Hip pain involves any pain in or around the hip joint.

Hip-related pain is not always felt directly over the hip. Instead, you may feel it in the middle of your thigh or in your groin. Similarly, pain you feel in the hip may actually reflect a problem in your back, rather than your hip itself.

See: Low back pain

Hip fractures are a significant and serious cause of sudden hip pain. Hip fractures become more common as people age because falls are more likely and bones become less dense. People with osteoporosis can get a fracture from simple, everyday activities, not just a dramatic fall or injury.

A hip fracture can change the quality of your life significantly. Fewer than 50% of those with a hip fracture return to their former level of activity. In addition, while recovering from a hip fracture, several possible complications can be life-threatening. These include pneumonia and a blood clot in the leg, which can dislodge and travel to cause a clot in the lungs. Both are due to immobility following a hip fracture and hip surgery.

Other possible causes of hip pain include:

• Arthritis -- often felt in the front part of your thigh or in your groin
• Osteonecrosis of the hip
• Trochanteric bursitis -- hurts when you get up from a chair, walk, climb stairs, and drive
• Tendinitis from repetitive or strenuous activity
• Strain or sprain
• Low-back pain such as sciatica
• Infection