balance and reduce strain.
Education on avoiding positions or activities that exacerbate instability.

Hip instability strengthening with banded exercise

For Labral Tears:

Focused rehabilitation to reduce pain and improve hip mechanics.
Integration of non-surgical therapies, such as stretching and strengthening.
Post-surgical rehabilitation if surgery is required.

Physical Therapy massage for hip instability treatment

For Hip Impingement:

Stretching routines to improve flexibility and reduce joint stress.
Movement retraining to optimize hip motion and reduce impingement.
Strengthening exercises to support proper joint alignment.

Recommended Exercises

Clamshells

Purpose: Strengthens the glutes and improves hip stability.
Technique:
1. Lie on your side with knees bent and feet together.
2. Lift the top knee while keeping your feet connected.
3. Lower slowly and repeat 10-15 times per side.

Exercise handout showing correct way to perform clamshell for hip strengthening

Hip Flexor Stretch

Purpose: Relieves tension in the hip flexors, which can contribute to anterior hip pain and poor posture.

Technique:

Lie on your back at the edge of a sturdy table or bed, with your legs hanging off the edge.
Feel a stretch in the front of the hip and thigh of the hanging leg.
Hold for 20-30 seconds, then switch sides.

Instructional handout demonstrating the hip flexor stretch to improve flexibility and relieve tightness in the hip area.

Side-Lying Leg Lifts

Purpose: Strengthens the hip abductors to improve lateral stability.
Technique:
1. Lie on your side with your legs straight and stacked on top of each other.
2. Lift your top leg upward, keeping it straight and your toes pointing forward.
3. Perform 10-15 repetitions per side.

Instructional handout showing the side leg lift exercise to strengthen hip muscles and improve lower body stability.

Take the First Step Toward Pain-Free Hips

Don’t let hip pain limit your life. At Pelvic Prime, we’re committed to providing personalized care to address your hip instability, labral issues, or impingement. Schedule an appointment online using our convenient scheduling software, email us at rea@pelvicprime.com, or text 803-716-9723. Let’s work together to restore your strength, mobility, and confidence.