Maybe it began as a dull ache after a long walk. Now you notice it on the stairs or halfway through your evening walk. If your hip hurts when you walk, you are not alone.
Here is the short answer. Hip pain when walking is most often caused by hip arthritis, irritated tendons on the outside of the hip, a muscle strain, or pain travelling from the lower back. Many of these improve with rest, exercise and simple treatment. But pain that lasts more than a few weeks, keeps getting worse, or comes with a limp or night pain deserves a proper check by an orthopedic specialist.
What Causes Hip Pain When Walking?
When you stand on one leg mid-stride, the joint carries roughly two to three times your body weight. So any irritation or wear in or around the joint often shows up first when you walk.
One of the most useful clues is where you feel the pain:
| Where it hurts | What it often points to |
|---|---|
| Groin or front of the hip | A problem inside the joint, such as osteoarthritis, a labral tear or avascular necrosis. |
| Outer side of the hip | Irritated tendons or bursa, including gluteal tendinopathy or bursitis. |
| Buttock or back of the hip, sometimes down the leg | Often the lower back, a nerve (sciatica) or the sacroiliac joint. |
Common Causes of Hip Pain While Walking
Hip osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the gradual wearing of the smooth cartilage that cushions the ball and socket of the hip. It is the most common cause of hip joint pain while walking in people over 50. Typical signs are a deep groin ache, stiffness after sitting or in the morning, and difficulty putting on socks or sitting cross-legged. Hip arthritis pain usually builds slowly over months or years.
Tendon irritation and bursitis
Pain on the outer side of the hip often comes from the buttock-muscle tendons or the small fluid-filled sac (bursa) over the bony point of the hip. It is common in middle-aged women and worsens with walking, stairs and lying on that side at night.
Muscle strain
A strained hip flexor or groin muscle usually follows a sudden movement or a new exercise routine. The pain is linked to a clear event and improves steadily over days to weeks. Strains from sport can be assessed at a sports injury centre.
Labral tear, impingement and dysplasia
The labrum is a rim of cartilage around the hip socket. It can tear with twisting, sport or an abnormal hip shape. This is more common in younger, active adults and may cause groin pain with clicking or catching. Some adults also have hip dysplasia, a shallow socket that is often missed for years.
An early check can find the cause before it limits your walking. Book a consultation at AJRC, Patna or call +91 8448441016.
Avascular necrosis (AVN)
AVN happens when the blood supply to the ball of the hip is reduced and the bone slowly weakens. It can affect people in their 30s and 40s. Long-term steroid use, heavy alcohol use and previous hip injury are known risk factors, so groin pain in a younger adult with these should be checked.
Pain from the lower back
Not all "hip" pain starts in the hip. A slipped disc or narrowing in the spine can send pain into the buttock and leg, often with tingling, numbness or pain below the knee. These cases may need assessment by a spine specialist.
Fractures
In older adults with weak bones (osteoporosis), even a minor fall can crack the hip. A sudden jump in walking or running can also cause a small stress fracture. Both make bearing weight very painful.
Muscle Pain or Joint Pain: How to Tell the Difference
| Muscle or tendon pain | Joint pain |
|---|---|
| Usually follows a strain, new activity or overuse | Often develops gradually, without a clear injury |
| Felt on the outer hip, front of hip or buttock | Felt deep in the groin or front of the thigh |
| Tender when you press on it | Not usually tender to touch |
| Often settles within a few weeks | Often comes with stiffness and slowly reduced movement |
Is Hip Pain While Walking Serious?
Most hip pain while walking is not an emergency, but some symptoms need prompt attention.
Seek urgent care if you have:
- Severe pain after a fall, or you cannot put weight on the leg
- A leg that suddenly looks shorter or turned outwards
- Fever with a hot, swollen, very painful hip
- New numbness or weakness in the leg, or loss of bladder or bowel control
Book an orthopedic visit if you notice:
- Pain lasting more than 2–3 weeks despite rest
- A new limp or a change in the way you walk
- Pain at night or pain that wakes you
- Stiffness that makes wearing shoes or using the toilet difficult
- Pain that is steadily limiting how far you can walk
When Should You See a Specialist for Hip Pain?
See an orthopedic specialist if hip pain lasts beyond a few weeks, keeps coming back, or affects your walking, sleep or work. Earlier evaluation often means more treatment choices, especially for AVN, dysplasia or early arthritis.
For people in Patna and across Bihar, seeing an orthopedic specialist in Patna early can save months of guesswork and repeated painkillers.
How Is Hip Pain Diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, watch you walk and check how your hip moves. Imaging is used when needed:
- X-ray is usually the first test. It shows arthritis, fractures and hip shape.
- MRI may be advised if the X-ray looks normal but AVN, a labral tear, a stress fracture or a tendon problem is suspected.
- Blood tests help if infection or inflammatory arthritis is a concern.
- A spine check is done if the pain may be coming from the back.
Treatment Options for Hip Pain
Treatment depends on the cause, its severity, your age, activity level, general health and what the examination and imaging show. Most people start with non-surgical care:
- Activity changes: cutting back on long walks or stairs for a while, without stopping movement altogether.
- Physiotherapy: exercises to strengthen the buttock and core muscles. A structured physiotherapy and rehabilitation programme is central to treating tendon problems and early arthritis.
- Medicines: pain relief or anti-inflammatory medicines, as advised by your doctor.
- A walking stick: held in the opposite hand, it can noticeably ease load on a painful hip.
- Injections: in selected cases, as part of a pain management plan, to calm pain and make exercise easier.
Can Hip Pain Lead to Hip Replacement?
Most people with hip pain never need surgery. Hip replacement is considered when the joint is badly damaged, usually by advanced osteoarthritis or late-stage AVN, and pain still limits daily life after a fair trial of non-surgical treatment.
The decision is made with your surgeon after reviewing your symptoms, X-rays, general health and goals. You can read more about hip replacement surgery at AJRC, including when robotic-assisted planning may be used. Your surgeon can also tell you whether joint preservation treatment is still an option.
When to Consult AJRC
If hip pain is changing the way you walk, sleep or work, it is reasonable to get it checked.
At Ashish Joint Replacement Center (AJRC) in Kankarbagh, Patna, patients are evaluated by Dr. Ashish Singh, a consultant orthopedic surgeon whose qualifications include MS Orthopedics, MCh Orthopaedics (UK) and fellowship training in hip and knee joint replacement.
You can book an orthopedic appointment online or call +91 8448441016.
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Frequently Ask Question?
Walking loads the hip with two to three times your body weight at each step, so any irritation in or around the joint shows up quickly. The most common causes are hip osteoarthritis, irritated tendons or bursitis on the outer hip, muscle strain, and pain referred from the lower back.
Usually not, and many causes improve with rest, physiotherapy and simple pain relief. Seek urgent care if you cannot bear weight after a fall, have fever with a hot swollen hip, or develop numbness or weakness in the leg. Pain lasting more than 2–3 weeks should be checked by a doctor.
Yes. Hip osteoarthritis is the most common cause of hip joint pain while walking in people over 50. It typically causes a deep ache in the groin or thigh, stiffness after rest, and pain that builds gradually over months or years.
See an orthopedic doctor if hip pain lasts more than a few weeks, keeps returning, causes a limp, wakes you at night, or limits daily activities. Earlier evaluation often leaves more treatment options open.
An X-ray is usually the first test and shows arthritis, fractures and hip shape. An MRI may be advised if the X-ray is normal but avascular necrosis, a labral tear or a stress fracture is suspected. Blood tests are used if infection or inflammatory arthritis is a concern.
Yes, in most cases. Physiotherapy, activity changes, weight management, medicines and sometimes injections help many people. Surgery is generally considered only when the joint is significantly damaged and pain continues despite these treatments.
Hip replacement is considered when the joint is badly damaged, usually by advanced osteoarthritis or late-stage avascular necrosis, and pain still limits daily life after a fair trial of non-surgical treatment. The decision is made with your orthopedic surgeon after reviewing symptoms, X-rays and overall health.
