Hip Pain: Common Causes and Relief
From osteoarthritis and bursitis to labral tears and referred back pain, why the hip hurts, and what helps.
I see so many patients, young and older, come in with hip pain, and as a runner and cyclist, I've experienced it myself. The hip is a workhorse joint, and pain there can have many causes.
Arthritis is the most common cause. Osteoarthritis ('degenerative arthritis') often causes 'groin pain,' and rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis can cause hip pain too. Tendonitis and trochanteric bursitis occur when the tendons around the hip become inflamed with strain, especially involving the iliotibial band, or when the fluid-filled bursae that cushion the hip get irritated from overuse. Labral tears happen when the ring of cartilage that holds the hip's ball-and-socket joint is injured.
Other causes include osteoporosis, which can lead to fractures, and avascular necrosis, where smoking, alcohol, or steroids reduce blood flow to the bone and cause bone death. Non-musculoskeletal causes matter too: femoral or inguinal hernias can cause front-of-hip pain (pregnant women are at higher risk from added abdominal pressure), and low back problems can radiate to the buttocks and hips as sciatica or a 'pinched nerve.'
Don't forget gynecological issues like endometriosis, and always keep infection, sickle cell crisis, and cancer on the radar when the picture doesn't fit a simple strain.
Treatment depends on the cause. Stretching and foam rollers can help prevent hip injuries; anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or naproxen (check with your doctor), rest, weight loss, and lifestyle changes often help; and surgery may be needed for hernia or fracture repair. Listen to your body, and see your physician if the pain persists.
Dr. Maggie Cadet, MD