Hip Pain

Introduction^1,2,3

Hip pain is a common condition that can affect people of all ages, although it becomes more frequent with age. Your hip joint is the second biggest joint in your body after your knees. It is a ball-and-socket joint to:

Support your body weight
Maintain balance
Move your legs

Pain in the inside of the hip or groin area typically suggests issues within the joint, whereas pain in the outer side of the hip, upper thigh or outer buttock typically suggests issues with the muscles, ligaments, tendons or soft tissue.

According to the NHS there are things you can do to ease hip pain yourself, but it may be caused by something serious, like a fracture.

Lower back pain | Active Living | Flarin

Causes and Symptoms of Hip Pain

There are lots of possible causes of hip pain¹;

Symptoms	Possible Cause
Severe pain and unable to walk after a fall or injury	Hip fracture
Pain, swelling or bruising after intense or repetitive exercise	Sprain or strain, or tendonitis
Over 45 years of age, pain worse when walking and stiffness after moving	Osteoarthritis
Pain and stiffness worse after not moving (for example, when you wake up)	Rheumatoid arthritis
Hot, swollen hip and high temperature	Joint infection
Pain that may spread to your upper leg (thigh) and may feel worse when moving or lying on your side	Bursitis

Treatments for hip pain

If you believe you have any of the conditions listed or are concerned about your hip pain please seek the advice of a medical professional

There are things you can do at home to help ease hip pain¹:

Avoid putting strain on your hip – keep moving but don’t overdo it
Use an ice pack in a towel on the painful area
Use painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen
Wear comfortable, shock-absorbing shoes
Try to lose weight if you’re overweight
Try gentle hip stretching exercises

Exercises for hip pain

These exercises may be useful if you have a new hip problem, if you have been diagnosed with a hip condition you should speak to your healthcare professional first⁴.

Bridging

Lay down on your bed with your arms by your sides and your knees pointing toward the ceiling
Use your arms for support and slowly push your hips up towards the ceiling
Hold for a few seconds and then slowly lower your hips back down

Standing hip extension

Place a chair in front of you for support
Keeping one leg straight, lift the opposite leg behind you. Hold for a few seconds and then return to the starting position

Sideways hip lift

Begin in a standing position. You can place one hand on a chair or wall for support
Lift the leg that is furthest away from the chair into the air. Take care to keep your leg straight as you do this movement
Hold for a few seconds and then bring your leg back down again

Sit to stand

Begin in a standing position. Slowly bend your knees so that you end up touching the seat behind you
You can put your arms out in front of you to support your balance. Make sure your bottom just touches the chair behind you – don’t sit down completely
Return to a standing position