The hip joint is the largest weight-bearing joint in the human body. It is also referred to as a ball and socket joint, surrounded by muscles, ligaments, and tendons. The ball and socket are covered with a smooth layer of tissue called cartilage. The cartilage helps prevent friction as the hip bone moves in its socket.
What Causes Hip Pain?
Any injury or disease of the hip will adversely affect the joint’s range of motion and ability to bear weight. Although the hip joint is designed to withstand repeated motion and a fair amount of wear and tear, with age and use, the cartilage can wear down or become damaged. Muscles and tendons in the hip can get overused. The hip bone itself can be fractured during a fall or other injury. Any of these conditions can lead to hip pain.
Common Conditions that Cause Hip Pain
Hip Arthritis
The most common cause of long-term hip pain is arthritis. Arthritis can cause pain, stiff and tender joints, and difficulty walking.
Osteoarthritis of the hip occurs when the cartilage in the hip joint gradually wears away over time due to increasing age or a result of a prior hip injury. The joint space between the bones of the hip joint narrows, so bone may eventually rub on bone. The pain may be dull, aching, or sharp. In most cases, hip pain due to osteoarthritis often worsen with activity and improve with rest.
Inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is due to the body’s immune system launching an attack on the joints. This type of arthritis may eventually destroy joint cartilage and bones. One may experience dull or aching pain, but unlike osteoarthritis, which is worsened with activity, hip pain from inflammatory arthritis is often eased with activity.
Hip Fractures
A hip fracture happens when the upper part of the thighbone (femur) breaks. The injury is usually due to a fall or auto accident. Hip fractures are more common in the elderly because bones weaken and become more brittle with age.
Most hip fractures cause severe pain and require surgery immediately. Some people need a total hip replacement after a hip fracture. Physical therapy (PT) can improve the outlook for people with hip fractures.
Hip Bursitis
Bursitis is an irritation or inflammation of a small fluid-filled sac called a bursa. These sacs serve as a cushion between joints, muscles, and tendons. When a bursa on the inside of the hip (the groin side) becomes inflamed, it can cause pain in the inner or groin side of your hip.
Inflammation of bursae is usually due to repetitive activities that overwork or irritate the hip joint. The pain from an inflamed bursa may be sudden or build up over time.
Hip Labrum Tear
The hip labrum is a band of cartilage-like tissue that follows the outside rim of the socket of your hip joint. Besides cushioning your hip joint, it acts like a rubber seal or gasket to help hold the ball at the top of your thighbone securely within your hip socket. Sometimes overuse or an injury to your hip can cause a tear in your labrum, prompting dull or sharp anterior hip pain that worsens with weight-bearing. Athletes and people who perform repetitive twisting movements are at higher risk of developing this problem.
Osteonecrosis of the Hip
Osteonecrosis, or avascular necrosis, occurs when there is a temporary or permanent lack of blood supply to the bone tissues. This can lead to the death of the bone cells and the destruction of the hip joint.
Besides anterior hip and groin pain that worsens with walking, a person may experience pain in the thighs, buttocks, and/or knees.
Hip Problems that we can help you with
- Inflammatory Arthritis of the Hip
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip
- Hip Fracture
- Bursitis or Groin Strains
- Sports Injuries
- Osteonecrosis/ Avascular Necrosis of the Hip
Associated treatments
- Arthroscopy
- Hip Replacement Surgery
Fast Medical Attention
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