Hip Pain When Walking: Understanding the Cause and Your Treatment Options

Quick Summary

Where it hurts matters: Side of hip = bursitis, front/groin = joint problem, buttock = back issue
Age matters too: Younger active adults often have tendon issues, older adults usually have arthritis
Good news: Most people get better without surgery using physical therapy and injections
When to call: Pain lasting more than 2 weeks or getting worse

Hip Pain When Walking: Understanding the Cause and Your Treatment Options

Quick Summary

Where it hurts matters: Side of hip = bursitis, front/groin = joint problem, buttock = back issue
Age matters too: Younger active adults often have tendon issues, older adults usually have arthritis
Good news: Most people get better without surgery using physical therapy and injections
When to call: Pain lasting more than 2 weeks or getting worse

You’ve started skipping your morning walks. What used to be occasional twinges now hurts every time you walk a few blocks. Rest hasn’t helped, and you’re wondering if you need surgery.

Here’s the good news: most hip pain gets better without surgery. And where your hip hurts often tells us exactly what’s wrong.

Why Does Walking Make My Hip Hurt?

Walking puts steady pressure and rotation on your hip joint. That’s why it reveals problems you might not notice when sitting or standing still.

Your hip is a ball-and-socket joint surrounded by muscles, tendons, and fluid-filled cushions called bursae. Pain can come from any of these parts. Sometimes the pain actually comes from your lower back or SI joint, not your hip at all.

What Your Pain Location Tells Us

Pain on the Outside of Your Hip
If it hurts on the side of your hip (where you’d rest your hand on your hip), you probably have bursitis or tendon inflammation. This causes sharp or burning pain when you:

Walk or climb stairs
Lie on that side at night
Get up from sitting

This type of pain comes from inflamed tendons or cushions around the hip bone.

Pain in the Front or Groin
Pain deep in your groin or front of your hip usually means a problem inside the joint itself, like arthritis or a labral tear. You might also notice:

Stiffness, especially in the morning
Trouble putting on shoes
Difficulty getting in and out of cars

Pain in Your Buttock
If pain shoots into your buttock or down your leg, the problem is likely your lower back or SI joint, not your hip. This type of pain often gets worse with sitting.

Dr. William Cooney, a hip specialist at Orthopaedic & Spine Center of the Rockies, explains more about how pain location helps with diagnosis:

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Common Causes by Age

Ages 35-50 (Active Adults)
If you run, hike, or play sports regularly, you’re more likely to have:

Tendon injuries from overuse
Labral tears (cartilage tears in the joint)
Hip impingement (bone rubbing abnormally)

Ages 50-65
As cartilage wears down over time, you’re more likely to develop:

Hip arthritis (gradual groin pain and stiffness)
Bursitis (outer hip pain)

Over 55
Hip arthritis becomes the main cause of hip pain in this age group. You might notice your stride getting shorter or develop a limp.

Stress fractures are also more common, especially in women with osteoporosis.

When Should I See a Doctor?

Call for an appointment if:

Pain lasts more than 2 weeks despite rest
Pain is getting worse or limiting daily activities
You have weakness in your hip or leg
Pain wakes you up at night
You’re over 60 and develop sudden hip pain after a fall

Go to the ER immediately if you have:

Sudden severe pain after a fall and can’t bear weight
Hip pain with fever, chills, or redness
Severe pain with numbness spreading down your leg

How Is Hip Pain Treated?

Most hip pain responds to conservative treatment. Here’s the typical progression:

Step 1: Home Care

Rest and ice
Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories
Reduce activity that hurts, but keep moving
Swimming and cycling are easier on your hip

Step 2: Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is the foundation of treatment. A therapist will teach you exercises to:

Strengthen hip and core muscles
Improve flexibility
Correct walking problems

Most cases improve with physical therapy, especially outer hip pain.

Step 3: Specialist Care
If home care and PT aren’t enough, a PM&R specialist (rehabilitation doctor) can help. They focus on non-surgical treatment and can:

Diagnose the exact problem
Coordinate your care
Give injections if needed

Step 4: Injections
Cortisone injections reduce inflammation and often provide months of relief while you do physical therapy. They’re especially helpful for:

Bursitis (outer hip pain)
Arthritis (groin pain)

Step 5: Surgery (If Needed)
If 3-6 months of conservative treatment doesn’t help, surgery might be the right option:

Hip arthroscopy: Fixes labral tears and removes damaged tissue (3-4 month recovery)
Hip replacement: For advanced arthritis when other treatments haven’t worked

Why Choose Orthopaedic & Spine Center of the Rockies?

We start with conservative care first. When you call us with hip pain, we match you with the right specialist from day one, whether that’s a rehabilitation doctor or a surgeon.

Our approach:

Conservative treatment first
All specialists work together as one team
No need to repeat your story to different doctors
Smooth transition to surgery only if needed

Convenient locations across Northern Colorado:
Fort Collins, Loveland, Westminster, Lafayette, Greeley, and Longmont

You can get physical therapy, injections, imaging, and surgery all in one system.

Ready to Address Your Hip Pain?

If hip pain is slowing you down, schedule an evaluation at Orthopaedic & Spine Center of the Rockies. We’ll figure out what’s causing it and create a treatment plan that starts with the least invasive options first.

Most patients improve without surgery. Let’s get you moving again.

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