# What to try before hip surgery *Options Before Surgery | Hip Pain Treatment Mesa* > Hip pain treatment Mesa options include gentle movement, medicines, blood-based care, and a clear talk about surgery. A stiff hip may loosen after breakfast, then ache again by afternoon. Stairs, a low chair, or lying on one side can bring it back. You’re likely here because rest hasn’t been enough. Several choices come before surgery, though they don’t suit every hip. The cause of the soreness matters. We’ll start with home care, then explain medicine, blood-based care, and surgery. ## What to try first at home Gentle exercise may help you keep strength and movement. Let the hip settle after each walk or round of chores before doing more. A cane can make an ordinary trip easier, and the day doesn’t need to become a test. When the outer hip is sore, try sleeping on the other side. This eases pressure on the tendon, a firm cord attaching muscle to bone. A pool may feel kinder than walking on land during a difficult day. Notice whether you sleep longer, walk farther, or leave a chair more easily. ## What to ask about medicines Some medicines ease soreness for a short time. Your doctor must consider your stomach, kidneys, heart, and other medicines before suggesting one. A store-bought product isn’t right for everyone, so it’s wise to check first. Please ask how long to take the medicine and which side effects matter. You can also ask what to do if the soreness returns. Stronger medicine doesn’t always mean easier movement, and you’ll want a clear reason for anything you take. ## What to know about surgery alternatives PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma; a sample of your blood is spun to gather the part rich in platelets. This is among the hip surgery alternatives you may hear about. The prepared blood product is then used for the sore area. People hope for less soreness and easier movement, but hip results are mixed. If joint wear is advanced, the surgery talk is usually about replacement. Other operations repair or reshape parts of the original hip before major wear develops. An exam and X-ray show whether either kind of operation may apply. One operation won’t suit every cause of soreness. ## What to do if the soreness doesn’t settle QC Kinetix offers biologic therapies and regenerative treatments, its names for non-surgical care made from your own blood. PRP is one such choice. At the clinic, the people giving your exam are called medical providers. They’ll ask where the hip hurts and discuss which care may fit. QC Kinetix has no clinic inside Mesa, and the Chandler clinic is at 1100 S. Dobson Road, Suite 210. You can call (602) 837-PAIN and ask whether Chandler or Scottsdale is easier to reach. That call books an exam where you can hear the choices; it doesn’t start treatment. ## Sources 1. The 2019 ACR/Arthritis Foundation guideline makes STRONG recommendations for exercise, weight loss in people with overweight or obesity, self-efficacy and self-management programmes, tai chi, cane use and oral NSAIDs across hand, hip and knee OA - but its strong recommendations for topical NSAIDs and for intra-articular glucocorticoid injection are specific to the KNEE, not the hip. Kolasinski SL, et al. — [2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hand, Hip, and Knee.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31908163/). *Arthritis & Rheumatology*, 2020. DOI: 10.1002/art.41142. 2. OARSI 2019 designates arthritis education plus structured land-based exercise as CORE treatments for hip OA, and explicitly states that intra-articular corticosteroids, intra-articular hyaluronic acid and aquatic exercise - Level 1B/2 treatments for KNEE OA - were NOT recommended for individuals with hip or polyarticular OA. Oral and transdermal opioids are strongly not recommended (Level 5). Bannuru RR, et al. — [OARSI guidelines for the non-surgical management of knee, hip, and polyarticular osteoarthritis.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31278997/). *Osteoarthritis and Cartilage*, 2019. DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2019.06.011. 3. The 2026 Cochrane update of exercise for hip osteoarthritis (18 trials, 1368 participants) found that against attention control or placebo, exercise may have little to no effect on pain (MD -6.31 points on 0-100, 95% CI -12.98 to 0.35, low certainty) and may improve physical function only slightly; against no treatment or usual care it probably reduces pain slightly (MD -7.19, 95% CI -10.70 to -3.68, moderate certainty) but the review states these improvements are unlikely to be clinically meaningful. This is a weaker result than the equivalent knee evidence and it must not be overstated. Hall M, et al. — [Exercise for osteoarthritis of the hip.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42486497/). *Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews*, 2026. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007912.pub3. 4. A Bayesian network meta-analysis of 11 randomized trials (1353 patients) in hip osteoarthritis found that at 2-4 months and 6 months NO injectable - corticosteroid, hyaluronic acid or platelet-rich plasma - significantly outperformed a saline placebo injection for pain or function. Pooled change from baseline exceeded the minimal clinically important difference in every arm including placebo. Gazendam A, et al. — [Intra-articular saline injection is as effective as corticosteroids, platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid for hip osteoarthritis pain: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32829298/). *British Journal of Sports Medicine*, 2021. DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2020-102179. 5. The AAOS evidence-based clinical practice guideline on Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hip states verbatim: STRONG evidence supports intra-articular corticosteroids to improve function and reduce pain in the SHORT TERM; STRONG evidence does NOT support intra-articular hyaluronic acid, because it does not perform better than placebo for function, stiffness and pain; STRONG evidence supports physical therapy for mild to moderate symptoms; STRONG evidence supports NSAIDs for short-term pain and function; and MODERATE evidence does not support glucosamine sulfate. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons — [Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hip: Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline.](https://www.aaos.org/oahcpg). *AAOS*, 2017. 6. FDA states verbatim that regenerative medicine products including stem cells, stromal vascular fraction, umbilical cord blood, Wharton's jelly, amniotic fluid and exosomes have NOT been approved 'for the treatment of any orthopedic condition, such as osteoarthritis, tendonitis, disc disease, tennis elbow, back pain, hip pain, knee pain, neck pain, or shoulder pain.' The only FDA-approved stem cell products in the United States are blood-forming (hematopoietic progenitor) cells derived from umbilical cord blood, approved only for disorders affecting blood production. U.S. Food and Drug Administration — [Consumer Alert on Regenerative Medicine Products Including Stem Cells and Exosomes.](https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/consumers-biologics/consumer-alert-regenerative-medicine-products-including-stem-cells-and-exosomes). *FDA*, 2026. 7. A systematic review of five randomized trials of intra-articular PRP for hip OA (43-111 patients each) reported significant pain reduction and functional improvement in every included study with no major adverse events, but methodological quality ranged from low to high risk of bias and PRP preparation methods differed between studies - so this positive summary rests on a small and heterogeneous base and does not override the placebo-controlled network meta-analysis. Almutairi AN, Alazzeh MS — [Efficacy and Safety of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Intra-articular Injections in Hip Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39569300/). *Cureus*, 2024. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.72057. 8. A meta-analysis of 14 epidemiological studies found a 5-unit increase in body mass index was associated with an 11% higher risk of hip osteoarthritis (RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.07-1.16), with no significant difference by sex or study design. The association is real but considerably weaker than the corresponding association at the knee. Jiang L, et al. — [The relationship between body mass index and hip osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20580591/). *Joint Bone Spine*, 2011. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbspin.2010.04.011. 9. Hip dysplasia is a leading precursor of hip osteoarthritis and is present in 20% to 40% of patients with hip OA; associated femoral deformities occur in more than 50%, so the structural anatomy of a dysplastic hip must be assessed in multiple planes. Acetabular osteotomy is the usual treatment in the pre-arthritic dysplastic hip. Gala L, Clohisy JC, Beaule PE — [Hip Dysplasia in the Young Adult.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26738905/). *Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (Am)*, 2016. DOI: 10.2106/JBJS.O.00109. ## What to do if the soreness doesn’t settle QC Kinetix offers biologic therapies and regenerative treatments, meaning non-surgical care prepared from your own blood. One choice is platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, made by spinning your blood sample and gathering the part rich in platelets. The medical providers who examine you will explain what the clinic offers and what it can’t promise. You’ll have time to ask questions. The visit can cover the sore area, hip movement, and the daily tasks now harder. It doesn’t commit you to treatment. Call (602) 837-PAIN to book an exam and ask whether Chandler or Scottsdale is easier to reach. You’re welcome to hear the choices before deciding. Book a free consultation: --- A welcoming place to learn what may be making your hip sore. Simple answers about an aching hip, home care, warning signs, surgery timing, and nearby clinics. A welcoming Mesa guide for sorting out hip aches and choosing a sensible visit. This site is operated by the owners of the QC Kinetix Phoenix-area clinics, who benefit when readers schedule a consultation; it is first-party educational content and its study sources should be checked directly. © 2026 Mesa Hip Timing Guide. General education only; a clinician who examines you must make diagnosis and treatment recommendations for your circumstances.