Occasional Hip Pain

• Sharp Hip Pain When Sitting
• Sharp Hip Pain Pregnancy
• Occasional Hip Pain
• Types Of Hip Injuries

The hips allow us to run, walk, sit down, bend over and move our legs in many directions. When the hips are a source of pain, everyday life is affected. In the absence of a recent trauma, hip pain in adults is most often caused by some form of arthritis.

The hip connects the torso to the leg, and hip-related pain may not be felt directly at the hip. Instead, pain may be felt in the groin, down the thigh, inner knee, buttock or lower back. Conversely, lower back problems may cause pain to radiate to the hip. Because the pain can be diffuse, hip problems can be a challenge to identify and diagnose.

Intermittent Hip Pain When Walking The psoas is the only muscle in the human body connecting the upper body to the lower body. The muscle attaches to the vertebrae of the lower spine, moves through the pelvis and connects to a tendon at the top of the femur. Anterior hip pain is a common complaint with many possible causes. Apophyseal avulsion and slipped capital femoral epiphysis should not be overlooked in adolescents. Muscle and tendon strains are.

See Hip Anatomy

Despite its reputation as a sign of old age, hip pain is not a normal part of aging that should simply be accepted. Whether the pain is felt as a dull ache, stabbing pain, stiffness or inflexibility, it is advisable to get a diagnosis for the underlying cause of the pain as soon as possible. Early diagnosis allows treatment to begin and steps to be taken to prevent or slow further joint degeneration.

Hip Joint Pain from Arthritis

Hip pain can vary depending on the degree and nature of the joint degeneration, the patient’s physical condition (such as weight and fitness level), and the patient’s individual perception of pain.

That being said, the hip pain associated with osteoarthritis is usually characterized by some combination of the following symptoms:

Hip pain that comes and goes
Arthritic hip pain may come and go and, unlike knee arthritis pain, is often predictable, meaning hip arthritis patients can anticipate what time of day and what activities will result in pain.¹ Remember though, that this is a trend and not a rule.

Two distinct types of hip pain
In a clinical study designed to learn how people experience osteoarthritis pain, researchers found that hip osteoarthritis patients generally felt two distinct types of pain: a dull ache and intermittent sharp pain.²

• Ache. A persistent, dull aching is commonly felt in the groin and front of the thigh. Some people may experience a dull ache in the buttock, outside of the hip and/or in the lower back. People with hip arthritis use words like dull, aching, nagging, sore and throbbing to describe this type of pain.
• Intermittent Sharp Pain. Intense, stabbing pain episodes due to hip arthritis are sudden and brief. People describe this hip pain using words such as sharp, stabbing, ice pick, spike or paralyzing.²

Certain things make the hip pain worse

• Prolonged inactivity. People with hip arthritis often complain of pain in the morning when getting out of bed. The pain will often dissipate within 30 minutes of getting out of bed or from a seated position.
• Abduction, external and internal rotation. Spreading the legs or rotating the toes inward or outward can cause hip pain. Lying on the back causes a natural outward rotation of the toes and legs, so sleeping on the back can be uncomfortable. Sexual intercourse can be painful, also.
• Bending over. Deep bending can be difficult to impossible for patients with hip arthritis. Many complain that bending over to put on socks and shoes is challenging.
• Difficulty getting in or out of a car. People suffering from hip joint pain will often complain of a difficulty with driving and need the assistance of their arms to lift the leg and thigh both into and out of the car.
• Prolonged physical activity. Participating in weight-bearing physical activity, including sports, can result in stabbing pain or be followed by an aching pain.

Certain things make the hip pain better

• Rest. The surrounding muscles, tendons and ligaments that support the hip joint can tire, placing more pressure on the joint. Resting the hip can ease this type of pain.
• Gentle/moderate activity. Gentle activity can relieve the pain and stiffness caused by prolonged rest. When the hip joint is used, synovial fluid is secreted, lubricating and delivering nutrients to the joint.
• Medical treatment. Medical treatment for hip pain can include any combination of physical therapy, aqua-therapy, hip injection, oral anti-inflammatory and weight loss to name a few. Hip surgery can often be avoided. It is important to have pain in your back, hips or legs evaluated by a physician so that a proper treatment plan can be made.

References

• 1.Hawker, G.A., “Experiencing Painful Osteoarthritis: What Have We Learned From Listening?”, Medscape Today News, http://www.medscape.com, accessed May 19, 2011.
• 2.Hawker G.A., Stewart L., French M.R., et al. “Understanding the pain experience in hip and knee osteoarthritis: an OARSI/OMERACT initiative.” Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 2008; 16:415–422.

The symptoms of hip impingement can vary from person to person, but tend to arise gradually, over days, weeks, and months. Exercise is not a cause of hip impingement, but it can make symptoms worse.¹

The symptoms of hip impingement, including hip pain and decreased range of motion, are described in detail below. People experiencing severe hip pain and people who have mild to moderate hip pain lasting more than a few weeks are encouraged to contact a medical professional.

Hip Pain

Sharp Hip Pain When Sitting

People with hip impingement often report:

• Intermittent pain in or around the hip and groin. This pain will come and go with certain activities. Over time the pain may become more frequent.
• Sharp pain in the groin after certain movements, such as:
• Squatting down
• Twisting
• Pivoting, particularly pivoting to the affected side
• Getting into or out of a car
• Sitting down or getting up from a chair
• A dull ache at the hip or groin when at rest, particularly after:
• Prolonged sitting
• Prolonged walking
• A workout

See Hip Pain Causes Video

A person with hip impingement may have one, some or all of these painful symptoms. For example, one person may experience intermittent pain during workouts and when pivoting. Another may only feel a dull ache after a long walk.

Sharp Hip Pain Pregnancy

Additional Hip Impingement Symptoms

In addition to hip pain, a person with hip impingement may experience:

• Loss of range of motion, particularly when rotating the hip inward or moving the leg toward the centerline of the body.
• Stiffness around the hip, making movements slower or more difficult.
• Trouble going up stairs. Changes to the hip’s range of motion may change a person’s natural gait while climbing stairs.²
• Decreased muscle strength around the hip.³
• A loss of balance. Balancing on the affected leg may be more difficult than balancing on the unaffected leg.³
• Limping. In moderate to severe cases of hip impingement, hip pain and other symptoms may cause a person to walk with a limp.

Occasional Hip Pain

Types Of Hip Injuries

Most people experience a loss of range of motion in the hip. The other symptoms may or may not occur depending on the severity of the impingement and how long it has gone untreated.

References

• 1.Byrd JWT. Femoroacetabular Impingement. OrthoInfo, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Last reviewed November 2016. Accessed June 2, 2017.
• 2.Diamond LE, Dobson FL, Bennell KL, Wrigley TV, Hodges PW, Hinman RS. Physical impairments and activity limitations in people with femoroacetabular impingement: a systematic review. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(4):230-42.
• 3.Freke MD, Kemp J, Svege I, Risberg MA, Semciw A, Crossley KM. Physical impairments in symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement: a systematic review of the evidence. Br J Sports Med. 2016;50(19):1180.