BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuHip painPain - hipHip pain involves any pain in or around the hip joint. You may not feel pain from your hip directly over the hip area. You may feel it in your groin or pain in your thigh or knee. Causes Hip pain may be caused by problems in the bones or cartilage of your hip, including: Hip fractures -- can cause sudden and acute hip pain. These injuries can be serious and lead to major problems. It is more common in older patients because their bones can be weaker. Hip fracturesHip fracture surgery is done to repair a break in the upper part of the thigh bone. The thigh bone is called the femur. It is part of the hip joint...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Infection in the bones or joints. BonesOsteomyelitis is a bone infection. It is caused by bacteria or other germs.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article JointsSeptic arthritis is inflammation of a joint due to a bacterial or fungal infection. Septic arthritis that is due to the bacteria that cause gonorrhe...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Osteonecrosis of the hip (necrosis from loss of blood supply to the bone). Arthritis -- often felt in the front part of the thigh or groin. ArthritisOsteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder. It is due to aging and wear and tear on a joint.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Labral tear of the hip. Femoral acetabular impingement -- abnormal growth around your hip that is a precursor to hip arthritis. It can cause pain with movement and exercise. Pain in or around the hip may also be caused by problems such as:Bursitis -- pain when getting up from a chair, walking, climbing stairs, and driving Hamstring strain HamstringA strain is when a muscle becomes overstretched and tears. This painful injury is also called a "pulled muscle. "If you have strained your hamstring...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Iliotibial band syndrome Iliotibial band syndromeThe iliotibial band (ITB) is a tendon that runs along the outside of your leg. It connects from the top of your pelvic bone to just below your knee....Read Article Now Book Mark Article Hip flexor strain Hip flexor strainThe hip flexors are a group of muscles toward the front of the hip. They help you move or flex your leg and knee up toward your body. A hip flexor s...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Hip impingement syndrome Groin strain Snapping hip syndrome Pain you feel in the hip may reflect a problem in your back, rather than in the hip itself. Pain due to problems in the hip joint itself is often felt most in the groin. Home Care Steps you can do to lessen hip pain include:Try to avoid activities that make pain worse. Take over-the-counter pain medicines, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Sleep on the side of your body that does not have pain. Put a pillow between your legs. Lose weight if you are overweight. Ask your health care provider for help. Try not to stand for long periods of time. If you must stand, do so on a soft, cushioned surface. Stand with an equal amount of weight on each leg. Wear flat shoes that are cushioned and comfortable. Things you can do to avoid hip pain related to overuse or physical activity include:Always warm up before exercising and cool down afterward. Stretch your quadriceps and hamstrings. Avoid running straight down hills. Walk down instead. For exercise, swim instead of running or biking. Run on a smooth, soft surface, such as a track. Avoid running on cement. If you have flat feet, try special shoe inserts and arch supports (orthotics). Make sure your running shoes are made well, fit well, and have good cushioning. Cut down the amount of exercise you do. See your provider before exercising your hip if you think you may have arthritis or have injured your hip. When to Contact a Medical Professional Go to a hospital or get emergency help if:Your hip pain is acute and caused by a serious fall or other injury. Your leg is deformed, badly bruised, or bleeding. You are unable to move your hip or bear any weight on your leg.Contact your provider if:Your hip is still painful after 1 week of home treatment. You also have a fever or rash. FeverFever is the temporary increase in the body's temperature in response to a disease or illness. A child has a fever when the temperature is at or abov...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article You have sudden hip pain, plus sickle cell anemia or long-term steroid use. Sickle cell anemiaSickle cell disease is a disorder passed down through families. The red blood cells that are normally shaped like a disk take on a sickle or crescen...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article You have pain in both hips and other joints. You start limping and have difficulty with stairs and gait. What to Expect at Your Office Visit Your provider will perform a physical exam with careful attention to your hips, thighs, back, and the way you walk. To help diagnose the cause of the problem, your provider will ask questions about: Where you feel the pain When and how the pain started Things that make the pain worse What you have done to relieve the pain Your ability to walk and support weight Other medical problems you have Medicines you takeYou may need x-rays of your hip or an MRI scan. Your provider may tell you to take a higher dose of over-the-counter medicine. You may also need a prescription anti-inflammatory medicine.Open ReferencesReferencesChen AW, Domb BG. Hip diagnosis and decision-making. In: Miller MD, Thompson SR, eds. DeLee, Drez, & Miller's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 77.Guyton BJ. Hip pain in the young adult and hip preservation surgery. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 6.Huddleston JI, Goodman S. Hip and knee pain. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Gabriel SE, Koretzsky GA, McInnes IB, O'Dell JR, eds. Firestein and Kelly's Textbook of Rheumatology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 51.AllVideoImagesTogHip fracture - illustration Hip fractures occur as a result of major or minor trauma. In elderly patients with bones weakened by osteoporosis, relatively little trauma, even walking, may result in a hip fracture.Hip fractureillustrationArthritis in hip - illustration Cartilage normally protects the joint, allowing for smooth movement. Cartilage also absorbs shock when pressure is placed on the joint, like when walking. Arthritis involves the breakdown of cartilage. Without the usual amount of cartilage, the bones of the joint rub together, causing pain, swelling and stiffness.Arthritis in hipillustrationHip fracture - illustration Hip fractures occur as a result of major or minor trauma. In elderly patients with bones weakened by osteoporosis, relatively little trauma, even walking, may result in a hip fracture.Hip fractureillustrationArthritis in hip - illustration Cartilage normally protects the joint, allowing for smooth movement. Cartilage also absorbs shock when pressure is placed on the joint, like when walking. Arthritis involves the breakdown of cartilage. Without the usual amount of cartilage, the bones of the joint rub together, causing pain, swelling and stiffness.Arthritis in hipillustrationSelf Care Greater trochanteric pain syndromePiriformis syndromeHip flexor strain - aftercareDeciding to have knee or hip replacementRelated Information Hip joint replacement(Surgery)Hip fracture surgery(Surgery)Hip fracture - discharge (Discharge)Hip replacement - discharge (Discharge)Hip or knee replacement - after - what to ask your doctor (Doctor Questions)Hip or knee replacement - before - what to ask your doctor (Doctor Questions)Back pain and sciatica - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 4/24/2023 Reviewed By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Hip painPain - hipHip pain involves any pain in or around the hip joint. You may not feel pain from your hip directly over the hip area. You may feel it in your groin or pain in your thigh or knee. Causes Hip pain may be caused by problems in the bones or cartilage of your hip, including: Hip fractures -- can cause sudden and acute hip pain. These injuries can be serious and lead to major problems. It is more common in older patients because their bones can be weaker. Hip fracturesHip fracture surgery is done to repair a break in the upper part of the thigh bone. The thigh bone is called the femur. It is part of the hip joint...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Infection in the bones or joints. BonesOsteomyelitis is a bone infection. It is caused by bacteria or other germs.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article JointsSeptic arthritis is inflammation of a joint due to a bacterial or fungal infection. Septic arthritis that is due to the bacteria that cause gonorrhe...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Osteonecrosis of the hip (necrosis from loss of blood supply to the bone). Arthritis -- often felt in the front part of the thigh or groin. ArthritisOsteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder. It is due to aging and wear and tear on a joint.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Labral tear of the hip. Femoral acetabular impingement -- abnormal growth around your hip that is a precursor to hip arthritis. It can cause pain with movement and exercise. Pain in or around the hip may also be caused by problems such as:Bursitis -- pain when getting up from a chair, walking, climbing stairs, and driving Hamstring strain HamstringA strain is when a muscle becomes overstretched and tears. This painful injury is also called a "pulled muscle. "If you have strained your hamstring...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Iliotibial band syndrome Iliotibial band syndromeThe iliotibial band (ITB) is a tendon that runs along the outside of your leg. It connects from the top of your pelvic bone to just below your knee....Read Article Now Book Mark Article Hip flexor strain Hip flexor strainThe hip flexors are a group of muscles toward the front of the hip. They help you move or flex your leg and knee up toward your body. A hip flexor s...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Hip impingement syndrome Groin strain Snapping hip syndrome Pain you feel in the hip may reflect a problem in your back, rather than in the hip itself. Pain due to problems in the hip joint itself is often felt most in the groin. Home Care Steps you can do to lessen hip pain include:Try to avoid activities that make pain worse. Take over-the-counter pain medicines, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Sleep on the side of your body that does not have pain. Put a pillow between your legs. Lose weight if you are overweight. Ask your health care provider for help. Try not to stand for long periods of time. If you must stand, do so on a soft, cushioned surface. Stand with an equal amount of weight on each leg. Wear flat shoes that are cushioned and comfortable. Things you can do to avoid hip pain related to overuse or physical activity include:Always warm up before exercising and cool down afterward. Stretch your quadriceps and hamstrings. Avoid running straight down hills. Walk down instead. For exercise, swim instead of running or biking. Run on a smooth, soft surface, such as a track. Avoid running on cement. If you have flat feet, try special shoe inserts and arch supports (orthotics). Make sure your running shoes are made well, fit well, and have good cushioning. Cut down the amount of exercise you do. See your provider before exercising your hip if you think you may have arthritis or have injured your hip. When to Contact a Medical Professional Go to a hospital or get emergency help if:Your hip pain is acute and caused by a serious fall or other injury. Your leg is deformed, badly bruised, or bleeding. You are unable to move your hip or bear any weight on your leg.Contact your provider if:Your hip is still painful after 1 week of home treatment. You also have a fever or rash. FeverFever is the temporary increase in the body's temperature in response to a disease or illness. A child has a fever when the temperature is at or abov...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article You have sudden hip pain, plus sickle cell anemia or long-term steroid use. Sickle cell anemiaSickle cell disease is a disorder passed down through families. The red blood cells that are normally shaped like a disk take on a sickle or crescen...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article You have pain in both hips and other joints. You start limping and have difficulty with stairs and gait. What to Expect at Your Office Visit Your provider will perform a physical exam with careful attention to your hips, thighs, back, and the way you walk. To help diagnose the cause of the problem, your provider will ask questions about: Where you feel the pain When and how the pain started Things that make the pain worse What you have done to relieve the pain Your ability to walk and support weight Other medical problems you have Medicines you takeYou may need x-rays of your hip or an MRI scan. Your provider may tell you to take a higher dose of over-the-counter medicine. You may also need a prescription anti-inflammatory medicine.Open ReferencesReferencesChen AW, Domb BG. Hip diagnosis and decision-making. In: Miller MD, Thompson SR, eds. DeLee, Drez, & Miller's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 77.Guyton BJ. Hip pain in the young adult and hip preservation surgery. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 6.Huddleston JI, Goodman S. Hip and knee pain. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Gabriel SE, Koretzsky GA, McInnes IB, O'Dell JR, eds. Firestein and Kelly's Textbook of Rheumatology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 51.