Hip pain can be debilitating, affecting everything from your sleep to your ability to walk. While many hip issues resolve with rest, others require urgent medical intervention.
This guide outlines the 10 most common hip conditions, how to identify them, and—most importantly—when to worry.
Before diving into specific conditions, seek emergency medical care immediately if you experience:
Inability to bear weight on the leg.
A visible deformity or the leg appearing shorter/turned outward.
Fever, chills, and redness over the hip joint (signs of infection).
Sudden, agonizing pain following a fall or trauma.
The most common cause of chronic hip pain, especially in adults over 50.
Symptoms: Deep aching pain in the groin or buttock, stiffness in the morning, and a reduced range of motion.
When to Worry: If the pain keeps you awake at night or you begin to limp.
Next Steps: Start with low-impact exercise and weight management. See a GP for an X-ray; if conservative care fails, an Orthopaedic referral for a joint replacement consultation may be necessary.
FAI occurs when the ball and socket of the hip don’t fit together perfectly, causing friction.
Symptoms: Sharp, stabbing pain when turning or squatting; a dull ache in the groin.
When to Worry: If you feel a “locking” sensation that prevents movement.
Next Steps: Often managed with specialist physiotherapy. If symptoms persist, an MRI may be required to check for joint damage.
Inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs (bursae) that cushion the outside of the hip bone.
Symptoms: Sharp pain on the outer side of the hip that is tender to the touch. It often hurts to lie on that side at night.
When to Worry: If the skin becomes hot, red, or very swollen (potential bursal infection).
Next Steps: Rest, ice, and anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs). Persistent cases may benefit from a steroid injection.
A break in the upper quarter of the femur (thigh bone), usually due to a fall or osteoporosis.
Symptoms: Intense pain and total inability to move the leg.
When to Worry: This is always an emergency.
Next Steps: Call 999 or go to A&E immediately. Surgery is almost always required to stabilize the bone.
A tear in the ring of cartilage (labrum) that lines the hip socket.
Symptoms: A “clicking” or “catching” sensation in the joint, often accompanied by groin pain.
When to Worry: If the hip feels unstable or “gives way” during daily activities.
Next Steps: See a doctor for a physical exam (the “FADIR” test). Diagnosis usually requires an MRA (an MRI with contrast dye).
Usually the result of a high-impact trauma (like a car accident), forcing the femoral head out of the socket.
Symptoms: Extreme pain and an obvious deformity of the leg’s position.
When to Worry: This is an emergency.
Next Steps: Urgent reduction (re-setting the joint) by an Orthopaedic surgeon is vital to prevent permanent nerve or blood vessel damage.
The piriformis muscle in the buttock compresses the sciatic nerve.
Symptoms: Tingling, numbness, or “shooting” pain that travels down the back of the leg.
When to Worry: If you experience sudden weakness in the foot or loss of bladder/bowel control (seek urgent care).
Next Steps: Primarily managed through targeted stretching and physiotherapy.
A painful infection within the joint fluid and tissues.
Symptoms: Severe pain, high fever, and a hip that is too painful to move even slightly.
When to Worry: This is a medical emergency.
Next Steps: Requires urgent admission to hospital for joint aspiration (draining fluid) and IV antibiotics to prevent joint destruction.
Small cracks in the bone, common in long-distance runners or those with low bone density.
Symptoms: Pain in the groin that starts only during exercise but eventually hurts while resting.
When to Worry: If the pain becomes constant or localized to a specific “hot spot” on the bone.
Next Steps: Rest and non-weight bearing are essential. An MRI is often needed as these fractures don’t always show up on standard X-rays.
Inflammation of the tendons that run across the front of the hip.
Symptoms: An audible “snapping” or “popping” sound when walking or getting out of a chair.
When to Worry: If the snapping is accompanied by significant weakness or pain that prevents exercise.
Next Steps: Strengthening the hip flexors and core through physiotherapy is the gold-standard treatment.
| Symptom | Likely Action |
| Mild ache after exercise | Rest, Ice, and Stretching. |
| Pain lasting >2 weeks | Book a GP appointment. |
| Clicking + Locking | Request a Physiotherapy assessment. |
| Trauma + Inability to walk | Visit A&E Immediately. |
Most hip issues are diagnosed through a combination of a clinical physical exam and imaging (X-ray or MRI). If conservative treatments like rest and physiotherapy don’t provide relief, a referral to an Orthopaedic Surgeon is the next step to discuss surgical or advanced interventional options.
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