Hip Osteoarthritis: Why It Hurts and How Physio Can Help

“It’s just wear and tear” doesn’t mean you have to live in pain.

Hip pain is one of the most common things we see in clinic — especially in adults over 50.

A lot of people come in after being told:
👉 “You’ve just got arthritis.”
👉 “It’s part of getting older.”
👉 “You’ll probably need a hip replacement eventually.”

But here’s the reality:

Hip osteoarthritis doesn’t automatically mean surgery — and it definitely doesn’t mean giving up movement.

With the right approach, many people can significantly reduce pain, improve mobility, and stay active for years before surgery is even considered.

What Is Hip Osteoarthritis?

Hip osteoarthritis (OA) is a condition where the cartilage inside the hip joint gradually changes over time.

The hip is a ball-and-socket joint designed to move smoothly. With OA, those surfaces can become:

Irritated
Stiff
Less efficient at handling load

This can lead to:

Pain
Reduced movement
Stiffness
Weakness around the joint

Importantly:
👉 Joint changes on scans don’t always equal pain.
Some people have significant arthritis with minimal symptoms, while others feel limited much earlier.

Common Signs of Hip OA

Hip osteoarthritis often presents as:

Groin pain
Pain into the thigh or buttock
Morning stiffness
Difficulty putting on shoes or socks
Reduced walking tolerance
Limping
Clicking or grinding sensations

A lot of people also notice they’ve slowly started:

Avoiding stairs
Walking less
Moving differently without realising it

If that sounds familiar, it’s worth getting assessed early.

Why Physio Matters Before Surgery

Hip osteoarthritis often presents as:

Groin pain
Pain into the thigh or buttock
Morning stiffness
Difficulty putting on shoes or socks
Reduced walking tolerance
Limping
Clicking or grinding sensations

A lot of people also notice they’ve slowly started:

Avoiding stairs
Walking less
Moving differently without realising it

If that sounds familiar, it’s worth getting assessed early.

Why Physio Matters Before Surgery

One of the biggest myths around arthritis is:
👉 “Nothing helps until you replace the joint.”

That’s simply not true.

Research consistently shows physiotherapy is one of the best first-line treatments for managing hip OA.

At Fighting Fit, physio helps by:

Reducing pain and stiffness
Improving strength and mobility
Increasing confidence with movement
Improving walking and daily function
Helping people stay active longer

And for many people, it can delay — or even avoid — the need for surgery altogether.

The Fighting Fit Approach

We don’t just treat the sore hip.

We look at:

Joint mobility
Strength deficits
Movement patterns
Walking mechanics
Load tolerance
Lifestyle and activity demands

Treatment may include:

Hands-On Treatment

To help reduce stiffness and improve movement.

Strength Training

Targeted exercises for:

Glutes
Hip muscles
Core
Leg strength

Strong muscles reduce stress on the hip joint.

Movement & Load Management

Helping you stay active without constantly flaring symptoms up.

Education

Understanding:

What’s actually happening
What helps
What aggravates things
How to manage symptoms long-term

Movement Is Medicine

One of the worst things you can do for arthritis is stop moving completely.

We often say:

👉 “Motion is lotion.”

The right movement helps:

Lubricate the joint
Maintain cartilage health
Build strength around the hip
Improve balance and confidence
Reduce stiffness and pain

That doesn’t mean smashing yourself in the gym.

It means finding the right type and amount of movement for your body.

When Should You Get Help?

If you’re:

Avoiding long walks
Struggling with stairs
Feeling stiff every morning
Losing confidence moving
Or just feeling “old in the hips”

Don’t wait for things to get worse.

The earlier you address hip OA, the better your long-term outcomes tend to be.

Surgery Isn’t the Starting Point

For some people, surgery may eventually become part of the plan — and if it does, strong pre-surgery rehab massively improves outcomes.

At Fighting Fit, we also work closely with:

GPs
Specialists
Surgeons

So if injections or joint replacement are appropriate later on, your rehab pathway is already in place.

Ready to Move Better Again?

Hip osteoarthritis doesn’t mean your active life is over.

With the right rehab plan, many people return to:

Walking comfortably
Gym training
Golf
Travel
Running around with kids or grandkids
Living with far less pain and restriction

👉 Book in with the Fighting Fit team and let’s get your hips moving properly again.

Sam Pelz

Sam graduated from Griffith University in 2024 with a bachelor of Physiotherapy. With a long background in sport, including over 20 years of racing motocross. Suffering multiple injuries throughout this time drove him to become a physiotherapist so he could help others through their own injuries.

Special interests:
Motocross related injuries
Running related injuries
Shoulder pain
Low back pain
Neck pain
Tendinopathies

Brenda Samosa

05:52 07 Nov 24

I had a really bad shoulder and had been seeing a different physio for 3 months (from a different place) I got told Tyson was good. After just a few sessions the movement was coming back. I’m 66 and was worried I would have to stop surfing. But with a lot of help from Tyson I’m back in the waves ( thank you so so much)

Cyana Ferguson

08:16 30 Oct 24

Steve Harris

22:33 15 Oct 24

Great team, all friendly, super helpful and first class clinical advice and a big shout out to my Physio Noah with my shoulder issue

Andrea Bell

05:33 19 Sep 24

These guys are the best in the biz 🎉

Ryan Brockett

04:20 18 Sep 24

Shout out to Max from fighting fit physio. He helped me out massively straight after shoulder surgery and back into work and sports in no time. Couldn’t recommend anyone better!

Scotty

08:31 31 Jul 24

Five star service from Max & the team!
Professional & very thorough, you know that patient outcomes are of the highest priority.
I highly recommend this business.

Riley Wilson

08:27 14 Jul 24

Be AWARE they’ll immediately try to commit you to multiple follow up sessions after your initial consultation. This happened to me and then I later found out that as it just so happens, they have a cancellation policy that says you have to pay 100% of the consultation fee for cancelling. They failed to tell me this when they were pushy in committing me to 6 sessions after my consult, so that was a really nice little surprise.

I was already uncomfortable with how pushy they were in having me commit to so many sessions, so when I heard about the policy I just cancelled all together. So, I can’t speak further to the quality of their service throughout therapy phase. FYI this was also a few months ago now, it’s possible (though unlikely) they may have changed the policy. Just ask the question.

Megan Shelley

06:51 03 May 24

Fighting Fit Physiotherapy is hands down the best physio I've encountered. Having tried multiple physios for various injuries, I always find myself coming back to them. Their expertise consistently exceeds expectations, helping me get back to my sport faster than I thought possible. Their personalized approach and attention to detail make all the difference. I could not recommend a better or more exceptional physio team!

Gina Matthews

08:41 24 Mar 23

Can't recommend this place high enough. I was in so much pain with my knee an had been for months through advise an exercises I'm now looking forward to returning to gym an back riding my horses in endurance thank you so much

Courtney Halse

01:36 29 Nov 22

Kyle was knowledgeable, personable and professional. He saw me through my second pregnancy and continued to work with me until 6 months post partum on issues with my back. Would recommend anyone to go and see him.

Also shout out to Georgia on the front desk. She makes you feel welcome and brings a sense of warmth to the place!

Alli Davenport

08:07 04 Nov 22

After hip replacement surgery in February I wanted toget back into weight training legs, I started with Mitch 18 weeks ago and after a lot of hard work and sweat I am able to safely train again, I cannot thank Mitch enough for his support,encouragement and knowledge. The staff are friendly and helpful and I always looked forward to my session's

Robert Parkinson

10:50 15 Aug 22

This is the second time I have been treated by the team at FFP.
As a health professional myself I have been impressed with the level of care I have received from all members of the team.
The personalised treatment and rehabilitation programs have produced excellent results and I have completed both programs pain free and feeling stronger than before my injuries.
During the program there was constant communication and follow up and they were very accommodating with my work schedule.
All in all it was a very holistic experience and I would highly recommend the service.

Kiri Canavan

07:30 08 Jun 22

Tyson was amazing! We came up with an 8 week plan at my first consultation with weekly check ins and updates to exercises. 8 weeks later, I am pain free and able to train harder than ever. Highly recommend and the staff are all fantastic and super accomodating!

“It’s just wear and tear” doesn’t mean you have to live in pain.

What Is Hip Osteoarthritis?

Common Signs of Hip OA

Why Physio Matters Before Surgery

Why Physio Matters Before Surgery

The Fighting Fit Approach

Treatment may include:

Hands-On Treatment

Strength Training

Movement & Load Management

Education

Movement Is Medicine

👉 “Motion is lotion.”

When Should You Get Help?

Surgery Isn’t the Starting Point

Ready to Move Better Again?

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call 0402 938 661

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