On July 12, 2026, we attended the Essential Hip Seminar, where we studied a wide range of topics related to hip conditions, including functional anatomy, differential diagnosis and screening, assessment, treatment approaches, self-care, and exercise therapy.
One of the most important things we took away from this seminar was that treating only the hip because the patient has hip pain is often not enough.
Hip pain can have many different causes
Hip pain does not always come from the same problem.
In some cases, symptoms may be related to muscle tightness or restricted joint movement. In others, there may be a structural condition involved, such as hip osteoarthritis or FAI (femoroacetabular impingement).
The seminar also covered several conditions that therapists need to be aware of before beginning treatment, including FAI, pubic ramus stress fractures, avascular necrosis of the femoral head, Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, and advanced hip osteoarthritis.
This reminded us how important it is not to simply assume that pain is caused by a tight muscle and start releasing the area.
We need to look at the patient’s symptoms, medical history, how and when the pain occurs, range of motion, and other clinical findings to understand what may be causing the problem.
Knowing when a patient may need further medical examination or imaging, such as an MRI, is just as important as knowing how to treat the condition.
We don’t just assess the hip
Another important point from the seminar was that the hip should not be looked at in isolation.
Hip function can be influenced by the pelvis and lumbar spine, but also by core stability, breathing, thoracic mobility, and the function of the gluteal muscles.
For example, when muscles involved in core stability, such as the diaphragm and transverse abdominis, are not functioning effectively, other muscles such as the iliopsoas and erector spinae may begin to work harder to compensate.
Similarly, when the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius are not functioning properly, the iliopsoas and deep hip rotator muscles may compensate. Over time, this can increase the load placed on the hip.
In other words,
the area where you feel pain is not always where the real problem started.
A patient may have hip pain, but poor pelvic control, reduced core stability, weak gluteal function, limited thoracic mobility, or altered breathing mechanics may all be contributing to the problem.
This is why it is important to assess the body as a whole and ask:
Why is this hip being overloaded in the first place?
Some people may have had the experience of visiting a hospital or clinic for hip pain and receiving only massage or electrical treatment around the painful area.
Treating the painful area can certainly be useful, but if the underlying reason for the overload is not addressed, the symptoms may return again.
Is the restriction coming from the muscles or the joint?
One of the most practical parts of the seminar was learning more detailed ways to assess hip mobility.
When a hip has limited range of motion, we need to determine whether that restriction is mainly coming from the muscles or from structures around the joint itself, such as the joint capsule.
Two patients may both appear to have a “stiff hip,” but the reasons for that stiffness can be completely different. That means the treatment approach — and even the expected time needed for improvement — may also be different.
During the seminar, we learned how to look at factors such as movement of the greater trochanter, compensatory pelvic movement, muscle tension, and hip range of motion to help distinguish between muscular and joint-related restrictions.
A detailed assessment like this allows us to go beyond simply saying, “Your hip is tight.”
Instead, we can make a more informed decision about what needs to be treated and why.
Treatment should not stop when the pain improves
The seminar also discussed the importance of thinking about hip treatment in both the short and long term.
In the early stages of treatment, the priority may be to reduce pain and improve mobility around the hip.
Once symptoms begin to settle, however, treatment should progress toward improving core and hip stability, thoracic mobility, breathing, and overall movement control.
This is also an important part of our treatment philosophy at Pain Away.
Our goal is not simply to make the pain feel better for a few days. We want to understand why that area became overloaded in the first place and help patients build a body that is less likely to develop the same problem again.
The seminar reinforced this approach: short-term treatment may focus more on pain control and local mobility, while longer-term treatment should address stability, movement, breathing, and the underlying functional problems.
Combining manual therapy with physical therapy modalities
We also learned more about how manual therapy can be combined with different physical therapy modalities, including High Voltage therapy, Microcurrent (MCR), Ultrasound, and Radiofrequency.
At Pain Away, we use a variety of treatment technologies, but simply using a machine is never the goal.
The important questions are:
Which treatment is appropriate for this patient?
What are we trying to achieve?
And where should we apply it?
Even when using the same treatment device, the target area and purpose may be completely different depending on what we find during the assessment.
The seminar was a good reminder that combining accurate assessment, hands-on treatment, and appropriate physical therapy modalities can help us approach pain and mobility problems more effectively.
Exercise and self-care are just as important as treatment
Another major topic was the importance of exercise and self-care.
Many people have experienced this situation:
“I feel much better after treatment, but two or three days later the pain comes back.”
This is especially common with chronic conditions.
Passive treatment can help reduce pain and improve movement, but treatment alone cannot always create long-term changes in the way the body moves and functions.
Patients also need to learn how to use important muscles such as the core and gluteal muscles correctly and gradually improve their own movement patterns.
Another interesting point from the seminar was that simply telling a patient, “Please do this exercise,” is often not enough.
Patients are much more likely to continue with self-care when they understand:
Why do I need to do this exercise?
What are we trying to improve?
How will this help my condition in the long term?
Helping patients understand the purpose behind their exercises is an important part of successful rehabilitation.
Bringing what we learn in Japan back to Bangkok
At Pain Away, we don’t believe that learning a treatment technique once is enough.
Clinical knowledge, rehabilitation methods, and treatment technology continue to develop. That is why we regularly attend seminars and professional training programs in Japan and other countries, and then bring what we learn back to our clinics and staff training in Bangkok.
For hip pain in particular, this seminar reinforced the importance of looking beyond the painful joint itself.
We need to assess the lumbar spine, pelvis, thoracic spine, breathing, core stability, gluteal function, posture, and overall movement patterns.
At the same time, treatment should not only focus on reducing pain. We also need to understand each patient’s goals and create a treatment plan that helps them move toward those goals.
We will continue introducing the assessment methods and treatment concepts we learned from this seminar into our clinical practice and staff education.
Although the seminar focused on the hip, many of these principles can also be applied when treating lower back pain, knee pain, sports injuries, and posture-related problems.
Pain Away Clinic will continue learning from specialists in Japan and around the world so that we can provide our patients in Bangkok with a higher standard of assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation.
A new Pain Away Clinic is coming to the Nana–Ploenchit area
We are also excited to announce that Pain Away Clinic is planning to open a new location in the Nana–Ploenchit area at the end of 2026.
The new clinic will be located at Ploenchit Center on Sukhumvit Soi 2.
At our new location, we will continue to provide the same approach that Pain Away has developed over the years — combining detailed assessment, Japanese-style manual therapy, exercise therapy, and advanced physical therapy modalities according to each patient’s condition.
With our clinics in Asok and Silom, and our new Ploenchit location coming soon, we will continue working to improve both our clinical skills and the quality of care we provide to our patients in Bangkok.
