Hip - Hip replacement - Arthroscopy or key hole surgery
Causes of pain in the hip
Pain around the hip joint could have several causes. There may be referred pain or radiating pain originating from the lower back, muscles and bursae around the hip joint, or the pain may originate from the hip joint itself.
Aspects your doctor will take into account with regard to the diagnosis:
- The duration of the pain,
- How it started,
- Is there pain at night or when resting?
- Does the pain worsen when burdened?
- Has the distance you can walk decreased?
- Is the patient still able to get out of a low chair or car with ease?
- Does the pain radiate to below the knee?
Groin pain could originate from the hip joint. Pain at the outer side of the upper leg could have several causes. It must also be examined whether the pain originates from the hip joint, is caused by muscle/tendon or bursa disorders, or originates from the lower back. Your doctor will investigate this in a clinical examination and perform a number of technical tests. In most cases parasthesia or tingling in the leg can be attributed to lower back problems. Pain that radiates to below the knee usually originates in the lower back.
Restricted movement of the hip joint manifests in a decrease in the distance a person is able to walk, increased difficulty getting into or out of a low chair or the car and encountering problems putting on stockings and shoes. Often, these problems are caused by osteoarthritis (wear and tear) of the hip joint. Limping may occur as a result of wear and tear of the hip joint or due to inflammation or a tear in the gluteus. In the majority of cases, a painful, audible or visible click is the result of a tendon snapping across a bony projection (osteophyte). The ‘clicking’ sound is often audible during movement and can sometimes be provoked.
It is important that you can explain which movements you find difficult, when and where.
This content was written by : Dr. Yves Devlies, Dr. Pieter-Jan De Roo, Dr. Paul Gunst, Dr. Jan Noyez, Dr. Luc Van den Daelen, Dr. Jan Van Oost, Dr. Philip Winnock de Grave