General Hip Symptoms

When people complain about hip pain they usually refer to pain over the thigh bone. The majority of people (> 90%) with a hip problem however present with groin area, but people with a hip problem could also complain about pain in the adductor area (inside of the thigh), low back pain and even knee pain. Usually the pain starts with an gradual onset but sometimes the pain starts acutely. The age at which the pain starts can vary and is very often activity related, therefore athletes tend to present earlier than non athletic people. Athletes present with activity related pain and very often their only complaint is pain with twisting and turning at high speed. Non athletes have pain with day to day activities such as sitting especially in a low seat, getting in an out of the car and walking. About 50% of the patients can not walk as far as they normally do and also have a limp. Their gait alters as well, they tend to walk with the foot a bit more rotated out and wear out the outside of the heel of their shoes.

Giving away of the hip is not an uncommon symptom but this not necessarily implies that the hip is unstable. Patients with labral tears very often have this symptom.

A reduced range of motion of the hip presents itself usually in for instance difficulties to put on socks and shoes in the morning, or the inability to sit cross legged.

Clicking of the hip is a common symptom in about half of the patients with hip pain and labral tears.

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) - Hip dysplasia - Labral tear - Snapping Hip - Athletic hip - Instability - Trochanteric bursitis - home