Site Map

Hip pain

Pain - hip

Hip 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.

Images

Hip fracture
Arthritis in hip

I Would Like to Learn About:

Causes

Hip pain may be caused by problems in the bones or cartilage of your hip, including:

Pain in or around the hip may also be caused by problems such as:

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:

Things you can do to avoid hip pain related to overuse or physical activity include:

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:

Contact your provider if:

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:

You 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.

Related Information

Hip joint replacement
Hip fracture surgery
Hip fracture - discharge
Hip replacement - discharge
Hip or knee replacement - after - what to ask your doctor
Hip or knee replacement - before - what to ask your doctor

References

Chen 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.

BACK TO TOP

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.

ADAM Quality Logo
Health Content Provider
06/01/2025

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. This site complied with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information from 1995 to 2022, after which HON (Health On the Net, a not-for-profit organization that promoted transparent and reliable health information online) was discontinued.

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. © 1997- 2024 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.