Hip pain

Healthy hips are essential for efficient movement, injury prevention, and overall physical well-being. The hips are responsible for supporting your weight, standing, and providing balance and good posture. Hip injuries or conditions can greatly affect function, reducing mobility and independence. They may cause pain from the groin, all the way down to the knees and to the buttocks. Many patients deal with long-term physical limitations, increased reliance on walking aids, and decreased ability to live independently, even years after the injury or condition begins.

Hip joint pain can have many possible causes. Among them:

• The most common cause of hip pain is the natural aging process. Arthritis occurs when the cartilage between the bones at the hip joints wears away, causing inflammation and pain. The hip will feel stiff, which may affect range of motion. Developmental conditions, such as the hip joint not forming properly in childhood, can cause the joint to deteriorate later in life and produce symptoms of arthritis.
• A traumatic event such as a fall or automobile accident can cause a hip fracture or torn ligaments, leading to immobility and pain. Trauma to the hip can also injure the cartilage leading to joint pain, stiffness, and inflammation.
• High impact sports, such as hockey and football, or sudden twisting or pivoting motions such as swinging a golf club, increase your risk of hip injury. Running and jumping may also intensify pain in your hip.

With so many possible causes of hip pain, and its potential threat to your quality of life, it’s important to seek expert care. At Penn Medicine, our orthopaedic hip specialists will carefully evaluate your condition and devise a customized treatment plan with input from different specialists as needed.

Choose Penn Medicine for unmatched expertise in hip pain treatment. Our comprehensive approach combines the latest technology with personalized care to address a wide range of hip conditions. From pain management and physical therapy to advanced surgical interventions, our renowned orthopaedic hip specialists offer tailored solutions to alleviate your pain and restore mobility. With access to the latest research and an extensive network of facilities throughout the region, Penn Medicine ensures you receive the most advanced and effective treatments close to home.

Hip pain treatments that address every angle

Whether you need nonsurgical hip treatment or surgical intervention, Penn Medicine is dedicated to improving your hip health and overall quality of life. Our Joint Replacement Program offers both conventional and robotic-assisted hip replacement to restore mobility and relieve pain. The Hip Preservation Center offers innovative nonsurgical and surgical procedures to reduce pain, preserve hip functionality, and potentially delay or prevent hip replacement.

Because hip fractures in older adults are very common and time-sensitive, we have established a system-wide alert that brings together a team of specialists ready to treat older adults with hip fracture. Through the Geriatric Hip Fracture Program, older adults experiencing fragility fractures of the pelvis receive timely, dedicated care in order to address the complex needs often associated with falls.