Where the pain is gives a clue to the cause. Pain in the groin often comes from the hip joint itself. Pain on the outside of the hip is often from tendons or a bursa. Pain in the buttock may come from the lower back. Most hip pain improves with exercise and time.
Imagine lying on your side in bed and feeling a sharp ache on the outside of your hip. It’s tender to touch and hurts climbing stairs. You fear arthritis, but a physiotherapist explains it’s a common tendon problem called greater trochanteric pain syndrome, and shows you exercises that help.
Common causes
- Osteoarthritis, causing groin pain and stiffness
- Tendon and bursa problems on the outside of the hip
- Muscle strains, often in sport
- Pain referred from the lower back
- Hip fracture, especially in older people after a fall
What helps
- Stay active with gentle exercise such as walking, swimming or cycling
- Strengthen the hip and buttock muscles
- Avoid crossing your legs or lying on the painful side if it’s the outer hip
- Simple painkillers and heat for comfort
- Lose weight if you’re overweight, to reduce load
But when is hip pain urgent?
Get urgent help if an older person can’t stand or walk after a fall, or the leg looks shorter or turned out (possible hip fracture). Also get urgent help for a hot, swollen joint with fever, or a child who suddenly limps or won’t walk, especially with a fever.
Your next step: Point to exactly where it hurts: groin, outer hip or buttock. Mention this first when you see your nurse, doctor or physiotherapist. It speeds up the diagnosis.
Sources: NHS (Hip pain in adults), American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. This guide is for general information and does not replace advice from your own nurse, doctor or physiotherapist.
Leave a Reply