Conditions we treat
Hip Pain
Hip pain is on our list of the conditions we treat.
What is usually behind hip pain — including why pain on the outside of the hip is a different problem from pain in the groin — and what every major guideline puts first. Sourced below.
The condition
What is usually behind hip pain
Pain felt in the groin and front of the hip is most often osteoarthritis, a leading cause of disability in older adults. It is diagnosed clinically rather than by scan — a point the Lancet review makes despite what it calls the widespread overuse of imaging methods — and the UK pathway is blunter still: no further imaging, such as MRI or a bone scan, is appropriate before referral.[1, 2]
Pain on the outside of the hip is usually something else. Greater trochanteric pain syndrome covers the disorders around the bony point of the hip, and it shows up as long-standing pain there that may run into the buttock or down the outside of the thigh, most often in people in their forties to sixties and two to three times more often in women. It is routinely mislabelled as bursitis: imaging and tissue studies show the bursa is rarely affected on its own and the tendon usually is — which changes what is worth trying.[3]
The standards
What good care for it looks like
Every major guideline puts the same things first. OARSI names the core treatments as education and structured land-based exercise. The American College of Rheumatology and the Arthritis Foundation strongly recommend exercise, weight loss where someone is overweight, self-management programmes, tai chi and a cane, and ask for shared decision-making that accounts for a patient’s own values and preferences. The UK guide offers everyone information about the condition, weight-loss support where it applies, and both local strengthening and general aerobic exercise.[4, 5, 2]
The size of that benefit belongs here too. Cochrane’s 2026 update, covering 18 studies and 1,368 people, found that exercise probably improves pain and physical function slightly compared with no treatment or usual care — although, in the reviewers’ own words, these effects are unlikely to be clinically meaningful. Exercise is what every guideline recommends first, it is low risk, and the average benefit is modest rather than transformative. All three are true at once.[6]
For pain on the outside of the hip the strongest trial is LEAP, which randomised 204 people to education plus exercise, a corticosteroid injection, or wait and see. At eight weeks 77% of the education-and-exercise group reported success, against 58% for the injection and 29% for waiting; at a year the figures were 78%, 57% and 52%. A trial average describes a group, and is never a prediction about one person.[7]
How we work
What happens when you bring it in
The first visit runs 45-60 minutes and starts with a full medical history and an orthopedic and neurologic evaluation, plus a review of any imaging where that is appropriate. Nearly every new patient leaves with stretches and exercises for what they came in with, and if more rehabilitation is needed than we provide, we will connect you with a trusted physical therapist in the area.
A full office visit.
Your first visit will be roughly 45-60 minutes in duration and involve the following: full medical history, orthopedic & neurologic evaluation, review of imaging (when appropriate), additional referrals & co-management (when needed), and your first homework: lifestyle changes, rehab exercises and pain education to start at home.
Treatment on the same day
Almost always, we are able to treat on the first visit. If we find any red flags during your examination or another need for a referral prior to treatment, we will let you know and schedule accordingly.
And if it is not ours to treat
One of the biggest differences you’ll notice about our practice is that we are upfront and honest about what we can and cannot help you with. This means that we’ll make sure you’re being co-managed by all of the right providers in all specialties.
The treatments themselves
Which of these we offer comes out of the examination. Each one is described on the services page.
In patients’ own words
What patients who came in with hip pain said
Reviews that mention hips, quoted whole. Most of these patients were being seen for something else as well — that is simply how they wrote them.
“Doctor Noah is very attentive and is very patient to hear you on what's going on with your health. He took the time to consult with me about any vehicle accidents, falls or what is causing my pain. He is very knowledgeable and wants the best care he can provide. After my adjustment at Westside Chiropractic the throbbing of my lower back that went to my hip like sciatic pain is so much better I could sleep without having to keep turning. The tension between my shoulders blades and in my back are gone after the adjustment. I had been looking for a place like Westside Chiropractic and I'm glad and satisfied I did. For caring help and great pain results I sincerely recommend Westside Chiropractic. Thank you.”
Angelica J.Google review · February 2025Read Angelica J.’s review on Google “So glad I found this place. They were able to accommodate me through my pregnancy with my back and hip pain. Definitely made a difference!”
Darcie Y.Google review · December 2024Read Darcie Y.’s review on Google“I came here for my first-ever chiropractor visit. I was used to massages regularly but I was still in A LOT of pain in my neck, shoulders, and hips to where it was really affecting my daily life. I'm a dental hygienist, long distance runner, and have birthed twins (plus a single child). The 3 things together did a number on my body. I pushed off the pain for way too long thinking maybe I was just getting old or working my body too hard. I'm so grateful for Dr. Rebecca. I didn't tell her that I was really nervous but she was very thorough and explained in detail everything she was going to do and what was contributing to my issues and explained why - I knew exactly what to expect before she adjusted each area. She put me at ease with her willingness to explain the process as we went along and her bubbly personality. I'm really grateful to have had her for my first visit. I then followed up with Dr. Noah for my recall visits and he did a great job too! I felt better after my first visit but was still in pain. After my second visit with Dr. Noah, I drastically started feeling much better. I was warned at my first visit that there's a good chance I might feel more sore before I felt better. Dr. Noah gave me some recommendations on things I could work on at home and explained in detail why it would be helpful. I wish I found this team sooner! I highly recommend them. I physically feel like a new person! Thank you 🥰”
Elyssa H.Google review · April 2024Read Elyssa H.’s review on Google“Wife turned me on to Dr Rebecca 6 months ago after great results for an additional 6 months. She has helped me with range of motion and generally less pain in my back neck and hips, and now dealing with a sciatic issue. First time service from associate Dr Noah today, and I was equally impressed with his knowledge and manipulation. Won't hesitate to return to either in the near future. Very impressed with their documentation and records keeping of patients issues and ongoing treatment, which is kind of rare we found these days with providers.”
Mike G.Google review · February 2024Read Mike G.’s review on Google
Worth knowing
When to get urgent help
The UK commissioning guide for hip pain in adults names a short list of presentations that go to hospital rather than to a clinic.
Emergency department — same day
- Hip pain with systemic symptoms or signs of infection; hip pain in someone with a known cancer; a sudden inability to bear any weight; or hip pain after a fall.[2]
Urgent — a specialist opinion
- Severe pain that painkillers are not touching, together with a persistent loss of function.[2]
That is the guide’s own emergency list. The rest of hip pain is not urgent, and everything below is about the unhurried version.[2]
The 7 sources this page cites
Every numbered claim on this page is tied to one of these, and every link goes to the source itself so you can read it rather than take our word for it.
- 1.Hunter DJ, Bierma-Zeinstra S. Osteoarthritis. Lancet. 2019;393(10182):1745-1759. DOI 10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30417-9. PMID 31034380. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 2.British Hip Society, British Orthopaedic Association, Royal College of Surgeons of England. Commissioning Guide: Pain Arising from the Hip in Adults. Version 2.1, November 2017. boa.ac.uk (PDF)
- 3.Pianka MA, Serino J, DeFroda SF, Bodendorfer BM. Greater trochanteric pain syndrome: evaluation and management of a wide spectrum of pathology. SAGE Open Med. 2021;9:20503121211022582. DOI 10.1177/20503121211022582. PMID 34158938. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 4.Bannuru RR, Osani MC, Vaysbrot EE, et al. OARSI guidelines for the non-surgical management of knee, hip, and polyarticular osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2019;27(11):1578-1589. DOI 10.1016/j.joca.2019.06.011. PMID 31278997. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 5.Kolasinski SL, Neogi T, Hochberg MC, et al. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hand, Hip, and Knee. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(2):149-162. DOI 10.1002/acr.24131. PMID 31908149. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 6.Hall M, Lawford BJ, Hinman RS, et al. Exercise for osteoarthritis of the hip. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2026;7(7):CD007912. DOI 10.1002/14651858.CD007912.pub3. PMID 42486497. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 7.Mellor R, Bennell K, Grimaldi A, et al. Education plus exercise versus corticosteroid injection use versus a wait and see approach on global outcome and pain from gluteal tendinopathy: prospective, single blinded, randomised clinical trial. BMJ. 2018;361:k1662. DOI 10.1136/bmj.k1662. PMID 29720374. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
This page is general information, not a diagnosis or a treatment plan, and nothing on it is a claim about what our care will do for your hip pain — read the full disclaimer.
The rest of the list
The other conditions on our list
Pages to read next. We are not saying any of them is connected to hip pain.
Ask first
Tell us what is going on
If you can’t find a time that works, text us at (616) 747-8462 and we’ll do our best to fit you in. If what you describe is not ours to treat, we will say so and point you somewhere it is.
Somewhere it is — the physical therapists, pelvic floor therapists, counsellors, OB/GYNs and pain clinics we point people to.
- Monday9:00am – 6:00pm
- Tuesday – Wednesday8:30am – 6:00pm
- Thursday10:00am – 6:00pm
- Friday8:30am – 1:00pm
- SaturdayBy appointment
By appointment only
3888 Lake Michigan Dr NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49534 · Get directions
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