Hip pain physiotherapy.
Hip pain is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed complaints in physiotherapy, often confused with lumbar referral, sacroiliac irritation, or labral pathology when the true driver is gluteal tendinopathy or FAI. Accurate diagnosis changes everything: what exercises you do, which loads you avoid, and how quickly you recover. At Motion Theory, the assessment is designed to find the real driver.
Who It's For
Patients with deep hip pain, lateral hip pain, groin pain, or posterior hip discomfort. Includes gluteal tendinopathy, femoroacetabular impingement, hip labral pathology, hip osteoarthritis, and trochanteric bursitis presentations.
What We Assess
We assess hip range of motion, flexor and abductor strength, FADIR and FABER provocation, labral stress tests, and lower limb alignment. Differentiating hip joint pathology from tendon and soft tissue presentations guides the entire treatment direction.
Treatment Approach
Gluteal tendinopathy follows a progressive loading protocol avoiding hip adduction postures. FAI-related pain is managed with movement pattern modification and strength. Hip OA responds to progressive loading and load optimization. Labral presentations receive targeted hip stabilizer work and activity modification.
Recovery Pathway
Diagnosis & Load Modification
Identify the specific hip pain driver, modify provocative loads, and begin pain-free strengthening in safe range.
Gluteal & Hip Loading
Progressive glute med, glute max, and hip external rotator strengthening matched to your presentation.
Activity Return
Functional movement reintegration including running, stair negotiation, sport, or occupational demand with objective testing.
Clinic Location & Access
Located at 1367 West Broadway in Vancouver, Motion Theory is situated in the Fairview medical corridor, in close proximity to Vancouver General Hospital (VGH). We serve patients from Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, and the broader Metro Vancouver area.
Common Questions
What is gluteal tendinopathy and why do I avoid crossing my legs?
Gluteal tendinopathy involves degeneration of the gluteal tendons at the greater trochanter. Compression loads including hip adduction from crossing legs or sitting in low chairs aggravate the tendon. Avoiding compressive postures while loading the tendon progressively is the treatment cornerstone.
Is hip labral surgery necessary?
Many labral tears are asymptomatic. Those causing symptoms often respond to structured physiotherapy targeting hip stabilizer strength and movement pattern correction. Surgery is typically considered only after a supervised physio trial has failed.
My hip pain is worse when I wake up. Why?
Morning stiffness is common with hip OA and gluteal tendinopathy. Both conditions are aggravated by sustained compressive loads during rest and require specific sleep position guidance to manage.
Related Services
Registered Clinicians
All practitioners are registered with their respective provincial colleges in British Columbia.
Evidence-Based
Treatment protocols are grounded in current peer-reviewed literature and clinical guidelines.
Direct Billing
Available for ICBC claims and most major extended health benefit providers.