Hip & Knee Pain Chiropractor in Fort Worth, TX
Hip or knee pain can make walking, stairs, squatting, running, training and everyday movement more difficult. Alpha Performance & Wellness takes an individualized approach to understanding how you move, what activities affect your symptoms and what type of care may be appropriate.
Depending on your evaluation, care may include chiropractic, mobility, soft-tissue and performance-focused strategies based on your specific needs and goals.
What Is Hip & Knee Pain?
Hip and knee pain describe discomfort around these regions rather than a single diagnosis. Because both joints are involved in almost every upright movement, symptoms here can affect walking, standing, sitting, stairs, squatting, running, lifting, exercise, sports, sleep and daily activities.
The hip and knee work together with the ankle, pelvis and trunk to carry and move the body. Pain in this area can involve muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, bursae, nerves or other structures, and the contributing factors are often different from one person to the next. An evaluation may help determine which factors appear relevant to you.
This page is educational and does not diagnose your hip or knee pain. An individualized evaluation is needed to understand what may be contributing to your symptoms.
What Can Hip Pain Feel Like?
Hip pain can present in many ways depending on what may be contributing. Location alone does not establish a diagnosis.
Aching
Stiffness
Sharp discomfort with certain movements
Pain during walking
Discomfort during squatting
Pain when getting up from a chair
Difficulty with certain exercise movements
Reduced mobility
Discomfort after prolonged sitting
Symptoms around the front, side or back of the hip region
What Can Knee Pain Feel Like?
Knee symptoms vary widely from person to person. These examples describe common experiences, but symptoms alone should not be used to self-diagnose an injury.
Aching
Stiffness
Pain during stairs
Pain during squatting
Discomfort during running
Difficulty kneeling
Pain when standing from a seated position
Swelling
Reduced movement
Clicking or popping with discomfort
Feeling unstable
Difficulty tolerating exercise
How Are the Hip and Knee Connected During Movement?
Walking, running, squatting and many athletic movements involve coordinated motion across multiple regions, including the hip, knee, ankle, pelvis and trunk. The body functions as an interconnected movement system rather than isolated parts.
Movement in one region may influence how another region is loaded or used, which is one reason evaluation may look beyond the exact location of your symptoms. However, this does not mean hip dysfunction automatically causes knee pain, or that every knee problem originates in the hip. The relationship varies from person to person.
Why Can Hip or Knee Pain Affect Walking and Stairs?
Walking and climbing stairs repeatedly require weight acceptance, joint movement, balance, muscular control, strength and coordination. When any of these are affected by discomfort, these everyday activities can become noticeably harder.
Stairs generally place different demands on the lower body than level walking — going upstairs, going downstairs, standing for long periods and transitioning from sitting to standing each stress the hip and knee in distinct ways. Discomfort during any of these may signal that an evaluation is worth considering.
This information is educational and does not diagnose arthritis or any specific condition from these symptoms alone.
Why Does My Hip or Knee Hurt When I Squat?
Squatting requires coordinated movement through the hips, knees, ankles and trunk. The depth, load, training history and individual movement tolerance may all influence whether discomfort becomes noticeable during the movement.
Whether you are performing gym squats, picking objects up, sitting down, standing up or managing physical work activities, the demands on the lower body add up over the day. Discomfort during squatting does not mean your form is inherently bad — an evaluation can help clarify what may be contributing.
There is no single "correct" squat for every person. This page does not assess your form without an evaluation.
Hip & Knee Pain in Runners, Athletes and Active Adults
Running, strength training, functional fitness, field sports, court sports, recreational activity, weekend sports and physically demanding work all place different demands on the hip and knee. Symptoms may develop suddenly after trauma, gradually over time, following changes in training volume, or after repeated activity.
Understanding how you train, how often and how intensely matters when evaluating lower-body concerns. Alpha works with athletes and active adults at many levels and does not claim partnerships with specific sports teams.
For sports-related hip or knee concerns, you may also find our Sports Injuries resource helpful. Sports injuries and hip or knee pain are related but not identical — one focuses on the activity context, the other on these specific joints.
Can Back or Nerve-Related Problems Cause Symptoms Near the Hip or Leg?
Yes. Some symptoms experienced around the hip, buttock or leg may sometimes be associated with the lower back or nerve-related factors rather than the hip or knee itself. The lower back, pelvis and lower extremities are closely connected through shared nerve pathways.
Symptoms such as radiating pain, tingling, numbness, burning or weakness may warrant evaluation to better understand whether the source is local to the hip or knee, or whether the lower back or nerves may be involved. These symptoms should not automatically be labeled as sciatica without an evaluation.
Local hip or knee symptoms
May be associated with local joint, muscle, tendon or ligament structures and movement patterns.
Back or nerve-related symptoms
Some symptoms felt around the hip, buttock or leg may be influenced by the lower back or nerve-related factors.
What Can Contribute to Hip or Knee Pain?
Hip and knee pain may have multiple potential contributors. Symptoms are often multifactorial, and there is not always a single root cause that applies to everyone.
When Should Hip or Knee Pain Be Evaluated?
Not every temporary ache requires treatment, but professional evaluation may be appropriate when hip or knee symptoms do the following.
When Does Hip or Knee Pain Need Urgent Medical Attention?
Some hip or knee symptoms may require urgent or emergency medical evaluation rather than a routine chiropractic appointment. If you experience any of the following, seek appropriate emergency or urgent medical care.
- •Obvious deformity after trauma
- •Suspected fracture or dislocation
- •Severe pain after significant trauma
- •Inability to bear weight following significant injury
- •Major sudden swelling
- •A joint that appears severely unstable after trauma
- •New or rapidly worsening weakness or numbness
- •Loss of sensation following trauma
- •Uncontrolled bleeding
- •Signs of serious infection
- •A hot, markedly swollen joint with systemic illness
- •Other severe or rapidly worsening symptoms
If you are unsure whether your symptoms require emergency care, seek appropriate medical evaluation immediately. Do not wait for a chiropractic appointment when urgent care may be needed.
Can Chiropractic Care Help With Hip or Knee Pain?
For some musculoskeletal hip and knee concerns, chiropractic and movement-focused care may be considered as part of a conservative management plan. Whether it is appropriate depends on the cause, severity, evaluation findings and the individual's needs.
An evaluation may consider movement, mobility, function, lower-body mechanics, training demands, work demands, previous injuries, activity tolerance and related back or nerve symptoms to determine whether this type of care appears appropriate.
Chiropractic care does not treat every cause of hip or knee pain. Some conditions may require medical imaging, orthopedic evaluation, rehabilitation or another type of care. An evaluation helps determine what is appropriate for you.
Our Approach to Hip & Knee Pain at Alpha Performance & Wellness
Alpha looks beyond simply asking where it hurts. We want to understand where your symptoms occur, when they started, what activities provoke them and how they affect your daily life.
Recommendations are individualized rather than applying the same approach to every hip or knee. Depending on your evaluation, we consider walking tolerance, stair tolerance, squatting, training, running, work demands, previous injuries, mobility, movement and functional goals to help guide what may be appropriate for you.
Move Better. Feel Better. Perform Better.
Services That May Be Considered for Hip & Knee Pain
Depending on your evaluation and the nature of your hip or knee concern, the following existing Alpha services may be considered when clinically appropriate.
Chiropractic Treatment
Hands-on chiropractic care that may be considered for appropriate joint and musculoskeletal concerns identified during evaluation.
May support hip, knee and lower-body joint function and movement when clinically appropriate.
Learn moreSoft Tissue Mobilization
Targeted hands-on techniques designed to address muscle tension and soft-tissue restrictions.
May be considered for muscle-related factors around the hip or knee identified during your evaluation.
Learn moreMedical Cupping
A focused soft-tissue treatment using controlled suction on targeted areas of the body.
May be incorporated to support soft-tissue care, mobility and recovery around the hip or knee.
Learn moreAdjustment, Cupping & Stretch
A comprehensive 60-minute session combining chiropractic care, targeted cupping and assisted stretching.
May be considered when multiple complementary approaches fit your individual needs.
Learn moreThese services do not repair ligaments, regrow cartilage, heal meniscus tears, cure arthritis or eliminate hip or knee pain. Recommendations are based on individual evaluation findings.
Hip & Knee Pain Can Affect More Than Exercise
Hip and knee pain is not only an athlete's concern. It can affect everyday tasks that most people never think about until walking, standing or stairs become uncomfortable.
Walking through a store
Climbing stairs
Getting in or out of a vehicle
Standing from a chair
Playing with children
Yard work
Work
Travel
Household activities
Sleeping comfortably
What to Expect During a Hip or Knee Evaluation
Understand Your Symptoms
Discuss onset, activity, previous injury and goals.
Evaluate Movement & Function
Assess clinically relevant hip, knee and lower-body movement and function.
Discuss the Findings
Explain what was observed and whether Alpha care appears appropriate.
Determine the Next Step
When appropriate, discuss an individualized plan. If medical imaging, orthopedic evaluation or another type of care appears warranted, explain that referral may be appropriate.
Treatment is not automatic — an evaluation comes first.
Related Conditions & Concerns
Explore other condition resources from Alpha Performance & Wellness. These conditions are not always related to hip or knee pain, but may be relevant depending on your situation. If your discomfort involves tendon irritation near the knee, you can also learn more about tendinitis treatment.
Hip & Knee Pain Chiropractic Care in Fort Worth, TX
Alpha Performance & Wellness is located in Fort Worth, Texas, serving athletes and active adults across the Fort Worth area. Whether your hip or knee discomfort comes from running, training, work, daily activity or a gradual change you cannot pinpoint, our individualized evaluation is designed to better understand your movement, symptoms and goals.
Our Fort Worth practice combines chiropractic care with movement-focused, soft-tissue and recovery strategies when clinically appropriate — helping active people work toward moving better and returning to the activities that matter to them.
Hip & Knee Pain Chiropractic FAQs
What can cause hip or knee pain?
Hip and knee pain can have many potential causes, including muscle tension, tendon irritation, ligament factors, joint concerns, repetitive activity, training changes, trauma, work demands, previous injury and, in some cases, lower back or nerve-related factors. Symptoms alone do not establish a diagnosis, so an evaluation is usually needed to understand what may be contributing.
Why does my knee hurt when I use stairs?
Stairs place different demands on the knee than level walking, requiring weight acceptance, joint movement, balance and muscular control. Discomfort during stairs can become noticeable when movement capacity does not match those demands or when repeated stress adds up. An evaluation helps clarify what may be contributing.
Why does my hip or knee hurt when I squat?
Squatting requires coordinated motion through the hips, knees, ankles and trunk. The depth, load, training history and individual movement tolerance may all influence whether discomfort becomes noticeable. Discomfort during squatting does not mean your form is inherently bad — an evaluation can help clarify what may be contributing.
Can back problems cause pain around the hip or leg?
Yes. Some symptoms felt around the hip, buttock or leg may sometimes be associated with the lower back or nerve-related factors rather than the hip or knee itself. Radiating pain, tingling, numbness, burning or weakness may warrant evaluation to better understand the source. These symptoms should not automatically be labeled as sciatica without an evaluation.
Can chiropractic care help every type of hip or knee pain?
No. Hip and knee pain have many possible causes, and chiropractic and movement-focused care may be considered for some musculoskeletal concerns as part of a conservative plan. Some presentations may require medical evaluation, imaging, orthopedic evaluation, rehabilitation or other specialty care depending on the individual situation.
Should hip or knee pain after a sports injury be evaluated?
Professional evaluation may be appropriate when hip or knee symptoms persist, worsen, limit movement or interfere with training after an injury. Severe trauma, suspected fracture or dislocation, major instability, significant weakness, inability to bear weight or other severe symptoms may require urgent or emergency medical attention rather than a routine appointment.
What happens during a hip or knee evaluation?
You will discuss when symptoms started, what activities provoke them and how they affect your life. Alpha then assesses clinically relevant hip, knee and lower-body movement, discusses the findings and explains whether care appears appropriate or whether additional medical evaluation may be needed.
How do I request an appointment?
Complete the Ready for Relief? form and a member of the Alpha Performance & Wellness team will contact you to confirm your appointment details and next steps. Submitting the form is an appointment request, not a confirmation.
Ready to Move With More Confidence?
If hip or knee discomfort is making walking, training, working or everyday movement more difficult, request an evaluation with Alpha Performance & Wellness in Fort Worth to determine an appropriate next step.
Complete the form and a member of our team will contact you to confirm your appointment details and next steps.
