Your hip joint is one of the largest joints in your body. Being a ball-and-socket joint, it fits together in such a way as to allow a very wide range of movement across multiple planes and yet is sturdy enough to withstand many times your body weight with activities like running and jumping.
However, the hip joint is not indestructible. Age and increasing activity levels do cause some hip joint degeneration and pain. Depending on the underlying cause, the hip pain may be felt in the buttocks, groin, and thighs. There may also be loss of range of motion of the joint and limping as well.
Here are some of the most common causes of hip pain:
- Osteoarthritis: It is one of the most common causes of hip pain in the elderly. This type of arthritis is characterized by the wear and tear of the cartilage that cushions your hip joints.
- Bursitis: It is the inflammation or irritation of the fluid-filled sacs (bursae) present between the joint structures to reduce friction and enable smooth motion. Repetitive movements of the hip may cause bursitis.
- Tendonitis: Tendons are thick bands of connective tissue that attach the muscles to the bones. They may become inflamed when the muscles are overworked and do not have enough time to recover from the heavy stress placed on them.
- Labral tears: The hip labrum is the rim of cartilage tissue around the hip socket that holds the upper end of your thighbone in its proper place. Tears in the hip labrum may occur due to sudden hip twisting movements and are more common in athletes.
- Fractures: Hip fractures due to falls are commonly seen in the elderly and those with osteoporosis, a condition that causes bones to become weak and brittle.
If you have persistent hip pain that does not improve with conservative treatment such as rest and over-the-counter medication, visit the hip specialists at the American Hip Institute for an accurate assessment and minimally invasive treatment recommendations.
Dr. Benjamin Domb is an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine and Hip Arthroscopy. He is the Founder and Medical Director at American Hip Institute, is rated amongst the Top Doctors in the USA by the NY Times, US News & World Report, and Castle Connelly. The doctors at the American Hip Institute have been global leaders in Hip Arthroscopy and Robotic Surgery for over a decade. While some would call this excellence, we simply call it the American Hip Institute standard.
