Hip pain can be frustrating because it doesn't always feel like it's coming from the hip.
You might feel pain directly over the hip, in the groin, in the buttock, or even farther down the leg. And sometimes, the actual source of the pain isn't the hip joint at all.
So what causes hip pain?
There are several possibilities.
1. Muscle Strain
The muscles around your hip can become irritated or strained after activities such as exercising, lifting, running, or making an awkward movement.
Muscle-related hip pain may feel sore or tender and may become more noticeable when using the affected muscles.
2. Tight or Irritated Hip Muscles
You don't have to suffer a major injury to develop hip discomfort.
Spending a lot of time sitting, repetitive activities, or changes in your activity level can contribute to tightness and irritation around the hips.
You may notice stiffness when standing up after sitting for a while or discomfort during certain movements.
3. Arthritis
Arthritis can affect the hip joint and cause pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion.
Hip arthritis often causes pain in the groin or front of the thigh, although discomfort can also be felt around the hip or buttock.
Symptoms may become more noticeable with walking, stairs, or other weight-bearing activities.
4. Bursitis
Bursae are small, fluid-filled sacs that help reduce friction between tissues around a joint.
When a bursa becomes irritated, it can cause pain and tenderness.
One common location is the outside of the hip. Pain may be worse when lying on that side, walking, or going up stairs.
5. Problems Coming From the Lower Back
Here's an important one: hip pain isn't always caused by the hip.
Nerves from the lower back travel into the pelvis and legs. Problems involving the lower back can sometimes cause pain that is felt around the buttock, hip, or leg.
This is one reason an evaluation of both the hip and lower back may be helpful when the source of the pain isn't obvious. The sacroiliac (SI) joint can often refer pain into the hip.
6. Tendon Problems
Tendons connect muscles to bones. Repetitive activity or changes in activity can sometimes irritate the tendons around the hip, especially the adductor muscles and tendons.
This may cause pain with certain movements or activities and tenderness around the affected area.
7. Injuries
Falls, sports injuries, car accidents, and other impacts can cause a variety of hip problems.
Depending on the injury, you may have a muscle strain, joint irritation, tendon injury, or something more serious. A torn labrum can also cause hip pain.
Significant injuries should be evaluated rather than assuming the pain will simply go away.
Why Does My Hip Hurt When I Walk?
Pain with walking can have many causes.
Arthritis, tendon irritation, bursitis, muscle problems, and issues originating in the lower back can all contribute to discomfort while walking.
The location of the pain and what makes it better or worse can provide useful clues, but an examination is often necessary to determine what's actually causing it.
What Can You Do for Hip Pain?
What helps depends on the cause.
Depending on the problem, treatment may include:
Temporarily modifying activities that aggravate the pain
Gentle stretching
Mobility exercises
Strengthening exercises
Soft-tissue treatment
Chiropractic care when appropriate
Other medical or physical therapy treatments when indicated
The goal isn't simply to treat “hip pain.” It's to figure out why the hip hurts in the first place.
When Should You Have Hip Pain Checked?
Consider getting evaluated if your hip pain:
Doesn't improve
Keeps coming back
Is interfering with normal activities
Is getting progressively worse
Causes significant difficulty walking
Started after a significant injury
Severe pain, inability to bear weight, or other concerning symptoms after an injury should be evaluated promptly.
The Bottom Line
There are many possible causes of hip pain, and the location of the pain doesn't always tell you where the problem started.
Your hip, pelvis, and lower back all work together, so figuring out the source of the problem is an important first step.
If your hip has been bothering you, an evaluation can help determine what's contributing to the pain and what treatment options may be appropriate.
