By Jude 
Persistent back and hip pain can feel like it controls your entire life—from limiting how you sleep, sit, or walk to interfering with work and everyday routines. When discomfort lingers for weeks or even months, it’s time to stop hoping it will resolve on its own and start exploring solutions that target the root cause.
Physical therapy is one of the most effective, non-invasive options for managing and alleviating chronic back and hip issues. By identifying the source of your pain and building a personalized treatment plan, Confluent Health physical therapy helps you regain comfort, mobility, and confidence in your body.
What Causes Back and Hip Pain?
Back and hip pain often show up together because the muscles, joints, and nerves in these regions are closely connected. Tight hip flexors can pull on your lower back, poor posture can strain both areas, and nerve compression—such as with sciatica—can send shooting pain from the lower back down through the hips and legs.
Common causes of back and hip pain include:
- Muscle strains or ligament sprains
- Herniated or bulging discs
- Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction
- Sciatica
- Osteoarthritis
- Poor posture or sedentary lifestyle
- Weak core or glute muscles
Left untreated, these issues can gradually worsen, leading to compensation in other parts of the body, imbalances in your gait, and chronic pain. It’s not uncommon for patients to begin PT for back pain and soon realize their hip function has also been impacted—and vice versa.
If your pain has lasted longer than a few weeks or keeps recurring, it’s time to seek professional help. Whether it’s linked to a specific injury or has built up over time, you don’t have to manage it alone.
How PT Can Help Back and Hip Pain
Physical therapy is designed to treat pain at its source while improving the strength and mobility of surrounding structures. Rather than masking symptoms, your therapist performs a full assessment to determine what’s contributing to the issue. This includes evaluating joint alignment, muscle imbalances, flexibility, and posture.
If sciatica is the culprit, for example, treatment will focus on relieving pressure on the sciatic nerve and restoring proper function. Common sciatica treatment includes targeted stretching, core stabilization, and nerve gliding exercises to reduce pain radiating through the hips and legs.
Likewise, if limited mobility in the hips is placing stress on your lower back, your therapist will use manual techniques, soft tissue mobilization, and strengthening exercises to restore balance.
In some cases, poor alignment or weakness in the knees can also affect hip and back health. It’s why therapists often address nearby joints during your treatment—everything is connected. If you’re also struggling with knee issues, physical therapy for knee pain can be incorporated to ensure your whole lower body functions in sync.
A typical treatment plan might include:
- Hands-on manual therapy to relieve muscle tension
- Core and glute strengthening to support spinal stability
- Flexibility and mobility training for hips and hamstrings
- Gait training and posture correction
- At-home exercises to maintain results between sessions
Just as important, physical therapists educate you along the way—so you know how to prevent flare-ups, make ergonomic adjustments, and modify movement habits that may be contributing to your discomfort.
If you’re searching for an expert team that takes your pain seriously, a Confluent Health physical therapy clinic near you can provide the specialized care needed for lasting relief.
Final Thoughts
When your back and hip pain refuses to go away, ignoring it won’t make it better—but the right treatment plan can. Physical therapy offers a proactive path toward relief, focusing on restoring strength, correcting imbalances, and helping you move confidently again.
You don’t need to live in discomfort or guess your way through recovery. Working with a licensed therapist means getting a custom plan that evolves with your body, supports long-term healing, and helps you take back control of your life.
If you’re tired of letting pain dictate your day, physical therapy is a proven way forward. Get started with a local Confluent Health provider who understands your goals—and is ready to help you reach them.