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Hip Pain Keeping You Sidelined? 5 Potential Causes
You may not give your hips much thought until they become a source of pain that makes everyday activities like walking, exercising, or even sitting uncomfortable. While you may automatically assume your hip pain is an unfortunate part of aging or the result of overuse, the actual cause of the pain isn’t always so straightforward.
At Orthopedic & Wellness in Frederick, Waldorf, and Germantown, Maryland, our pain management and orthopedic specialist, Dr. Ojedapo Ojeyemi, understands how hip pain can keep you on the sidelines. Here, we share some of the most common potential causes of hip pain.
1. Arthritis
Arthritis is the general medical term for joint inflammation and is a common cause of hip pain. It may develop from overuse or an underlying condition such as osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Hip arthritis causes discomfort in the deep groin area that may radiate to the buttocks or thigh. You may also experience stiffness that makes hip movement difficult. Pain may improve once the inflammation resolves; however, when caused by chronic conditions like OA and RA, the pain tends to worsen over time.
2. Hip labral tear
A hip labral tear involves damage to the cartilage that lines the outside rim of the hip socket. This is a common sports injury, but it may also occur if you have a structural abnormality that affects the hip joint.
Symptoms are similar to arthritis, causing pain in the groin and joint stiffness. It may also cause the hip to lock or click.
Many labral tear injuries improve with conservative care after a few weeks. However, if symptoms persist, Dr. Ojeyemi may recommend arthroscopic surgery to repair or remove the damaged tissue.
3. Fractures
Sudden, severe pain in the groin or upper thigh following a fall may indicate a hip fracture. These fractures usually involve the upper part of the thigh bone near the ball of the hip joint. Anyone can have a hip fracture, but they’re commonly seen in older adults with osteoporosis, a weakening of the bones.
Most hip fractures require surgical treatments involving the placement of pins, screws, or plates to stabilize the bone so it can heal.
4. Hip bursitis
Pain along the outer hip and upper thigh may indicate hip bursitis, inflammation of the bursae, which are the fluid-filled sacs that cushion joints. Hip bursitis affects people of all ages and is often caused by overuse. It may also develop after an injury or other conditions that alter your walking pattern, such as arthritis, tight tendons, or leg-length differences.
Changes in activity, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and physical therapy are common treatments for hip bursitis. In rare cases, Dr. Ojeyemi may perform surgery to remove the inflamed bursae to ease pain.
5. Spinal conditions
Certain spine-related conditions may also cause hip pain like sciatica or spinal stenosis, or sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction.
The sacroiliac joint connects the sacrum and pelvis and plays a key role in stability and shock absorption. SI joint dysfunction may cause hip pain, leg pain, or lower back pain, making it challenging to diagnose. After ruling out other causes, we may perform a sacroiliac joint injection to confirm the source of your hip pain.
Treatment may include joint injections, manual manipulation, and physical therapy to strengthen the supportive muscles.
Don’t wait to seek specialist care
Because hip pain has many potential causes, it’s not something you should self-diagnose, especially if the pain persists or worsens over time.
If you have hip pain that affects your daily life, our team can find the cause and create an effective treatment plan. Call Orthopedic & Wellness today or click the “Book online” button to schedule your appointment.
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