Many conditions can cause hip pain. According to MedlinePlus, hip pain may emerge from structures in and around the hip joint or structures outside the hip area, such as the pelvis and lower back. Hip pain ranges from mild and annoying to severe and debilitating, depending on the condition causing the pain and the tissues involved. Hip pain is a common health complaint, especially among middle-aged and elderly individuals.
Hip Flexor Strain
A hip flexor muscle strain is a common cause of hip pain. According to University Sports Medicine, a New York state-based sports medicine clinic, hip flexor muscle strains occur when the muscle fibers of one or more of the hip flexor muscles are torn or stretched. The hip flexor muscles, including psoas major and minor, rectus femoris and sartorius, help a person lift her knees and bend at the waist. The most common cause of hip flexor muscle strains include overuse injuries associated with flexing the knee or performing high kicks. Certain athletes are especially vulnerable to hip muscle strains, including cyclists, soccer players and martial artists.
Common signs and symptoms associated with hip flexor muscle strains include hip and groin pain and reduced hip active range of motion. University Sports Medicine states that hip flexor muscle strains may be prevented by performing an appropriate warm-up prior to activity.
Hip Fractures
Hip fractures can cause significant hip pain, along with serious health complications. The Family Doctor website states that a hip fracture occurs when the ilia or hip bones, the bones near the top of the leg, break. Although hip fractures can happen to anyone, this condition is more common among individuals 65 years of age and older, due to the loss of bone mineral density that occurs with aging. Decreased bone mineral density causes bone weakening, making bones more susceptible to fractures.
Common signs and symptoms associated with hip fractures include extreme pain in the hip or pelvic area, hip bruising and swelling, inability to bear weight on the affected side and difficulty walking. According to the Family Doctor website, hip fractures more commonly affect women than men, and the most common cause of hip fractures is falls.
Osteomalacia
Osteomalacia is a bone-related condition that can cause hip pain. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, osteomalacia is a bone-softening condition caused by insufficient vitamin D or a person's inability to break down and use this vitamin. The bones of a person with osteomalacia usually posses a normal amount of collagen, a connective tissue that gives bones their structure, but lack an adequate amount of calcium. Insufficient vitamin D in the diet, inadequate exposure to sunlight and intestinal malabsorption of vitamin D are the principle causes of osteomalacia.
Common signs and symptoms associated with osteomalacia include bone fractures that occur with only minor injuries, muscle weakness and diffuse bone pain, especially in the hips. Deficient calcium levels may also cause symptoms, such as abnormal heart rhythms, mouth numbness, arm and leg numbness and spasms of the hand and feet muscles.
