Can Osteopathy Help With Hip Arthritis?
At our clinic in Bath our osteopaths help people with hip arthritis manage their symptoms through hands-on treatment, strength and mobility exercises, and lifestyle advice.
What is Hip Arthritis?
Most hip arthritis is osteoarthritis, where because of ageing, mechanical stress, and joint shape, resulting in an inflammatory process which thins the smooth cartilage of the joint surface, leading to changes in the bone. This is usually felt as pain, stiffness, and changes in walking mechanics. As the condition progresses, the symptoms may get worse to include weakness of the surrounding muscles in the thigh and leg and difficulty with weight-bearing (1).
How is Hip Arthritis Diagnosed?
Hip arthritis can be diagnosed after a thorough case history and assessment. A likely diagnosis of hip arthritis would be made if a person is;
- Forty-five or older
- Has pain on the outside of the thigh or in the groin, which is worse with activity and better with rest.
- Has more stiffness in the joint in the morning that eases in under an hour
- Has limited movement in the hip joint compared to the other side.
An X-ray is necessary to determine how much the joint has been affected, but if the above features are seen on assessment, then hip arthritis could be assumed (2).
How can seeing an osteopath help with Hip Arthritis?
The most effective way to treat hip arthritis is to use a combination of methods, many of which our osteopaths at Align Body Clinic can help with;
- Effective therapeutic exercise – hip arthritis is characterised by changes in how the hip and surrounding joints and muscles perform. An exercise program based on the person’s individual circumstances can help keep the hip stronger and more mobile, meaning they can do more. Exercise is most effective in helping hip osteoarthritis if a combination of aerobic and strength training is used (3).
- Manual therapy – Our osteopaths are experts at hands-on manual therapy. By carefully massaging or stretching tight muscles and mobilising tight joints, we can reduce people’s hip arthritis pain and help them lead more comfortable lives (4).
- Lifestyle advice – Choosing which activities to limit or adapt can be very helpful in keeping a person’s pain at a low level. Our osteopaths are highly experienced in this aspect of care with people who have hip arthritis.
- Weight loss – If a person is overweight, then losing weight will play a large role in minimising pain and load on the hip; for every 1% reduction of body weight, there is a 3% reduction in the need for a hip replacement (5). Our osteopaths can liaise with nutritionists and dieticians to help people achieve this.
- Advice and referral – If the pain is severe, or has got to the point where the above measures are no longer effective, then our osteopaths can help advise on next steps, be that further imaging, referral to the Hip Pathway through the NHS, or a private referral to a hip consultant.
- Timely care – The NHS physiotherapy waiting list can be two to three months; at Align Body Clinic, we can see you much sooner, often within a week.
Have you been diagnosed with hip arthritis, or are you struggling with hip pain or stiffness?
Why not take advantage of our new patient assessment introductory offer to get you started towards a tailor-made recovery plan for only £19.
Are you in a lot of pain and want to get better as soon as possible? If so, then why not book in for a new patient consultation, with treatment on the day, for £75.
References
1 – Sen R, Hurley JA. Osteoarthritis. [Updated 2023 Feb 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482326/
2 – Cibulka MT, Bloom NJ, Enseki KR, MacDonald CW, Woehrle J, McDonough CM. Hip pain and mobility deficits—hip osteoarthritis: revision 2017: clinical practice guidelines linked to the international classification of functioning, disability and health from the orthopaedic section of the American Physical Therapy Association. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2017 Jun;47(6):A1-37.Available:https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2017.0301
3 – Bennell K. Physiotherapy management of hip osteoarthritis. J Physiother. 2013; 59(3):145–157.
4 – Murphy NJ, Eyles JP, Hunter DJ. Hip osteoarthritis: Etiopathogenesis and implications for management. Advances in therapy 2016;33(11):1921-46.
5 – Murphy NJ, Eyles JP, Hunter DJ. Hip osteoarthritis: Etiopathogenesis and implications for management. Advances in therapy 2016;33(11):1921-46.