It can be alarming to realize you’ve been experiencing hip pain for an extended period. After all, most people know someone who has undergone a hip replacement, making it easy to assume that surgery is the only solution. According to the American College of Rheumatology, 544,000 hip replacements are performed annually in the United States, and a 2020 study found that hip pain affects 10% of the general population, with prevalence increasing with age.
However, like any joint, the hip can suffer from a wide variety of issues, and it is not a condition that exclusively affects older adults. Dr. Derek Ochiai, a board-certified arthroscopic hip surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Nirschl Orthopaedic Center in Arlington, Virginia, notes that numerous hip problems also impact younger individuals. In fact, a 2023 study reported that 22% to 55% of people with hip pain have a labral tear, a condition affecting the hip socket that Ochiai frequently treats in younger patients.
Why Delaying a Doctor’s Appointment for Hip Pain Can Be Seriously Harmful
It can be tempting to dismiss hip pain as an inevitable part of aging. But Ochiai emphasizes that ignoring it is the last thing he would do if he personally had a hip issue. If pain persists for more than a couple of weeks, it is time to see a physician. “Don’t ignore it. If you’re a young patient and you can’t sit in a car for 30 minutes at a time or you notice you take a turn by using little steps instead of twisting, that is not normal,” he says. “That could be a fixable, treatable hip condition.”
Pain during sitting, driving, or sexual activity might indicate a hip joint problem that requires evaluation, Ochiai adds. Delaying treatment can increase the risk of arthritis, especially if you have a labral tear, which affects the tissue that holds the ball-and-socket joint together. These tears are often “atraumatic,” meaning they can occur without a sudden injury, such as being tackled by a 300-pound lineman, he explains.
Ochiai cites a Danish study that followed patients with hip pain for 10 years. Those with hip pain and impingement (a marker for a labral tear) had a 26 times higher risk of developing arthritis within 10 years compared to the general population. Another 2023 study further confirmed that a labral tear increases the risk of osteoarthritis.
How to Tell If You Have Concerning Hip Pain and What You Can Do About It
When you picture a pelvic bone, there are many areas where pain can originate that may or may not be your hip. First, try to determine if you actually have hip pain or if it stems from another source. For example, back and hip pain often occur together. “The central issue is that not all hip pain is clearly from the hip. What we typically think of as hip pain, or pain located on the side of the hip, may actually come from the hip, the muscles around the hip, or joints next to the hip, including the lower back and SI [sacroiliac] joint,” says Dr. Rahul Shah, a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon.
Typically, you can identify hip pain if deep flexion hurts, such as during a goblet squat, Ochiai explains. You might also experience general pain when sitting if you flex your hip. “Some people have really deep chairs where the knees come up to the level of the waist, and they say they can’t get through the workday because it’s hard to sit that long,” he says. “A quick fix is to either raise your chair and sit forward so you don’t hyperflex your hip, or get a pillow or cushion to sit on and raise your legs higher.”
Other signs include difficulty standing on the affected leg, putting on socks or shoes, and clipping toenails, Shah adds.
Ochiai also suggests a “quick and dirty way” to check for a hip issue: “Lay on your back and grab the front of your knee with both hands, and pull that knee toward your chest. Have someone take a picture of how close you got your knee to your chest. Then do it again on the other side. If there’s a marked difference, that’s not just tight muscles.”
Yoga, Pilates, strengthening exercises, and anything that improves abdominal strength can help your hip, Ochiai says. His rehab protocols for post-hip surgery patients involve abdominal and back exercises. “Hip and back issues go together like peanut butter and jelly, so improving back strength can unload and actually improve your hip pain,” he explains.
Strengthening your glute muscles is also key to improving hip pain. Ochiai recommends exercises like hamstring stretches (such as touching your toes) and bodyweight squats.
Finally, don’t underestimate the power of stretching. Shah says hip flexor stretches, along with knee and ankle mobility stretches, can help achieve a full, painless range of motion.
These methods, combined with a visit to a doctor for a thorough evaluation, will have your hips thanking you.
