Hip pain in athletes gets misdiagnosed a lot, partly because the hip joint sits deep in the body and pain from it can show up in places that seem unrelated, like the groin, the outer thigh, or even the lower back.
Common causes in active people
Hip flexor strains happen from sprinting, kicking, or sudden acceleration, and show up as pain at the front of the hip, worse when lifting the knee. Labral tears, involving the cartilage ring inside the hip socket, are common in sports with a lot of pivoting and deep hip flexion, like hockey and soccer, and often cause a catching or pinching sensation. Hip bursitis, inflammation of a fluid-filled cushion near the outer hip, causes pain over the outside of the hip that’s often worse lying on that side. Impingement, where the ball and socket of the hip pinch tissue during certain movements, is common in athletes who squat, kick, or do deep lunges regularly.
Why hip pain is easy to misread
Because the hip and lower back share nerve pathways, and because hip pain can radiate into the groin or thigh, it’s common for hip issues to get mistaken for a groin strain or a back problem, and vice versa. An accurate assessment needs to actually test hip range of motion and specific movements, not just ask where it hurts.
What treatment actually involves
Treatment depends heavily on the actual cause. Strains typically respond to progressive strengthening and load management. Impingement and labral issues often improve significantly with targeted rehab addressing hip mobility, strength, and movement mechanics, even when surgery is on the table as an option; conservative treatment is usually tried first. Bursitis usually responds to addressing the mechanical factors causing the irritation, not just resting.
When to get it checked
See someone if hip pain is affecting your training, isn’t improving with rest, involves catching or locking sensations, or radiates into the groin or down the leg. Hip issues that go unaddressed often lead to compensation patterns that cause problems elsewhere, especially the knee and lower back.
Getting assessed in Calgary
We assess the hip properly, figure out what’s actually driving your pain, and build a treatment plan specific to your sport and the cause we find, not a generic hip program.
If impingement specifically is what’s going on, read more in our dedicated post on femoroacetabular impingement.
Dealing with hip pain? Learn more about our sports physiotherapy or request an assessment.