In most cases, no. Most states allows for "Direct Access," meaning you can come directly to a physical therapist for an evaluation and treatment without seeing a doctor first. This gets you on the road to recovery faster. However, if you are using insurance there are some specific plans that do have requirements regarding signatures or referrals. If your insurance has specific requirements, we will let you know before your first visit.  (Medicare does NOT require a referral to get started with therapy).

During your first visit, you'll undergo a comprehensive evaluation. We'll discuss your medical history, assess your current condition, and perform a physical examination. This helps us understand your specific needs and goals. Based on this information, we'll develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your unique situation. You'll also have the opportunity to ask any questions and discuss any concerns you might have about your treatment.

Yes. When appropriate, we use manual therapy techniques like joint mobilization, soft-tissue work, dry needling, and directional loading strategies. These help decrease pain quickly so you can move more easily and progress into strengthening.

In many cases, yes. Most pain improves with the right combination of movement correction, strength training, and hands-on care. We’ll also tell you honestly if imaging or a surgical consult is appropriate.

Yes. One of our main goals is education. You’ll understand exactly what is causing your pain, why it’s happening, and how to fix it. Knowing the root cause reduces fear and speeds up recovery.

If pain limits your workouts, daily activities, sleep, or quality of life—even slightly—PT is the right next step. A short evaluation can determine exactly what’s going on and what your fastest path forward looks like.

Hip pain can come from several sources including joint irritation, labral issues, tendon overload (like gluteal tendinopathy), hip impingement (FAI), bursitis, muscular imbalance, or stiffness in the spine or pelvis that overloads the hip. A physical therapist’s job is to identify your specific driver so treatment can be targeted and effective.

Hip pain is more serious if you experience sharp catching in the groin, difficulty bearing weight, numbness or tingling down the leg, pain at night, visible swelling, or rapid loss of mobility. Even if symptoms seem mild, early evaluation helps prevent long-term joint irritation and compensations.

Gentle movement is usually better than complete rest. Staying active helps maintain joint mobility and reduces stiffness. A physical therapist will show you which positions and exercises are safe—and help you avoid movements that overload irritated hip tissues while you heal.

Yes. Chronic hip pain often persists because the underlying issues—movement dysfunction, strength imbalance, pelvic control, mobility restrictions, or compensatory patterns—were never corrected. Physical therapy targets these root causes so even long-standing hip pain can improve.

Absolutely. Hip pain can be influenced by nerve irritation, FAI mechanics, SI joint dysfunction, or referred pain from the lower back. Physical therapy improves hip mobility, reduces irritation, restores strength, and helps calm nerve-related symptoms.

Untreated hip pain can progress into chronic stiffness, tendon degeneration, worsening labral irritation, and reduced ability to squat, walk, or exercise. Early treatment restores healthy mechanics and prevents long-term compensations that make the problem harder to fix later.