For athletes across all levels of competition, hip impingement (also known as femoroacetabular impingement or FAI) can be a frustrating and performance-limiting condition. At Stay Mobile Physical Therapy, we regularly work with athletes to address this challenging condition through personalized, one-on-one physical therapy. Let’s explore what hip impingement is and how targeted physical therapy can help athletes return to their sport stronger than ever.
What is Hip Impingement?
Hip impingement occurs when there’s abnormal contact between the ball (femoral head) and socket (acetabulum) of the hip joint. This can happen due to bone spurs, irregular bone shapes, or repetitive movements that cause wear and tear. Athletes in sports requiring deep hip flexion, like hockey, football, dance, gymnastics, and martial arts, are particularly susceptible to developing this condition.
Common symptoms include:
- Sharp pain in the hip or groin during activity
- Decreased range of motion
- Stiffness after sitting for extended periods
- A catching or locking sensation in the hip
- Pain that worsens with deep squats or prolonged activity
how can physical therapy help?
Comprehensive Assessment
While hip impingement can be challenging to manage, individualized physical therapy offers significant benefits for athletes.
- Sport-specific movements that may contribute to your symptoms
- Strength and flexibility imbalances
- Movement compensations that may have developed
- Core stability and pelvic control
Personalized Treatment Plans
Every athlete’s body, sport, and goals are different. One-on-one sessions allow us to create and continuously modify your treatment plan based on your specific needs including:
- Manual therapy techniques to improve joint mobility
- Targeted exercises to address muscle imbalances
- Movement pattern retraining
- Sport-specific rehabilitation protocols
Real-Time Feedback and Progression
During individual sessions, your physical therapist can provide immediate feedback on exercise form and movement patterns. This ensures you’re performing exercises correctly and making appropriate progress. We can quickly adjust your program based on how your body responds to treatment.
The Recovery Journey
Recovery from hip impingement typically progresses through several phases:
- Acute Phase: Focus on pain management and protecting the joint while maintaining available range of motion.
- Mobility Phase: Gentle stretching and manual therapy to improve hip mobility while respecting tissue healing.
- Strengthening Phase: Progressive exercises to build strength in the hip, core, and surrounding muscles.
- Movement Integration: Retraining proper movement patterns and sport-specific skills.
- Return to Sport: Gradually increasing activity levels while maintaining proper form and movement quality.
Prevention and Long-Term Management
Our physical therapists don’t just treat your current symptoms – we provide education and strategies to prevent future problems. This includes:
- Teaching proper warm-up routines
- Identifying and correcting movement patterns that may contribute to impingement
- Developing maintenance exercise programs
- Providing guidance on training load management
When to Seek Help
If you’re experiencing hip pain or stiffness that affects your athletic performance, don’t wait until it becomes debilitating. Early intervention through physical therapy can often prevent the condition from worsening and help you avoid more invasive treatments.
Partner with Us for Your Recovery
At Stay Mobile Physical Therapy we’re committed to helping athletes overcome hip impingement and return to their sport safely and effectively. Our one-on-one treatment approach ensures you receive the focused attention and specialized care needed to achieve optimal results.
Contact us today to schedule an evaluation with one of our experienced physical therapists. Let us help you get back to doing what you love, pain-free and performing at your best.
Remember: This information is educational in nature. Always consult with a healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and treatment of hip impingement or any other medical condition.