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​Hip Pain: Don’t Let It Slow You Down

Hip pain is a common complaint for people of all ages and fitness levels.

People often mistake hip pain for any pain in the pelvic region. Pain in the pelvic region can be the result of a number of different diagnoses, each having its own defining symptoms. Hip pain is often characterized by groin pain.

Causes and Symptoms of Hip Pain

Hip pain may result from:

  • An injury or fall
  • Wear and tear
  • Developing arthritis

Hip pain can also be arthritic or non-arthritic.

  • Arthritic hip pain is characterized by a dull pain and stiffness.
  • Non-arthritic hip pain that is the result of an injury, fall, or tear of cartilage can be characterized by sharp, intermittent pain in the groin area.
For any type of pain that persists longer than a week, you should consult your primary care physician, sports medicine expert, or orthopaedic surgeon.

Treatment Options for Hip Pain

The good news is, doctors can treat many types of hip pain with non-operative approaches. These may include activity modification and physical therapy.

For those hip injuries that do not respond to non-operative treatment, surgery may be an option to consider.

Minimally-invasive hip surgery

Until recently, open hip surgery was the next step in a patient’s treatment plan. The surgeon would make a large incision and dislocate the hip in order to repair any injuries.

Today, however, a minimally-invasive procedure called hip arthroscopy may be an option for some people with hip pain.

This procedure is similar to arthroscopies of the knee and shoulder, in which the surgeon makes two or three small incisions and inserts tiny cameras and surgical instruments to correct the problem.

Compared to open hip surgery, patients who have minimally-invasive hip arthroscopy usually:

  • Recover faster
  • Feel better sooner
  • Return to their normal lifestyle earlier

See our FAQ to learn more about hip arthroscopy.

Surgery for Hip Pain: Questions to Ask Your Doctor

When talking to your doctor about hip surgery, consider asking the following questions:

  • What does the procedure involve?
  • What are the risks and complications?
  • What are the benefits of having this surgery compared to another?
  • How long is the recovery period?
  • What is the chance of needing revision surgery?
  • What are the published outcomes?

From diagnosis to repair, UPMC’s highly trained physicians offer world-class care in treating hip injuries and other joint conditions.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with a sports medicine expert, call 412-432-3600.

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