Identifying Pain Areas with Diagrams, Plus Common Causes, Diagnoses, and Treatments

Location, location, location. That saying works for real estate, and often when it comes to hip pain, too. Your doctor will ask where your hip pain is located and use that information to help diagnose the issue and recommend treatment.

If you want to head to your appointment with a deeper understanding of hip pain, you’re in the right place. Keep reading for help identifying common hip pain areas, helpful diagrams, possible causes and diagnoses, and information on how the right care can help alleviate hip pain.

Identifying Common Hip Pain Areas and Location Diagrams

There are three typical locations of hip pain: front, side, and back. These helpful diagrams show common locations of hip pain, represented by dark blue shading.

Front Hip Pain

Pain in the front of the hip or groin is called “true” hip pain. This pain can also spread to the upper thighs and lower stomach.

Front of hip pain is often caused by a labral tear or impingement in younger patients. In older patients, groin pain is typically a result of hip arthritis. Other conditions that may cause front hip pain include sports hernia, hip flexor tendinitis, bursitis, and muscle strain.

Side Hip Pain

Pain on the side of the hip, also called lateral pain, can affect one or both sides. Sometimes, it radiates up or down the front of the leg from knee to hip. It can also impact the inner and outer parts of the thigh.

Common causes of side hip pain are irritation or inflammation in the area where the iliotibial (IT) band meets the uppermost part of the thigh bone. Traditionally, this was called “trochanteric bursitis.” Now, we refer to this as “peritrochanteric pain” because it is more inclusive of the problems that can cause lateral hip pain. These problems include IT band syndrome, hip abductor tendon tears, and bursitis.

Back Hip Pain

Back hip pain is also called posterior hip pain and can affect one or both sides. This pain can affect the upper thighs (under the glutes/buttocks), the glutes, and the lower back.

A common cause of back hip pain is a pinched nerve in the lumbar spine. Nerves in the lumbar spine are pinched when a disk herniates or when there are bone spurs pressing on the nerve. In addition to glute pain, patients can experience pain radiating down the back of the leg to the foot; if pain radiates past the knee, it is likely nerve pain.

How to Get a Trustworthy Hip Pain Diagnosis

If you’re experiencing hip pain, pay close attention to where it hurts and what impacts your pain level. It’s also essential to work with a doctor who is knowledgeable about hip pain. Communicating in detail about your hip pain location with your doctor will help them determine the most appropriate treatment plan.

OSMS doctors are hip experts supported by a top surgery center, a comfort to patients who may need surgery. For the third consecutive year, Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Specialists (OSMS) Orthopedic Surgery Center of Green Bay (OSCGB) was recognized in 2026 as one of America’s Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers by Newsweek and Statista.

Hip Pain Treatment Options

Depending on your hip pain location and diagnosis, there are many treatment options available to you. Your doctor may order an X-ray or MRI for diagnosis, and we have those services on-site at many of our clinics.

Treatment options for hip pain include:

• Avoiding activities that worsen symptoms
• Taking over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen
• Using a walking cane or crutches
• Exercising on your own or with a physical therapist
• Exploring weight loss plans to reduce stress on the hip joint
• Steroid injections (to reduce inflammation and pain)
• Surgical procedures like hip arthroscopy or labral repair

When to See a Doctor

We always say: don’t ignore your pain, especially if it doesn’t go away with rest or continues for more than a few days. If you experience the following, make an appointment.

• Pain when lying on the affected area(s)
• Pain when getting up from a chair after sitting for a while
• Pain with prolonged walking, stair climbing, or squatting
• Stiffness that makes it difficult to walk or bend
• A grinding noise when you move
• Decreased range of motion
• A limp
• Increased joint pain with rainy weather
• One leg appears shorter than the other

Get Help with Hip Pain Today

At OSMS, we offer same-day and walk-in appointments, often with no referral required. Our doctors are experts in orthopedics, sports medicine, rheumatology, and pain management. They’ll get to know you—not just your pain—to provide truly customized care. Let’s get you back to feeling like yourself again.

Schedule an appointment here.

 

This blog was originally written in October 2018. It was updated in March 2026.