What is the Cause of Hip Pain?

Hip joint pain is a very common complaint, and with a number of hip pain causes it can be complex to diagnose - I know firsthand! However, to avoid injury, it is very important to hold off on hip exercises or other forms of treatment until you've figured out why you are so sore.

In my own case, I found that when experiencing a painful hip, the pain was not actually originating in the hip - but elsewhere - and manifesting itself in the hip area.

What could cause this?

• poor standing posture
• poor sitting posture
• painful foot problems
• sore knees
• lower back pain radiating to the hip

As is often the case with man aches and pains...

If left untreated, pain can easily radiate to other parts of the body (often called referred pain), causing disruption there as well.

For instance, someone who has knee arthritis may likely favor one leg over the other, resulting in an imbalance of the hips. Over time, even a very short period of time, the hip may begin to feel the ill effects of this. For this reason hip and knee pain, hip and leg pain, hip and lower back pain often go hand-in-hand.

Understanding the source of symptoms is vital, as treating those first may be the most useful step, and maybe the only step needed for hip pain relief. In my case, I get hip pain after sitting and lower back pain that radiates across the pelvis.

My remedy...

I have found the most relief through a combination of walking and hip stretching exercises, both of which I also use for the occasional arthritis hip pain flare up.

When should you consult a doctor?

According to many medical websites, if you have the following hip pain symptoms, or others that just don't feel right.

• swelling, redness or warmth in the area of the pain
• fever accompanying the pain
• severe pain
• excessive hip pain while sleeping or in a resting position
• pain caused by recent injury
• inability to stand or walk without a lot a pain

You may also be interested in:
Hip Exercises, Hip Flexors

Other Hip Pain Causes and Treatments

Arthritis: Due to their degenerative nature, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are two of the major causes of chronic hip pain.

Strained muscles: The muscles surrounding the hip and pelvic area can become strained and cause pain in the hip area. Groin pulls and hamstring strains commonly contribute to this type of pain.

Tendonitis: Tendonitis can occur in any of the tendons that surround the hip joint.

Bursitis: Trochanteric bursitis, which causes inflammation of the bursea over the outside of the hip joint, is a very common problem.

Spinal Pain: Many spinal problems can cause pain to radiate to the hip area. The most common are herniated discs and sciatica.

Hip Fracture: Elderly individuals with osteoporosis are the most likely to have hip fractures, resulting in either hip replacement surgery, or surgery to repair the damaged area.

Avascular Necrosis: When bone is deprived of its normal blood flow avascular necrosis may occur. This may happen after a long-term cortisone treatment, direct injury to the hip joint or after an organ transplant.

Snapping Hip Syndrome: Just as its name implies snapping hip syndrome is accompanied by a loud snap, or popping sound, when the hip is flexed or extended. Because of the nature of their movements many dancers and athletes are afflicted with this. The term is used to describe three types of problems:

• Iliotibial band snap
• Iliopsoas tendon snap
• Hip labral tear

This website is written by a patient NOT a practitioner. Exercises and techniques discussed here were provided to me - for my specific needs. To avoid risk of serious injury they should not be used by others without being discussed with a qualified health care provider.

Treatment recommendations may include:

Rest: When the discomfort initially begins resting may be one of the best remedies. Laying on a firm surface will remove pressure from the hip joints.

Walking Aids: If putting pressure on the hip joint causes discomfort, using a cane or crutches may be necessary.

Ice and Heat: Typically, ice therapy is applied immediately after the onset of pain to reduce swelling and applied for a couple of days. After this time heat is often used to help loosen tissues and relax the affected area.

Physical Therapy Exercise: Physical therapy that makes use of gentle hip stretching exercises and Walking for exercise may be recommended as the pain subsides.

Medication: A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, NSAID, is commonly prescribed for patients with hip pain caused by bursitis, tendonitis and arthritis.

Preventing Hip Pain

In many instances there are preventative measures that can be taken to reduce the incidents of pain in the hip joints.

Bending properly: Just as a balanced posture is important when standing, it is also important to bend in a way whereby one side isn't being favored over the other.

Maintain reasonable weight: Since each pound on your body puts additional pressure on your joints. maintaining a reasonable weight is extremely important.

Warm up and stretching exercise: Prior to physical activity muscles should have appropriate warm up and stretching exercise so as not to risk injury to the hip flexors. Stretching is also often recommended after activity.

Avoid foot problems: A painful foot problem tends to make us walk in an unnatural manner, thus creating imbalance in the pelvis. Avoid this by wearing appropriate footwear and talking to your doctor about discomforts.

Sit upright: Keep your hips positioned properly by sitting upright and not leaning from side to side. Avoid leg crossing. Sitting posture can be as important as standing posture.

Avoid inactivity: Unless your health care provider advises otherwise, regular hip exercises such as stretching and walking can help maintain mobility of the hip joint.