Hip Pain in Saanichton: Causes, Treatment & When to See a Chiropractor

Hip pain is one of the most common — and most underestimated — complaints we treat at Saanichton Chiropractic Group. Patients often assume it’s just aging, or a pulled muscle that will resolve on its own. But hip pain that lingers beyond two weeks, worsens with activity, or radiates into the groin, buttock, or thigh almost always has a specific structural cause — and identifying that cause is the difference between guessing and actually getting better.

This guide covers the most common causes of hip pain we see on the Saanich Peninsula, how our chiropractic team diagnoses and treats each one, and what to expect when you book an appointment. If you’re dealing with hip pain right now and want to skip ahead, you can book online here.

Understanding the Hip: Why Diagnosis Matters

The hip is a ball-and-socket joint — the largest in the body — surrounded by a complex network of muscles, tendons, bursae, ligaments, and nerves. The gluteal muscles, hip flexors, external rotators, and adductors all attach in and around the hip, meaning that pain in this region can originate from several different structures, and more than one is often involved.

Equally important: a significant proportion of hip pain is not coming from the hip at all. Lumbar disc problems, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, and nerve root irritation in the lower back frequently refer pain into the hip, buttock, and thigh — mimicking a local hip problem. This is why a thorough assessment that includes the lumbar spine and pelvis is essential. Treating the wrong structure is the most common reason hip pain doesn’t improve.

Common Causes of Hip Pain

1. Hip Flexor Strain

The hip flexors — primarily the iliopsoas complex — connect the lumbar spine and pelvis to the femur and are the primary muscles responsible for bringing your knee toward your chest. They are chronically shortened in people who sit for extended periods and are vulnerable to strain with sudden acceleration or heavy loading (sprinting, kicking, deadlifting). Hip flexor pain presents as a deep ache or sharp pull at the front of the hip or groin, often worse rising from a chair or walking up stairs. Left unaddressed, hip flexor tightness also contributes to anterior pelvic tilt and low back pain.

2. Hip Impingement (FAI — Femoroacetabular Impingement)

FAI occurs when there is abnormal contact between the femoral head and acetabulum during hip movement — typically with flexion and internal rotation. It is caused by subtle bony irregularities that produce a pinching sensation and can progressively damage the labrum and cartilage if untreated. FAI is particularly common in cyclists, hockey players, martial artists, and anyone who spends time in deep hip flexion. Presentation includes a sharp, catching pain in the groin or deep in the joint, often described as a C-shape when patients point to it. Our sports chiropractic team has extensive experience assessing and managing FAI in active patients.

3. Greater Trochanteric Bursitis

The greater trochanteric bursa sits between the gluteal tendons and the bony prominence on the outer hip. Repetitive friction — from running, stair climbing, or prolonged lying on one side — inflames it, producing pain on the outer hip that is tender to direct pressure and often worse at night. This is one of the most common hip conditions we treat and responds very well to shockwave therapy, soft tissue release, and gluteal strengthening. Patients with persistent lateral hip pain who have tried rest without improvement are often surprised how quickly this condition responds to the right treatment.

4. Gluteal Tendinopathy

Gluteal tendinopathy is degeneration of the gluteus medius or minimus tendons where they attach to the greater trochanter. It is driven by a combination of compressive loading and underloading — crossing your legs, sitting in bucket seats, and long periods of inactivity all contribute. Pain presents on the outer hip and buttock, is aggravated by walking, single-leg standing, and climbing stairs, and is frequently misdiagnosed as sciatica or hip osteoarthritis. It is the most common cause of lateral hip pain in women over 40. Treatment focuses on shockwave therapy, load management, and progressive gluteal rehabilitation.

5. Piriformis Syndrome

The piriformis is a deep external rotator of the hip that runs directly adjacent to the sciatic nerve. When it becomes hypertonic or inflamed — from prolonged sitting, sudden twisting, or direct trauma — it can compress the sciatic nerve and produce buttock pain that radiates down the back of the leg. This presentation is often confused with lumbar sciatica. Key differentiators include pain with direct pressure on the buttock, pain with prolonged sitting, and relief with hip external rotation. Our chiropractors use deep tissue release, Active Release Technique, and targeted stretching to resolve this.

6. Hip Osteoarthritis

Degenerative joint disease of the hip produces progressive loss of cartilage, resulting in deep groin pain, morning stiffness, reduced range of motion, and a grinding or catching sensation. It is more common in patients over 50 and in those with a history of hip impingement or previous injury. Chiropractic care doesn’t reverse cartilage loss, but it can significantly reduce pain, maintain mobility, and slow functional decline through joint mobilization, exercise rehabilitation, and activity modification. Many patients with diagnosed hip OA find they can remain active and avoid or delay surgical intervention with consistent conservative care.

7. Referred Pain from the Lumbar Spine

Disc herniation, facet joint irritation, and nerve root compression at L1–L4 can all refer pain into the hip, groin, and anterior thigh in a pattern that closely resembles a local hip problem. If your hip pain is accompanied by lower back stiffness, or if hip movements reproduce no pain but lumbar flexion/extension does, referred pain is likely. Our assessment always includes the lumbar spine — see our post on causes of lower back pain for more on how the spine contributes to hip symptoms.

8. Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

The sacroiliac (SI) joint connects the sacrum to the ilium and bears significant load during walking, running, and lifting. Dysfunction here produces pain at the posterior hip, buttock, and sometimes the groin — often asymmetrical and worse with prolonged standing, stair climbing, or rolling over in bed. SI joint dysfunction is common postpartum and following MVAs. It responds well to chiropractic manipulation, soft tissue treatment, and targeted stabilization exercises. If your hip pain was triggered by a motor vehicle accident, visit our ICBC and MVA chiropractic page for information on covered care.

How We Treat Hip Pain at Saanichton Chiropractic Group

Our approach begins with a comprehensive history and physical examination — not just of the hip, but of the lumbar spine, pelvis, and lower extremity kinetic chain. We identify the primary pain generator, contributing factors (weakness, movement pattern faults, load issues), and any relevant lifestyle or occupational drivers. Treatment is then built around that specific diagnosis.

Chiropractic Adjustment and Joint Mobilization

Restricted hip joint mobility is a contributing factor in FAI, osteoarthritis, and hip flexor syndromes. Our Saanichton chiropractors use specific manipulation and graded mobilization techniques to restore normal joint mechanics, reduce protective guarding, and take compressive load off surrounding soft tissues. We also address the lumbar spine and SI joint where relevant — because treating the hip in isolation rarely produces lasting results.

Active Release Technique (ART) and Graston

ART is a hands-on soft tissue technique that combines manual tension with active patient movement to release adhesions and restore normal tissue glide in the hip flexors, gluteals, piriformis, TFL, and IT band. Graston fascial scraping complements this by breaking down chronic scar tissue and stimulating tissue remodelling in tendons and fascia. These techniques are particularly effective for hip flexor strain, gluteal tendinopathy, and piriformis syndrome.

Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) delivers focused acoustic energy into chronically irritated tendons and bursae, stimulating cellular healing, breaking down calcifications, and reducing pain. It is clinically proven effective for greater trochanteric bursitis, gluteal tendinopathy, and hip flexor tendinopathy — conditions that often fail to respond to rest, stretching, or cortisone injections. Most patients complete 3–5 sessions with measurable improvement by session two or three. Saanichton Chiropractic Group is one of the few clinics on the Saanich Peninsula offering ESWT — learn more on our shockwave therapy page.

Exercise Rehabilitation

Strength deficits in the gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, and hip external rotators are present in virtually every chronic hip condition we treat. Our rehabilitation programs are progressive, specific to your diagnosis, and built around your actual activities and goals — whether that’s returning to running, hiking the Lochside Trail, or simply being able to climb stairs without pain. We don’t hand out generic stretch sheets; we prescribe a program and monitor your progress.

Registered Massage Therapy

Our registered massage therapists work alongside our chiropractic team to address the muscular component of hip pain — particularly chronic tension in the glutes, TFL, hip flexors, and piriformis. RMT is directly covered by most extended health plans and is an effective complement to chiropractic care for soft tissue-dominant presentations.

Acupuncture

For patients with chronic hip pain, nerve sensitization, or significant pain-related guarding, acupuncture can modulate pain signals, reduce muscle hypertonicity, and support the body’s healing response. Our registered acupuncturist works alongside the chiropractic team as part of an integrated treatment approach.

Athletic Therapy

Our certified athletic therapist specializes in sport and activity-related hip conditions — including FAI, hip labral injuries, hip flexor strains in active patients, and return-to-sport rehabilitation following hip procedures. Athletic therapy is particularly valuable for competitive or recreational athletes who need sport-specific assessment and a clear return-to-play progression.

When Should You See a Chiropractor for Hip Pain?

You don’t need to be in severe pain to benefit from a chiropractic assessment. Earlier intervention means simpler treatment, faster recovery, and less risk of developing compensatory injuries in the knee, lower back, or opposite hip. Book an appointment if you experience any of the following:

• Hip, groin, or outer thigh pain that has persisted for more than two weeks

• Pain that worsens with walking, sitting, squatting, or climbing stairs

• A clicking, catching, locking, or grinding sensation in the hip

• Morning stiffness lasting more than a few minutes

• Difficulty getting in and out of a car, low chairs, or off the floor

• Pain that is disrupting your sleep or waking you at night

• Hip pain that started after a motor vehicle accident — you may be covered under ICBC Enhanced Care

• Hip pain in an active or athletic context — our sports chiropractic team can assess and manage sport-specific presentations

Related Conditions We Treat

Hip pain rarely exists in isolation. Patients presenting with hip pain frequently also have:

• Low back pain and lumbar disc issues — see our post on common causes of lower back pain

• Neck pain and postural strain — see our neck pain page

• Knee pain and IT band syndrome — often driven by the same hip weakness patterns

• Plantar fasciitis — gait changes from hip pain frequently load the plantar fascia

Our team’s whole-body approach means we assess and address these connections — not just the site of pain.

What to Expect at Your First Visit

Your initial appointment at Saanichton Chiropractic Group typically runs 30–45 minutes. We take a thorough history — onset, mechanism, aggravating and relieving factors, previous treatments, your activity level and goals — followed by a physical examination of the hip, pelvis, lumbar spine, and lower extremity.

From there, we’ll give you a clear diagnosis, explain what’s driving your pain, and outline a realistic treatment plan with a timeline. Most hip conditions respond well within 6–10 visits; many patients notice significant improvement within the first two to three sessions.

We direct-bill most extended health insurance plans. ICBC claims are accepted directly — in most cases there is no out-of-pocket cost for MVA-related hip injuries. WCB claims are also accepted for workplace injuries.

Book a Hip Pain Assessment in Saanichton

Saanichton Chiropractic Group is located at 6981 East Saanich Road, Suite 203, Saanichton BC — open seven days a week and serving patients from across the Saanich Peninsula, including Sidney, Brentwood Bay, Central Saanich, North Saanich, and Greater Victoria.

We also serve patients from Victoria and the surrounding area and Saanich who make the 25-minute drive up the Pat Bay Highway.

To book a hip pain assessment, book online here or call 250-223-0200. Same-week appointments are usually available. If you have questions before booking, contact us here.