What are common hip problems?

"Common hip problems" is a phrase that invites a neat list. When you meet one, ask which source it comes from.

The problems MedlinePlus names

MedlinePlus says that playing sports, running, overuse, or falling can sometimes lead to hip injuries such as strains, bursitis, dislocations and fractures. It adds that certain diseases also lead to hip injuries or problems. MedlinePlus also describes hip dysplasia as a problem where the ball at the end of the femur is loose in the hip socket.

A short list with a wide range

That is a short list with a wide range, from a strain to a broken bone, and it does not say which is most common or which fits your pain. Any list that ranks causes by frequency, or matches a symptom to one of them, should name its source, so ask for it. Nothing MedlinePlus says here tells you how to tell a strain from bursitis by feel, so be wary of anyone who claims to.

Notes to bring about your hip

Write down what you were doing when the hip started to hurt, where the pain sits, and whether it followed a fall or a stretch of heavier activity. Read the MedlinePlus page on hip injuries and disorders alongside the Cleveland Clinic explainer on the hip joint, then use the WebMD pain management center for wider context. A clinician in Totowa or nearby can sort the possibilities, and the American Academy of Pain Medicine is one body to look at when searching for physicians who focus on pain.

A list of names is not a diagnosis

A list of hip problems tells you what exists, not what you have. Use the names above as words to bring to the appointment.