Hip pain is often felt in the groin, on the outside of the hip, or in the buttock. Imaging may show structural changes like wear or labral alterations, but these rarely explain the whole pain experience.

Hip pain often stems from the nervous system being in a heightened protective state and from altered movement patterns.

Treatment aims to restore the hip’s natural, relaxed movement and to ease the fear associated with pain.

Hip pain is a common complaint with many possible causes. People often assume it’s immediately due to damage or arthritis in the hip joint. In reality, hip pain frequently occurs even when there’s nothing structurally wrong with the hip joint. It can also be caused by misalignment further down the leg, so it’s important to assess how the ankle and foot are functioning. Hip pain often shows up while walking or running, felt along the outer edge of the hip. Sometimes it’s worst at night, disrupting sleep—especially when lying on the affected side.