Understanding Hip Conditions
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint that supports body weight and enables walking, running, and bending. Hip conditions range from sports-related labral tears in young patients to degenerative arthritis in older adults. At Precision Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, our fellowship-trained hip specialists serve patients across Maryland and the DC Metro Area, offering the full spectrum of care from injections and physical therapy to anterior-approach hip replacement.
Common Symptoms, Conditions & Treatment Options for Hip Pain
Symptoms
- Groin or thigh pain that worsens with activity
- Stiffness that limits walking or climbing stairs
- Difficulty putting on shoes or socks
- Pain that wakes you at night
- A limp or altered gait
- Clicking or grinding sensation in the hip
Conditions
- Hip osteoarthritis
- Hip labral tears
- Hip impingement (femoroacetabular impingement, FAI)
- Greater trochanteric bursitis
- Hip tendinopathy
- Hip fractures
- Avascular necrosis of the femoral head
Treatment Options
- Activity modification and physical therapy
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Corticosteroid or PRP injections
- Hip arthroscopy
- Anterior-approach total hip replacement
- Hip resurfacing
- Hip fracture fixation
Frequently Asked Questions
See a hip specialist if pain limits walking or climbing stairs, groin or thigh pain persists for more than 2 weeks, you have difficulty putting on shoes or socks, or pain wakes you at night.
Common causes include hip arthritis, labral tears, bursitis, hip impingement (FAI), tendinopathy, and fractures. Pain may originate in the joint itself or from surrounding muscles and tendons.
Yes. Early to moderate hip arthritis can be managed with physical therapy, activity modification, anti-inflammatory medications, and corticosteroid or PRP injections. Surgery is considered when conservative treatments no longer provide relief.
Femoroacetabular impingement occurs when extra bone growth on the hip joint causes friction and damage to cartilage. It can cause groin pain with activity and may require arthroscopic surgery if conservative treatment fails.
- Total Hip Replacement: Walking day of surgery; driving at 2 to 4 weeks; full recovery 3 to 6 months.
- Hip Arthroscopy: Crutches for 2 to 4 weeks; return to sports at 3 to 6 months.
- Injections & Physical Therapy: Improvement in 2 to 6 weeks.