Hip Pain

Hip pain is a general term for pain that you experience around your hip joint or in it.

Hip pain can be localised in different parts of the hip area (outer/inner hip, outer buttock or outer thigh) and the pain level may vary day-to-day. If the hip becomes very painful, it can begin to affect your ability to walk.

The location of your hip pain often dictates what is causing it. If the pain you are experiencing is on your outer hip or buttock, or your upper thigh, this is generally due to problems with your muscles, ligaments, tendons or soft tissue, whereas if the pain is in the inside of your hip or groin, it is likely related to the hip joint.

The most common causes of hip pain are:

• Arthritis (often osteoarthritis)
• Tendonitis
• Bursitis
• Fractured hip

Hip pain can also be caused by:

• Osteonecrosis (when blood flow to the hip is reduced)
• Hip labral tears
• Hip dysplasia
• Bone infections
• Femoroacetabular impingement (when the hip bones rub together because of their shape)
• Hamstring injuries
• Iliotibial band syndrome (when the thigh ligament becomes inflamed)
• Pinched nerves from the spine or near the hip
• Rarely, cancer

Please be advised that these are not all the causes of hip pain, and you should speak to your consultant to find out what could be causing yours.

If you are experiencing hip pain, you should speak to your consultant and they will try to determine what is causing your pain by asking questions and/or through one or more of the following:

• X-rays
• CT scans
• MRIs
• Ultrasounds
• Fluid tests (i.e. blood, urine, joints)
• Walking observations

Your hip pain will be treated depending on what is causing it.

Treatments for hip pain can include:

• Rest
• Physiotherapy
• Pain relief medications
• Surgery, most commonly hip replacement

If you’re unsure what treatment you should go for, or the above treatments don’t work for you, our team of expert specialists are here to help.