Hip joint pain frequently presents in the groin, front of the thigh, or buttock rather than over the outer hip - which is why it is often misidentified as a muscle or back problem. The hip joint sits deep in the pelvis, and the nerves that carry pain signals from the joint refer discomfort to the groin and inner thigh. A limp, difficulty putting on footwear, or pain rising from a low chair can all be signs of hip joint pathology even when the pain is not felt directly over the hip.
Pain felt over the outer hip - over the side of the thigh or the greater trochanter - is more often associated with trochanteric bursitis or a tendon problem than with the hip joint itself. Distinguishing between these requires a clinical examination, not just a description of pain location. If groin or thigh pain is persistent, worsening, or affecting walking, an orthopaedic evaluation with hip X-rays is the appropriate starting point.
Written by Dr Shrishti Patil, MS Ortho, Consultant Orthopaedic and Robotic Joint Replacement Surgeon, SPARSH Hospital, Hennur Road, Bengaluru.
To book a consultation with Dr Shrishti Patil at SPARSH Hospital, Hennur Road, Bengaluru, visit linqmd.com/doctors/dr-shrishti-patil-joint-replacement-surgeon-hennur-bengaluru
