Location

Underlying pathology

Physical exam

Anterior hip

OA, ON, tumor, labral injury, muscle strain, FAI

Pain is worse at extremes of ROM (OA, ON, tumor, FAI), acute onset pain (labral injury), (localized pain at adductor tendon origins (adductor tendon pathology or referred pain from osteitis pubis).

Posterior hip and buttock

Labral tear, synovitis, chondral injury, proximal hamstring pathology, piriformis syndrome and SIJ pathology from L5-S1

Referred pain to buttock, lower back. Hip joint pathology may refer pain to leg or foot. Referred pain to leg or foot generally indicative of lumbar spine pathology.

Lateral hip

Tendinitis, tight muscles, GTPS, trochanteric bursitis and gluteus medius bursitis. Most often, i) bursitis, ii) hamstring strain, iii) ITB syndrome, iv) hip flexor strain, v) hip impingement syndrome, vi) groin strain, vii) snapping hip syndrome, viii) spine disorder

Referred pain down the lateral thigh to lateral knee along ITB associated with ITB tightness. Paresthesia and burning pain in lateral hip and thigh may indicate nerve entrapment. Pain in gluteal muscles may occur from muscle spasm or may be referred pain from hip joint. Bursitis pain presents when getting up from a chair, walking, climbing stairs and driving.