In this guide, we’ll look at some of the most common reasons you might develop hip joint pain and ways to manage these conditions.
Sudden hip pain, shooting pain, a dull ache — all can be symptoms of issues involving your hip.
The hip joint contains the ball of the thigh bone and the pelvis socket. It’s held in place with strong, fibrous ligaments and supportive muscles. Hip pain can arise from various injuries to the tissues in and around your buttock, such as:
Bone
Connective tissue
Muscles
Nerves
Bursae (fluid-filled sacs that cushion joints)
Other soft tissues
In this guide, we’ll look at some of the most common reasons you might develop hip joint pain and ways to manage these conditions.
Hip pain can develop in different areas, including the front, back, or side of the hip.
Hip pain symptoms and types of pain you might experience include:
Sudden sharp pain. Sudden traumatic injuries — like those from falls, sports, or other physical activity — commonly cause sudden and sharp pain.
Sharp chronic pain. Sharp pain that doesn’t improve after a couple of weeks may be a sign of a serious condition, such as a severe muscle tear, ligament injury, fracture, or hip strain.
Sudden dull pain. Dull pain that comes on suddenly could be a sign of an injury to one of the small muscles around your hip.
Dull chronic pain. Many issues can cause dull chronic pain, including overuse muscular injuries and osteoarthritis.
Shooting pain. Shooting pain is often a sign of a neurological issue. For instance, sciatica is a common injury that can cause shooting pain in your lower back, hip, and down the back of your leg.
The location of your pain can give doctors, physiotherapists, and other healthcare professionals a clue as to what might be causing your discomfort. For example:
Deep pain at the back of the hip. Pain near the rear of your hip could be a sign of sciatica, a ligament injury, or one of the numerous small muscles on the back outer portion of your hip socket (collectively called external rotators).
Shallow pain at the back of the hip. Shallow pain (meaning closer to your skin) at the back of your hip could be a sign of an injury to one of the outermost muscles like the gluteus maximus.
Inner hip pain. Pain on your high-inner leg could point to a groin injury. The groin comprises several muscles that attach to the inner thigh.
Outer hip pain. Outer hip pain might be caused by one of the gluteal muscles in the hip or tightness in the long band of connective tissue that runs down the leg, called the iliotibial (IT) band. It can also be a sign of an inflammatory condition called bursitis.
Shallow pain at the front of the hip. Shallow pain at the front of the hip may be a sign of an injury to your hip flexors (the muscles that allow you to lift your thigh).
Deep pain at the front or center of the hip. Deep pain around your hip capsule (the inner front) could be from arthritis, cartilage injury, or osteoarthritis.
Conditions that cause hip pain can also cause related symptoms, such as:
Stiffness and limited range of motion through the hip
Swelling
Tenderness
Sounds coming from the joint, like clicking, popping, or grinding
Locking in the joint (when you can’t fully extend it)
Hip pain when walking
Pain that gets worse with physical activity
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s best to get in touch with a medical provider.
Wondering, Why do my hips hurt? Hip pain causes range from traumatic injuries to autoimmune conditions, among many other possibilities.
We’ll go over some of the most common causes of hip pain below.
Hip osteoarthritis is characterized by deteriorating joint cartilage. It becomes more common with age and often causes hip pain that develops slowly and worsens over time.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that develops when the body attacks healthy joint tissue inside the hip. Medical experts don’t know exactly why some people get it, but a combination of genetics and environmental factors likely play a role.
Septic arthritis is a joint infection where bacteria or viruses travel to the joint through the bloodstream. It can also happen due to a penetrating injury directly to the joint, such as an animal bite or a broken bone that breaks the skin.
Hip bursitis is when bursae (those protective fluid-filled sacs) become inflamed. It’s often caused by an overuse injury. The main symptom of this condition is hip pain that often extends to the outside of the thigh.
A hip labral tear is characterized by damage to cartilage surrounding the outer rim of the hip joint. Some studies suggest that hip labral tears could be the reason for up to 55 percent of cases of hip or groin pain.
A hip fracture is when you break the ball of your hip or your femur (where the thigh bone meets the hip). It usually causes severe, sudden pain after a fall or car accident.
Tendonitis is inflammation in the hip tendons, often from overuse. It’s common in athletes and people who do repetitive hip movements.
A hip impingement is when the thigh bone and socket rub together, which can lead to pain and restricted motion. It’s caused by abnormally shaped bones — an issue that usually develops before birth or during childhood.
Avascular necrosis is when the femur head loses blood supply, which can lead to the death of bone tissue. It could cause waves of pain that are relieved when you push on your bone.
Avascular necrosis can be caused by traumatic injuries or other medical conditions that disrupt blood supply to certain parts of the body.
Injuries to muscles around the hip commonly happen due to overuse or sudden injuries — like tearing a muscle during a strenuous workout. Pain from overuse injuries may come on slowly, whereas traumatic injuries can cause sudden and sharp pain.
Sciatica is when the sciatic nerve — which runs down the back of the leg — is pinched or pressured. It often results in shooting pain, numbness, and tingling that can reach the foot.
Piriformis syndrome is tightness or inflammation of the piriformis (a buttock muscle that supports hip rotation), irritating the sciatic nerve. Pain is usually burning, shooting, or aching down the back of the leg.
A hip dislocation occurs when the ball of the hip joint moves out of place from where it’s supposed to be in the socket. The most common cause is car accidents. Jumping down from a high surface and traumatic sports injuries are also possible causes.
A femoral hernia develops when inner tissue protrudes from a hole in the thigh called the femoral canal. Folks with femoral hernias often have severe pain and a noticeable bulge.
Women have a higher risk of osteoporosis than men, which can put them at a higher risk of fracturing a hip as they age. Women also have a greater risk of rheumatoid arthritis than men.
Risk factors for hip pain make you more likely to experience it. Some (but not all) overlap with the causes of hip pain, such as different types of arthritis and injuries.
Osteoarthritis risk factors include:
Increasing age
Family history
Previous injury to the hip
Obesity or overweight
Congenital abnormalities (birth defects involving the hip or surrounding bones)
So if you have osteoarthritis or are at risk for it, you have a higher chance of developing hip pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis risk factors include:
Smoking
Obesity
Exposure to air pollution
Assigned female at birth
Older age
This medical condition can only be diagnosed by a medical professional after thorough testing and examination.
Septic arthritis risk factors include:
Skin infection
Rheumatoid arthritis
Liver disease
Use of immunosuppressant medications
If you have multiple risk factors and symptoms of septic arthritis, contact your healthcare provider right away to set up an exam.
Risk factors for hip bursitis include:
Repetitive hip stress
Spinal disease
Leg-length inequality
Rheumatoid arthritis
Previous hip surgery
Bone spurs
Bear in mind, having multiple risk factors doesn’t necessarily mean you have a condition or will get it.
Most labral tears happen because of complications of hip impingement.
Hip fractures become more common with age and in people with osteoporosis. Since osteoporosis causes loss of bone mineral density, it makes bones more prone to breaking in the event of a hip injury.
Hip impingement is caused by a congenital abnormality. Those who do high-intensity sports and fitness training are most likely to notice hip impingement symptoms.
Hip tendonitis is particularly common in people who flex their hips frequently (during sports or other physical activities), especially if they suddenly start performing the motion more often.
If you’ve injured your femur, you have a higher risk of avascular necrosis. Smoking, drinking lots of alcohol, and having other medical conditions that inhibit blood flow can also increase your risk. Certain medications may also increase your risk.
Folks with muscular imbalances and those who dramatically increase the intensity of their workouts are at risk for hip flexor injuries.
Risk factors for sciatica include:
Smoking
Obesity
Jobs requiring heavy lifting
Psychosocial stress (from changing social situations)
Poor overall health
As you can see, the risk factors for this condition are physical, psychological, and sometimes situational.
Piriformis syndrome is particularly common in people:
Assigned female at birth
With obesity
Who live a sedentary lifestyle
Who smoke
If you have the symptoms and multiple risk factors, it’s worth seeing a healthcare provider — whether it’s contributing to hip pain or not.
People who play impact sports or extreme sports are at the highest risk of hip dislocation. A congenital abnormality called hip dysplasia also elevates a person’s risk.
Risk factors for femoral hernia include:
Tobacco use
Obesity
Collagen tissue disorders
Diabetes
Poor nutrition
Again, having risk factors for a medical condition doesn’t mean you’ll get it — or that it’s the cause of your hip pain. But it’s always good to check with a medical professional.
How is hip pain diagnosed? Doctors, physical therapists, sports medicine specialists, or other healthcare providers often start the diagnostic process by:
Asking about your symptoms
Reviewing your personal and family medical history
Performing a physical exam
In some cases, this might be enough to figure out the cause of your pain. For example, shooting or burning lower-back hip pain is often from sciatica.
Your provider may also recommend getting other tests, such as:
Imaging tests like an X-ray, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), or CT (computed tomography) scan
Blood tests
Hip arthroscopy, a minimally invasive procedure to look inside the joint
To get the hip pain diagnosis process started, make an appointment with a healthcare provider.
Hip pain relief and hip pain treatment depend on the underlying cause of your pain. Here’s a brief look at how some common conditions are treated.
Osteoarthritis and many other hip conditions are often manageable with:
Limiting or avoiding certain activities
Physical therapy
Using walking assistance devices like canes
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen
If these options aren’t effective, your provider might recommend hip replacement surgery or other surgical procedures.
Autoimmune conditions are often treated by a physician specializing in rheumatology (called a rheumatologist).
Medical providers often prescribe medications to help treat rheumatoid arthritis. This might include NSAIDs, steroid injections, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), or biological agents.
Treatment for septic arthritis often includes antibiotic therapy, typically through an IV (intravenous line). It can also involve draining fluid from the joint.
Hip bursitis treatment often includes:
Reducing physical activity
NSAIDs
Assistant walking devices
Physical therapy
Corticosteroid injections
As you can see, many causes of hip pain are treated through medication, movement, or both.
Treatment for a labrum tear might include physiotherapy, medications such as NSAIDs, or orthopedic surgery.
Treatment for hip flexor tendonitis often includes reducing the aggravating activity. Treatments used for other hip problems can also help, like physiotherapy and NSAIDs.
Surgery is usually only needed in severe cases of hip flexor tendonitis.
If you don’t have symptoms, you might not need treatment for a hip impingement. But if you’re experiencing pain or mobility issues and other approaches haven’t helped, your healthcare provider may recommend surgery.
Minor injuries often get better by themselves. You might also benefit from at-home treatments like applying heat or cold and limiting activities that aggravate the pain.
Surgery may be needed for severe tears.
Mild avascular necrosis can sometimes be treated with home remedies to reduce your pain, like icing the area or taking over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory medications. Advanced forms might call for surgery.
Treatments for sciatica often include OTC pain medications like NSAIDs and applying heat or cold to sore muscles. Moving regularly can also help.
In some cases, surgery might be needed to repair a herniated disc.
Treatment for piriformis syndrome is usually conservative. Physical therapy with specific stretches and strengthening exercises may help relieve symptoms.
A dislocated hip requires immediate treatment to put the joint back into place. This can be done surgically or non-surgically. Don’t try to pop your hip back yourself — instead, seek medical attention right away.
Femoral hernias are typically treated with surgery to put protruding tissue and ligaments back in place.
You might be able to reduce your chances of developing hip pain by:
Maintaining a healthy weight to take stress off your joints
Staying physically active
Strengthening your core and hip muscles
Stretching regularly
Using proper footwear for physical activity, such as running shoes when running
Avoiding sitting for long periods
Practicing good posture
Trying not to increase repetitive hip movements all of a sudden, like when starting a new running program
Warming up before exercising
Cooling down after exercising
Seeking early treatment and medical advice for hip discomfort before it gets worse
When in doubt, make an appointment to be seen by a medical professional. They can assess your hip pain, narrow down the possible causes, and recommend treatments.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.