As a Physical Therapist of many years, I personally love to treat hip patients. The hip, like the shoulder is a ball and socket joint in which there is a great potential for movement. Manual therapy is amazing for the hip. Joint mobilizations are treatment techniques used to loosen up the joint. To have proper range of motion e.g. hip flexion the joint needs to glide in a posterior direction. If the tissues (joint capsule) surrounding the joint are tight the ROM is limited. As P.T.s we learn special mobilization techniques to help the joint move better. Another manual therapy technique we use is soft tissue mobilization. There are many muscles that surround the hip joint and are prone to tightness that can restrict movement that may result in injury. Besides manual techniques, we also teach patients how becoming a better “mover” at this joint. The Pilates reformer is a fantastic way to accomplish this. Besides providing strengthening and stretching, it teaches you about hip dissociation. Hip dissociation is learning how to move your lower extremity independently from your trunk. This occurs solely at the hip joint. On the prevention side, learning how to dissociate at your hip is important for daily activities such as getting up from a chair, squatting, bending and lifting activities. It is also extremely important sport activities. On the injury and rehabilitation side, it is amazing for overuse injuries, low back pain & hip arthritis / joint replacement.