Hip Pain
Hip pain (general / nonspecific)
Understanding your hip pain
The hip is a deep, sturdy ball-and-socket joint, wrapped in some of the largest, most powerful muscles in the body. Because so much works together there, hip pain can come from a number of places: the joint itself, the muscles and tendons around it (especially the glutes and hip flexors), the bursa that cushions the outer hip, or simply overuse. The good news is that most everyday, non-injury hip pain is common and responds well to gentle movement and strengthening — which is what this program is built around. As your care team pins down what's driving your pain, your plan can become more specific.
The reassuring outlook
Most general hip pain settles with simple measures and a steady strengthening routine. The muscles around the hip — especially the glutes and the core — are the single biggest lever you have: when they're strong, they support and steady the joint, and the hip tends to feel better. It can move in waves with good days and tougher days, but the direction of travel is usually good.
What your scans show — and don't
If imaging shows "wear," "degeneration," or other changes, it's natural to worry. Keep in mind these findings are very common — they appear on the scans of large numbers of people with no hip pain at all — and they often don't match how someone feels. How your hip feels and functions matters far more than the picture, and that's exactly what strength and movement improve.
What you might be feeling
Everyone's hip is a little different, but people often describe an ache in the groin or deep in the joint, pain or tenderness over the outer hip, stiffness first thing in the morning, or discomfort with walking, stairs, or getting up from a low chair. Some notice it after sitting a long while or lying on that side at night. (If anything new or unexpected comes up, or you're unsure how you're doing, your care team is the best place to check.)
The key: strong, supported hips
Here's the most useful thing to know: a lot of hip comfort comes from the muscles around the hip, not just the joint itself. Strong glutes (the muscles on the side and back of the hip) and a steady core keep the hip aligned, level, and well-supported as you move. So the most effective "hip" exercises are often the glute and core strengthening ones — and that's the heart of this program.
The path ahead
Caring for hip pain is mostly about staying active in hip-friendly ways and building the strength that supports the joint. Wherever you're headed — easing day-to-day symptoms, getting back to the activities you enjoy, or working alongside your care team toward a specific diagnosis — gentle movement and strength are the foundation, decided together at your pace.
How this program is built
Each session has a simple shape: a low-impact warm-up (a stationary bike is ideal — easy on the hip), gentle motion, and glute and core strengthening that supports the joint. We build gradually from gentle activation to real strength. If a movement sharpens your pain, ease off it and favor what feels good to your hip.
Staying active day to day
A few habits keep hips happier: trade impact for motion (walking, cycling, and swimming keep you active while being easy on the joint), keep moving rather than sitting for long stretches (a hip stiffens with sitting), and know that even modest weight reduction meaningfully lowers the load through the hip. A pillow between the knees can ease a sore hip at night; warmth can loosen a stiff hip before you move.
When it flares
Hip pain often comes in waves. When it's more bothersome: ease off impact for a few days, keep moving gently (that usually feels better than stopping entirely), use warmth or ice — whichever soothes you — and a short course of an anti-inflammatory if that's appropriate for you. Then ease back into your progression. A flare doesn't undo your progress.
Other treatment options
Movement and strength go a long way, and they're the foundation no matter what else is considered. It also helps to know the other tools, since they're part of the broader picture: physical therapy, anti-inflammatories, and — depending on what's driving the pain — injections. If a specific diagnosis is identified, the options become more tailored to it. Whether and when to consider anything else is a decision you and your care team make together. This program supports you wherever you are on that spectrum.
Tracking how you're doing
Your quick daily check-in — how the hip feels, what you've been doing — gives you and your care team a shared view of how things are trending. Together with your exercise routine, it's a simple way to see your progress and keep your care team in the loop. It is not a monitoring or warning system.
This guide is general education, not medical advice, and doesn't replace evaluation by a licensed provider. For urgent symptoms, contact your care team or call 911.