Hip and Knee Pain? What Might Be Causing It & How Sports Therapy Can Help

Hip and knee pain are two of the most common issues we see at LMH Optimal Therapy, and they can be incredibly frustrating. Whether you’re a weekend runner, a dedicated gym-goer, or just someone trying to move without discomfort, hip or knee pain can hold you back from living life to the fullest.

But here’s the thing: these two joints don’t work in isolation. The hip, knee, and even your lower back and ankles all function together as part of your body’s movement chain. When one link in that chain is off, the others often pay the price.

So what can cause hip and knee pain - and how can sports therapy can help you move freely again?

Common Causes of Hip and Knee Pain

Muscle Imbalances

Tight hip flexors, weak glutes, or overactive quadriceps can pull your joints out of alignment. These imbalances can alter how your body moves, placing excessive strain on your hips or knees during everyday activities - even something as simple as walking upstairs.

Poor Movement Mechanics

If your knee collapses inward when you squat or run, or if your hips tilt unevenly when you walk, you’re adding unwanted stress to the joints. Over time, these faulty patterns can lead to irritation, inflammation, and pain.

Overuse & Repetitive Strain

Repetitive activities like long-distance running and cycling can gradually overload the tissues around your hips and knees. Without proper recovery or mobility work, this can lead to tendonitis or chronic joint stiffness.

Previous Injury

A past ankle sprain, lower back injury, or even hip surgery can affect how your body moves today. Compensations you’ve developed without realising can quietly contribute to pain in other areas.

How Sports Therapy Can Help

At LMH Optimal Therapy, our goal is simple: to find the root cause of your pain, not just treat the symptoms. Sports therapy combines hands-on treatment with movement-based rehabilitation to restore balance, strength, and mobility throughout your body.

We begin with a detailed movement and postural assessment to identify where the issues are coming from, because while you might feel pain in your knee, the true source could be your hips, glutes, or even your feet. From there, we use techniques such as soft tissue therapy, joint mobilisations, and trigger point release to reduce muscle tension, improve circulation, and restore natural movement.

Once mobility and comfort are improved, we guide you through corrective exercises tailored to strengthen weak muscles, enhance stability, and retrain your body’s movement patterns to prevent pain from returning.

Finally, we focus on education and prevention, helping you understand why your pain started and giving you practical advice on stretching, warm-ups, and efficient movement, empowering you to stay pain-free and perform at your best.

When to Seek Help

If your hip or knee pain has lasted more than a few days, keeps coming back, or interferes with your sleep or training, it’s time to get it checked. Early intervention can prevent minor issues from turning into chronic problems, and the sooner you address it, the quicker your recovery will be.

Take the First Step Toward Pain-Free Movement

At LMH Optimal Therapy, we’re passionate about helping people move better, feel stronger, and perform at their best. Whether your pain is new or something you’ve been managing for a while, our expert therapists can help you get back on track.

Ready to move without pain? Book your assessment today and let us help you get back to optimal performance.

📍 Based in Poole on the Nuffield Estate

📞 lmhoptimaltherapy.co.uk | 07861160799 | contact@lmhoptimaltherapy.co.uk