An orthopedic surgeon evaluates conditions involving the hip joint, bones, cartilage, tendons, and other musculoskeletal structures. Seeing an orthopedic surgeon does not automatically mean you need surgery.
Hip Pain Treatment in Tampa, FL
Board-certified orthopedic surgeon evaluating and treating hip arthritis, bursitis, labral tears, tendon injuries, and other causes of hip pain in Tampa, Florida.
Hip Care in Tampa
SunCare Orthopaedics provides orthopedic evaluation and treatment for hip pain in Tampa, Florida , including hip arthritis, bursitis, labral tears, and tendon injuries. Phillip A. Pullen, DO examines the hip, personally reviews available imaging, and considers nonsurgical treatment first when appropriate, with surgery discussed when it becomes the right treatment option.
WHEN TO GET YOUR HIP CHECKED
Hip pain can change the way you walk, sit, sleep, and move.
Getting out of a chair, walking across a parking lot, climbing stairs, sleeping on one side, or putting on shoes can become noticeably harder when the hip is not moving comfortably.
The location of the discomfort can provide useful clues, but it does not establish the diagnosis by itself.
Pain can come from inside the hip joint, from surrounding tendons or bursae, or sometimes from another area such as the lower back. An orthopedic evaluation helps distinguish between these possibilities.
01
Groin or front-of-hip pain
Deep discomfort toward the front of the hip or groin can occur with problems involving the hip joint itself, including arthritis or labral conditions.
02
Pain along the outside of the hip
Outer-hip discomfort may involve structures around the joint, including bursae and tendons, rather than the joint surface itself.
03
Stiffness and loss of motion
Increasing difficulty bending the hip, rotating the leg, getting into a car, putting on socks, or completing normal daily movements can be worth evaluating.
04
Catching, clicking, or pinching
Mechanical sensations inside the hip can occur with certain joint problems, including labral injuries, and should be interpreted together with the rest of the examination.
05
Pain that limits walking or sleep
Persistent pain that changes how far you walk, makes stairs difficult, or prevents comfortable sleep may justify an orthopedic evaluation.
Is the pain really coming from the hip?
The examination helps distinguish joint problems from surrounding soft tissue and other possible sources of pain.
HIP EVALUATION & TREATMENT
Treatment starts by determining where the pain is coming from.
Hip pain treatment begins with identifying which structures are involved and how much the condition is affecting movement and function.
At SunCare Orthopaedics, Dr. Pullen takes your history, examines the hip, considers how you walk and move, and personally reviews available imaging.
If additional X-rays or an MRI are needed, he explains why the study is being recommended and what information it may provide.
After the diagnosis is clearer, treatment may involve activity modification, therapy, injections, or other nonsurgical care when appropriate. Surgery is considered when conservative treatment is no longer the right answer.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
Hip care built around the source of the problem
The goal is not simply to confirm that the hip hurts. It is to determine why it hurts, how the problem affects your movement, and what treatment path makes sense.
Identify the Source of Pain
The evaluation considers whether symptoms are coming from the hip joint, surrounding soft tissues, or another possible source.
Personal Imaging Review
Dr. Pullen personally reviews available imaging and explains why additional studies may be useful.
Conservative Care First
Therapy, injections, activity modification, and other nonsurgical measures are considered when appropriate.
A Diagnosis You Understand
The findings are explained in plain language so you understand what is causing your symptoms and why a treatment is being recommended.
Treatment Based on Function
Walking, stairs, sleep, work, activity level, and other functional limitations help shape treatment decisions.
Continuity After Surgery
When surgery is required, the same surgeon who performs your operation sees you during postoperative visits.
YOUR HIP EVALUATION
From symptoms to a clear treatment plan
The evaluation connects where you feel the pain, how the hip moves, what the examination shows, and what imaging reveals before treatment decisions are made.
STEP 1
Your History
Discuss when symptoms began, where pain is located, injuries, aggravating activities, previous treatment, and how the problem affects daily life.
STEP 2
Hip Examination
Dr. Pullen evaluates motion, tenderness, strength, function, and movements that help identify the likely source of symptoms.
STEP 3
Imaging Review
Available imaging is personally reviewed. Additional imaging is recommended when it can provide useful diagnostic information.
STEP 4
Diagnosis
The findings are explained in plain language so you understand what is causing the symptoms.
STEP 5
Treatment Plan
Nonsurgical care is considered first when appropriate, with surgery discussed when it becomes the right treatment option.
HIP TREATMENT OPTIONS
Surgery is not automatically the first step.
Treatment depends on what is causing the pain, how advanced the problem is, the effect on daily function, and how the hip responds to appropriate conservative care.
CONSERVATIVE CARE
Nonsurgical Hip Treatment
When nonsurgical care has a reasonable chance of helping, treatment may begin without an operation.
Activity modification
Physical therapy coordination
Injections when clinically appropriate
Monitoring pain and function
Adjusting care based on treatment response
WHEN APPROPRIATE
Surgical Hip Treatment
When conservative care will not adequately address the condition, Dr. Pullen explains the surgical option before you make a decision.
Why surgery is being considered
What the proposed procedure involves
What recovery may involve
Realistic treatment expectations
Postoperative follow-up with Dr. Pullen
Hip replacement is not based on an X-ray alone.
Symptoms, mobility, function, imaging, health, and response to previous treatment all matter.
ADVANCED HIP ARTHRITIS
Hip arthritis does not automatically mean hip replacement.
Depending on symptoms and function, nonsurgical treatment may remain appropriate for some patients with hip arthritis.
Joint replacement becomes part of the conversation when arthritis is significantly affecting mobility and quality of daily function and appropriate conservative treatment is no longer providing enough benefit.
Dr. Phillip A. Pullen performs hip replacement for appropriate patients when joint replacement is determined to be the right treatment.
- Severity of pain and stiffness
- Difficulty walking or standing
- Loss of hip motion
- Examination and imaging findings
- Response to previous nonsurgical care
- Your health, needs, and treatment goals
TREATMENT COSTS
What affects the cost of hip pain treatment?
There is no single cost for treating hip pain because the care required depends on the diagnosis.
Your insurance coverage, deductible, copay, coinsurance, network requirements, and authorization rules may also affect out-of-pocket costs.
Orthopedic Evaluation
The initial appointment helps establish the clinical picture and determine what additional care may be appropriate.
Imaging
X-rays or MRI may add cost when diagnostic imaging is needed to clarify the condition.
Conservative Care
Therapy, injections, and other nonsurgical treatments can create different costs depending on the care plan.
Surgery
Procedure, facility, anesthesia, postoperative care, and related services may affect the overall cost when surgery is required.
Insurance Benefits
Insurance plan terms can affect what an individual patient ultimately pays.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT LEVEL OF CARE
When does an orthopedic hip evaluation make sense?
An orthopedic evaluation is particularly useful when hip pain persists, affects normal movement, or when the source of the pain is unclear.
| CARE NEED | SUNCARE ORTHOPAEDICS | SELF-DIRECTED CARE | WALK-IN / URGENT CARE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main goal | Determine the orthopedic source of symptoms and create a treatment plan | Temporary management of mild symptoms | Initial evaluation of acute or urgent concerns |
| Hip-specific examination | Evaluation of hip motion, function, tenderness, strength, and relevant orthopedic findings | Not available | Initial musculoskeletal assessment may be available |
| Distinguishing the source of pain | Evaluation considers the hip joint, surrounding tissues, and other possible sources | Difficult to determine without examination | Further specialty evaluation may be recommended |
| Imaging decisions | Available imaging personally reviewed and additional imaging considered when useful | Not available | Imaging availability varies |
| Long-term treatment planning | Built around the diagnosis and functional needs | Usually based on short-term symptom response | May provide initial treatment or referral |
| Surgical decision-making | Discussed when surgery becomes appropriate | Not available | Usually requires specialty referral |
YOUR ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON
Find out what is actually causing your hip pain.
SunCare Orthopaedics provides orthopedic hip evaluation and treatment from its Tampa office on West Hillsborough Avenue.
Dr. Phillip A. Pullen takes your history, examines the hip, personally reviews available imaging, explains the diagnosis in understandable terms, and discusses reasonable treatment options with you.
Nonsurgical care is considered first when appropriate. If surgery becomes the better option, Dr. Pullen explains the procedure, recovery, and realistic expectations before you decide.
Phillip A. Pullen, DO
Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon
CLINIC
SunCare Orthopaedics
PHONE
TAMPA OFFICE
6911 Pistol Range Rd, Suite 103
Tampa, FL 33635
OFFICE HOURS
Monday to Friday
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
COMMON QUESTIONS
Hip Pain FAQs
General information about hip pain evaluation and treatment at SunCare Orthopaedics in Tampa. Individual treatment recommendations depend on an orthopedic evaluation.
SunCare Orthopaedics evaluates and treats hip conditions including arthritis, bursitis, labral tears, tendon injuries, and other orthopedic causes of hip pain.
Yes. Pain felt around the hip region can sometimes come from structures outside the hip itself, including the lower back. An orthopedic evaluation can help determine whether symptoms appear to come from the hip joint, surrounding tissues, or another source.
Hip arthritis can cause pain, stiffness, loss of motion, and difficulty with activities such as walking, standing, stairs, or getting in and out of a chair or vehicle. Other hip problems can produce similar symptoms, so evaluation is used to establish the diagnosis.
Bursitis involves irritation or inflammation of a bursa, a small fluid-filled structure that reduces friction around a joint. Hip bursitis can cause pain around the outer part of the hip, but other conditions can cause similar symptoms.
A hip labral problem may cause pain, stiffness, catching, clicking, or a pinching sensation with certain movements. Diagnosis depends on the history, examination, and imaging when appropriate.
Yes. Tendons surrounding the hip help control and stabilize movement and can become painful when injured or irritated. Evaluation helps distinguish tendon pain from joint arthritis, bursitis, and other causes.
Not necessarily. The imaging needed depends on your symptoms, history, examination findings, and the suspected condition. Dr. Pullen personally reviews available imaging and explains why additional X-rays or an MRI may be recommended.
No. SunCare Orthopaedics considers nonsurgical care first when it has a reasonable chance of helping. Surgery is discussed when conservative treatment is unlikely to adequately address the condition or is no longer providing enough benefit.
Depending on the diagnosis, treatment may involve activity modification, physical therapy coordination, injections, and other conservative measures. Not every treatment is appropriate for every hip condition.
Hip replacement may become an option when advanced hip arthritis significantly affects mobility and daily function and appropriate nonsurgical care is no longer providing enough benefit. The decision is based on the complete clinical picture rather than imaging alone.
Cost depends on the care required and may include the orthopedic evaluation, imaging, therapy, injections, or surgery when appropriate. Insurance benefits can also affect out-of-pocket costs.
Dr. Pullen reviews your history and symptoms, examines the hip, and personally reviews available imaging. If additional imaging is needed, he explains why. The diagnosis and reasonable treatment options are then discussed in plain language.
SunCare Orthopaedics is located at 8370 W Hillsborough Ave, Suite 103, Tampa, FL 33615. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Call (813) 515-0840 to schedule a hip evaluation.
