Deep groin ache when bending and turning
Getting out of a low chair, putting on shoes or stepping into a car tends to set it off.
The labrum is a ring of cartilage around the rim of the hip socket that helps seal and steady the joint. Tears and wear are common on MRI, and they don’t always match symptoms. People with labral pain usually describe a deep groin ache, a pinch when turning, or a catch that makes them stop trusting the leg.
Around an irritated labrum, muscles commonly tighten to protect the joint. The iliopsoas and adductors at the front, the short rotators behind, and the gluteals and TFL on the side can all join in. The TFL is a small muscle on the outer front of the hip. That guarding presses the joint together and can make the hip feel stuck or unstable.
Your orthopedist manages the labrum, including imaging, injections and any decision about surgery. My part is the pain and the tight muscles around the joint, and my tool for them is dry needling, a form of acupuncture. Where the pectineus and iliopsoas cross the front of the hip, they can press on the femoral nerve. Needling them aims to give it space.
Physical therapy, anti inflammatory medication, a cortisone injection and sometimes surgery are the standard options, and each has its place. When the hip is very guarded, strengthening can flare it. An injection can calm pain without changing how the muscles hold the joint. After surgery, tight muscles and an altered walking pattern can linger. New York law keeps dry needling out of physical therapists’ and chiropractors’ hands, so the muscles themselves may not have been needled yet.
I ask which movements cause the catch or pinch, how the hip feels the day after activity, and what your orthopedist has told you. Then the exam:
Your orthopedist and physical therapist lead the labral care, and I fit my treatment around their plan. When something I find seems worth raising with them, I’ll let you know and send along what I saw.
No. A labral tear is diagnosed by a physician, usually with imaging and an orthopedic exam. I look at whether your symptoms are coming from the guarded muscles and nerves around the hip, which I can treat.
It can be. The aim is to ease the tight muscles around the joint so daily activity and PT are easier to tolerate. This works alongside your orthopedic care rather than replacing it.
No. Needling works on the muscles around the hip, not the cartilage. Relaxing them also eases pressure on the nerve crossing the front of the joint. The goal is a hip that moves and takes load with less reaction.
See a doctor promptly for locking that won’t release, being unable to bear weight, or sudden major instability. The same applies to significant swelling after an injury, fever, or severe night pain. If you’re unsure, start with a medical assessment.
Yes. With your permission, I’ll share what I’m treating and how the hip is responding. Needling can be timed so it supports your rehab sessions rather than competing with them.
Yes, once your surgeon clears you. Muscle guarding and an uneven walking pattern can linger after a repair. Treatment focuses on those muscles, and I follow your surgeon’s limits on range and load.
Adults with pelvic floor, nerve and orthopedic pain, along with neurological conditions. Most of my patients come to me after other care hasn't fully settled things. If you're looking for general wellness acupuncture, I'm not the right fit.
We review your history and what you've already tried. I assess the muscles and nerves involved, and you're treated the same day.
It depends on the condition. Pelvic and orthopedic plans usually run 4 to 6 weeks. Neurological plans are usually 2 visits a week for 6 weeks or 3 a week for 4. After that, visits space out so the changes hold. These are typical timelines, not promises.
Yes. I work alongside doctors, physical therapists and specialists. If something I find needs a closer look from one of them, I'll tell you.
I'm an out-of-network provider. You pay at the time of your visit, and my office submits the claim so any reimbursement comes to you. Free benefit checks are available before your first visit through the verification form, and HSA and FSA cards work. I don't take Medicare or Medicaid, though some Medicare Advantage plans reimburse out-of-network care. Full insurance details
Yes. I treat adults, teens and children, though I don't specialize in infants or toddlers.
Yes. Book a free discovery call to ask your questions and see whether we're a good fit.
Dry needling is a form of acupuncture. Fine needles go into tight bands of muscle and trigger points to lower muscle tension and change how the area is signaling.
You may feel a brief twitch or a deep ache as the needle reaches tight muscle. It passes quickly, and any soreness afterward usually fades within a day or two.
It's generally safe with a properly trained practitioner. Needles are sterile and single-use, and I check your health history first, including blood thinners. In New York, dry needling can only be performed by licensed acupuncturists, MDs and DOs. Physical therapists and chiropractors aren't permitted to perform it.
Eat something light beforehand and wear loose clothing that lets me reach the area being treated.
Usually not. Ultrasound helps in a few specific cases, but it hasn't been shown to improve results for common trigger points. A careful hands-on exam is what guides the needle. More on ultrasound-guided dry needling
Dry needling aimed at the pelvic floor and the hip and abdominal muscles around it, for pain, tension and urinary symptoms driven by those muscles and their nerves. More on pelvic floor dry needling
Sometimes, depending on the muscles involved, and you'll be draped throughout. Treatment always follows your consent and comfort. I don't do internal exams or internal treatment.
No, though it helps if you've already seen a doctor or pelvic floor physical therapist. Bring any notes or imaging you have.
Completely. I've heard it all, and there's no judgment here, just a straightforward conversation so we can treat what's going on.
Yes, I treat adults of every gender and identity. After gender-affirming surgery involving the pelvis, bring your surgical notes and we'll decide together what fits.
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118 W. 72nd St, Rear Lobby, New York, NY 10023
Evidence-based acupuncture and dry needling on the Upper West Side. From chronic pain and headaches to pelvic floor dysfunction, Dr. Jordan Barber pairs the highest level of training with care that actually listens.
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