Hip pain is one of the most misdiagnosed conditions in musculoskeletal practice. At LPAW, accurate diagnosis is the foundation of effective treatment — and where imaging is needed, Arjun Viswanath can refer directly without a GP appointment. Available at our Bow and Stratford East Village clinics.
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint formed by the femoral head (ball) and the acetabulum (socket). The joint is deepened by a ring of fibrocartilage called the labrum. The hip is inherently stable due to its deep bony architecture and powerful surrounding musculature, but this stability can be compromised by structural abnormalities, degeneration, or trauma.
Common causes of hip pain:
Seek urgent medical assessment if:
Severe hip pain following a fall in an older adult — possible fractured neck of femur. Often unable to weight bear. Requires emergency assessment.
Severe groin pain in a febrile patient — possible septic arthritis. This is a medical emergency.
Increasing hip pain in a patient with a history of cancer — possible bone metastasis.
Progressive hip or groin pain in a young adult with no trauma — possible avascular necrosis (AVN) or other structural pathology.
Sudden onset severe groin pain with fever in a child — possible septic arthritis or transient synovitis. Requires same-day medical assessment.
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint formed by the femoral head (ball) and the acetabulum (socket). The joint is deepened by a ring of fibrocartilage called the labrum. The hip is inherently stable due to its deep bony architecture and powerful surrounding musculature, but this stability can be compromised by structural abnormalities, degeneration, or trauma.
Common causes of hip pain:
Seek urgent medical assessment if:
Severe hip pain following a fall in an older adult — possible fractured neck of femur. Often unable to weight bear. Requires emergency assessment.
Severe groin pain in a febrile patient — possible septic arthritis. This is a medical emergency.
Increasing hip pain in a patient with a history of cancer — possible bone metastasis.
Progressive hip or groin pain in a young adult with no trauma — possible avascular necrosis (AVN) or other structural pathology.
Sudden onset severe groin pain with fever in a child — possible septic arthritis or transient synovitis. Requires same-day medical assessment.
LPAW’s clinical team includes 19 practitioners, many holding postgraduate qualifications from UCL, King’s College London, and Guy’s and St Thomas’. Lead clinician Mr Arjun Viswanath MSc, MCSP, MPPA – Co-Founder and Consultant Physiotherapist – brings 25+ years of NHS and private experience including BMI London Independent Hospital and Harley Street.
Every clinician joining LPAW completes a mandatory intensive shadowing placement with our Consultant Physiotherapist before seeing patients independently. This is not a standard practice at most clinics – it’s our way of maintaining clinical consistency across the team.
LPAW’s hydrotherapy pool — heated to 36°C — is invaluable for patients where back pain is severe enough to limit land-based exercise. The combination of buoyancy (reducing load on the spine) and warmth (reducing muscle spasm and improving circulation) allows movement and neural mobilisation exercises that are impossible or too painful on land. Hydrotherapy is particularly effective as an adjunct to Med-X rehabilitation for chronic back pain.
These are “red flags” that must be ruled out before physiotherapy treatment. Our physiotherapists conduct a full red flag screen at every initial assessment.
Shockwave therapy may be used for specific presentations of chronic back pain — particularly those involving myofascial trigger points or thoracolumbar fascial pain — though it is not the primary treatment for most back pain presentations.
Most back pain is benign and responds to physiotherapy. However, certain features require urgent medical assessment. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
LPAW’s hydrotherapy pool — heated to 36°C — is invaluable for patients where back pain is severe enough to limit land-based exercise. The combination of buoyancy (reducing load on the spine) and warmth (reducing muscle spasm and improving circulation) allows movement and neural mobilisation exercises that are impossible or too painful on land. Hydrotherapy is particularly effective as an adjunct to Med-X rehabilitation for chronic back pain.
Shockwave therapy may be used for specific presentations of chronic back pain — particularly those involving myofascial trigger points or thoracolumbar fascial pain — though it is not the primary treatment for most back pain presentations.
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