Hip physiotherapy in East Melbourne
Hip physiotherapy in Melbourne
SOS Clinic provides physiotherapy for hip and groin pain in East Melbourne, including femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), labral injuries, gluteal tendinopathy, hip osteoarthritis and recovery after hip arthroscopy or hip replacement. Care starts with an assessment. You then get an exercise program for your hip, plus strength and movement testing if it will help.
How physiotherapy helps a painful hip
Most hip and groin problems improve with the right exercise program and sensible changes to activity. Physiotherapy aims to settle pain, rebuild strength and control, and help you walk further, sleep better and get back to the things you enjoy.
Your physiotherapist works alongside Professor Phong Tran, orthopaedic surgeon. If your hip is not improving as expected, imaging or a surgical opinion can be arranged without starting again somewhere else.
Who we help
- Runners, field and court athletes, dancers and gym users with hip or groin injuries
- People with hip osteoarthritis who want to avoid or delay surgery, or prepare for it
- Patients recovering from anterior hip replacement or hip arthroscopy
- Adults with pain on the outside of the hip from gluteal tendinopathy or bursitis
- Teenagers with growth-related hip and groin pain who want to return to sport
- Women with hip and pelvic pain during pregnancy or after birth
Hip conditions we treat
Choose a condition to read about its causes, treatment and recovery.
Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)
Groin pain with sitting, squatting or twisting, from a mismatch in the shape of the ball and socket.
Labral tear
Clicking, catching or sharp groin pain from a tear in the rim of cartilage around the socket.
Hip bursitis and gluteal tendinopathy
Pain on the outside of the hip when lying on that side, climbing stairs or walking uphill.
Hip osteoarthritis
A deep ache and stiffness in the groin, often worse getting up from a chair or putting on shoes.
Osteonecrosis of the hip
Loss of blood supply to the ball of the hip, causing groin pain that needs early assessment.
Recovery after hip surgery
A guided program after anterior hip replacement or hip arthroscopy, in the same clinic as your surgeon.
Other hip and groin conditions
- Ligamentum teres tears, deep hip pain and a feeling of instability
- Proximal hamstring tendinopathy, pain at the sit bone when running or sitting
- Adductor-related groin pain, inner thigh pain in sports with sudden changes of direction
- Hip flexor tendinopathy, pain at the front of the hip with kicking or sprinting
- Stress reactions and stress fractures, pain that builds with running and impact
- Snapping hip, a clunk or flick at the front or side of the hip with movement
How your hip is assessed
Every program starts with a face-to-face assessment. The diagnosis is explained in plain language and you agree on goals and a timeline together.
- Your history, the activities that aggravate your pain and the demands of your work or sport
- Walking, squatting, lunging and, for runners, running mechanics
- Strength and endurance of the muscles around the hip, and single-leg control
- Range of movement, to tell a stiff joint from a sore muscle
- A review of any X-rays, ultrasound or MRI you bring, with further imaging arranged only if it will change your treatment
- Simple baseline measures so progress can be tracked over time
How hip pain is treated
- Exercise therapy matched to your condition, building strength, control and movement in stages
- Load management, adjusting training, walking or running so symptoms settle while you stay active
- Technique coaching for walking, running, squatting and sport-specific movements
- Pain relief and education, including short-term changes to activity and hands-on treatment where it helps
- Recovery habits such as sleep, weight management and general fitness
Exercises your program may include
No two programs are the same. These are common early hip exercises. Check with your physiotherapist before starting any of them.
Bridge
Strengthens the buttock and back of the thigh, which support the hip when walking and climbing stairs.
Clam
Works the muscles on the side of the hip that keep the pelvis level on one leg.
Exercise bike
Low-impact movement that keeps the hip moving and builds fitness without jarring the joint.
Physiotherapy after hip surgery
Your physiotherapist follows your surgeon’s instructions and any precautions, especially in the first few weeks. Because the physiotherapists and Professor Tran work together, your progress is shared and the program can be adjusted quickly.
After anterior hip replacement
- Weeks 0 to 2, walking practice, swelling control, gentle movement and safety at home
- Weeks 2 to 6, longer walks, hip strength and balance
- Weeks 6 to 12, stairs, endurance and a return to activities such as golf and cycling when cleared
- Beyond 12 weeks, higher-level conditioning and your own activity goals
Read more about anterior hip replacement.
After hip arthroscopy
- Protecting the repair and avoiding pinching positions while movement returns gradually
- Rebuilding the deep hip muscles and control of the pelvis
- Returning to running and change-of-direction sport once strength and comfort allow
Read more about hip arthroscopy (keyhole surgery).
Hip physiotherapy questions
Do I need a scan before starting?
Not always. Many hip conditions can be diagnosed from your history and examination. Imaging is arranged when it will change your treatment or to rule out a specific problem.
Will I have to stop all activity?
Usually not. The type and amount of activity is adjusted so you can keep moving while symptoms settle.
How often will I need physiotherapy?
Typically every one to three weeks at first, then less often as you become confident progressing your program on your own.
When is surgery considered?
When pain and function stay limited despite a good trial of physiotherapy, or when imaging shows a problem unlikely to improve without surgery. In that case your physiotherapist can arrange review with Professor Tran.
Hip care at SOS Clinic
Associate Professor Amir Takla is a sports and musculoskeletal physiotherapist at SOS Clinic. He is the first author of the ISHA physiotherapy consensus on femoroacetabular impingement syndrome and a co-author of the 2024 ISHA agreement on rehabilitation after hip arthroscopy, published in 2025.
Your physiotherapist can coordinate care with Professor Phong Tran when an orthopaedic opinion is needed. Treatment is matched to your diagnosis, goals and response to rehabilitation.
Explore your hip rehabilitation pathway
FAI physiotherapy explains how exercise and activity changes can help manage impingement symptoms. Our hip arthroscopy rehabilitation guide explains recovery after keyhole hip surgery.
A Biomechanical Profile Assessment can provide repeatable strength and movement measurements to help track progress. Test results are interpreted alongside symptoms and the clinical examination; a single score does not determine readiness for sport.
Where is SOS Clinic?
Physiotherapy appointments are available at Specialist Orthopaedic Surgery Clinic, St Francis Building, Ground Floor, 166 Gipps Street, East Melbourne VIC 3002. Contact the clinic or call (03) 9928 6161 to arrange an appointment.