Hip Pain While Walking: Causes and How to Relieve It

Hip pain when walking can make everyday activities such as climbing stairs, shopping or taking a short walk uncomfortable.

The pain may appear in the groin, on the outside of the hip, in the buttock or along the upper thigh.

Its location and the movements that trigger it can provide useful clues about the underlying problem.

Common causes include hip osteoarthritis, gluteal tendon problems, muscle strains and conditions affecting the hip joint or lower back.

Physiotherapy can help improve strength, mobility and walking tolerance in many cases, but the right approach depends on the cause.

Persistent pain, worsening symptoms or difficulty bearing weight should not be ignored.

What Does Hip Pain While Walking Mean?

Walking places repeated demands on the hip joint, muscles, tendons and surrounding structures.

When one of these tissues is irritated, injured or unable to tolerate the load, pain may develop during or after walking.

The timing of the pain matters.

Discomfort that begins after a long walk may reflect reduced physical capacity or an increase in activity.

Pain that starts immediately with weight-bearing, becomes progressively worse or occurs at rest may require a more detailed assessment.

Hip pain can also originate outside the hip joint. Problems in the lower back, for example, may produce pain in the buttock, thigh or groin.

A physiotherapist or doctor considers the complete symptom pattern rather than relying on pain location alone.

Where Do You Feel Hip Pain?

The location of the discomfort can help guide the assessment, although different conditions can produce overlapping symptoms.

Pain in the front of the hip or groin

Pain deep in the groin or at the front of the hip may be associated with hip osteoarthritis, femoroacetabular impingement, a labral problem or a hip flexor strain.

It may become more noticeable when climbing stairs, walking uphill, getting into a car or bringing the knee towards the chest. Stiffness after sitting may also occur.

Pain on the outside of the hip

Pain over the outer hip is commonly associated with greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS), which includes problems involving the gluteal tendons and nearby tissues.

The discomfort may increase when walking uphill, standing on one leg or lying on the affected side.

Some people also notice tenderness when pressing the outer hip.

Pain in the buttock or back of the hip

Pain at the back of the hip can arise from the gluteal muscles, deep hip rotators, sacroiliac region or lower back.

Pain that travels down the leg, especially when accompanied by tingling, numbness or weakness, may indicate a nerve-related problem.

A clinician may need to examine both the hip and the lumbar spine to identify the source.

A review of adult musculoskeletal hip pain describes how anterior, lateral and posterior symptoms can arise from different structures and why a detailed history and examination are important. (Battaglia et al., 2016)

Common Causes of Hip Pain When Walking

1. Hip osteoarthritis

Hip osteoarthritis involves changes in the cartilage and other structures of the joint.

It can cause groin pain, stiffness and difficulty with activities such as walking, standing for long periods or putting on shoes and socks.

Symptoms often develop gradually.

The hip may feel stiff after rest, and walking tolerance may decrease over time.

Reduced hip rotation can also affect stride length and make everyday movement more difficult.

Physiotherapy may help improve function through individualized exercise, education and activity management.

The 2025 clinical practice guideline on hip osteoarthritis reviews evidence for physical therapy interventions intended to address pain and mobility limitations. (Koc et al., 2025)

2. Greater trochanteric pain syndrome

GTPS is a common cause of pain around the outside of the hip. It often involves the gluteal tendons, which help stabilise the pelvis when the body is supported on one leg during walking.

Symptoms may develop after an increase in walking distance, stair climbing or exercise, although there may be no obvious trigger.

Repeatedly loading an irritated tendon beyond its current capacity can aggravate discomfort.

Treatment often involves adjusting aggravating activities and gradually building the strength and load tolerance of the hip muscles.

A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis supports exercise as a first-line treatment for clinically diagnosed GTPS, although the best program depends on the individual. (Kjeldsen et al., 2024)

3. Hip flexor or muscle strain

The hip flexors help lift the thigh during walking.

A strain may occur after sprinting, kicking, sudden acceleration or an unfamiliar exercise session.

Pain is often felt at the front of the hip and may increase when lifting the knee or taking a long stride.

Some strains also cause local tenderness or pain when the affected muscle contracts.

Mild strains may improve with temporary activity modification and a gradual return to movement.

Severe pain, significant bruising or difficulty bearing weight warrants medical assessment.

4. Femoroacetabular impingement and labral problems

Femoroacetabular impingement involves contact between the bones around the hip during certain movements.

A labral problem affects the ring of cartilage that helps support the hip joint.

Some people experience deep groin pain, restricted movement or discomfort during deep squats, pivoting and repeated hip flexion.

Clicking alone does not confirm a labral tear or impingement, because painless clicking can occur without significant disease.

Persistent pain, painful catching or restricted movement should be assessed rather than managed through repeated attempts to stretch or force the hip.

5. Pain referred from the lower back

The hip and lower back can produce overlapping symptoms.

A spinal problem may cause pain in the buttock, groin or thigh, sometimes without prominent back pain.

Symptoms that travel down the leg or occur with tingling, numbness or weakness may indicate nerve involvement.

However, these features are not enough to confirm the cause.

A review of hip and lumbar spine disorders highlights the importance of examining both regions when symptoms overlap. (Buckland et al., 2017)

6. Bone stress injury or fracture

A bone stress injury can occur when repeated loading exceeds the bone’s ability to adapt.

It may develop in runners, people who rapidly increase training or individuals with factors that affect bone strength.

Fractures can also follow a fall or other injury.

Pain may initially appear during activity and later affect ordinary walking or rest.

Continuing to exercise through suspected bone stress pain can worsen the injury.

Stop the aggravating activity and seek prompt medical assessment if bone injury is suspected.

Do not attempt to manage a possible fracture with strengthening exercises.

Why Does Walking Trigger Hip Pain?

Walking requires the hip to move while the surrounding muscles control the leg and stabilise the pelvis.

Pain can develop when these demands exceed the capacity of an injured, irritated or deconditioned structure.

Several factors may contribute:

• A sudden increase in walking distance: A rapid change in activity can overload tissues that are not prepared for the extra demand.
• Hills and stairs: These activities increase the work required from the hip muscles and may aggravate some joint or tendon conditions.
• Stride length and speed: Longer steps or faster walking may increase discomfort for some people, depending on the cause.
• Reduced strength or endurance: The muscles may struggle to maintain control as walking continues.
• Insufficient recovery: Repeatedly performing demanding activities without adequate recovery can keep symptoms irritated.

Pain that begins after a predictable distance and improves with rest can provide a useful clue, but it does not identify a specific diagnosis. Pain that is worsening, occurring at rest or disrupting sleep deserves further assessment.

How Should You Modify Walking?

Completely stopping all activity is not necessary for every cause of hip pain.

However, continuing to walk through severe or progressively worsening pain is not advisable.

For mild symptoms without warning signs, consider the following adjustments while arranging an assessment if needed.

• Reduce the distance temporarily. Choose a shorter route that does not cause a marked increase in pain.
• Break walks into smaller sessions. Several manageable walks may be more comfortable than one long walk.
• Choose flatter routes. Hills and stairs may place additional demands on sensitive hip structures.
• Avoid repeatedly testing painful movements. Deep squats, pivoting or long strides may aggravate some conditions.
• Monitor your response. Notice whether discomfort settles after activity or remains significantly worse later.

If walking causes a pronounced limp, pain increases with each step or weight-bearing becomes difficult, stop and seek clinical advice.

Suspected fracture or another serious injury requires prompt assessment rather than activity modification alone.

How Is Hip Pain Diagnosed?

A physiotherapist or doctor will usually ask when the pain started, whether there was an injury, where it is felt and how it changes during walking, rest and other activities.

The assessment may include:

• Gait analysis: Observing limping, stride length and pelvic control.
• Hip mobility tests: Checking whether bending, rotation or extension reproduces symptoms.
• Strength and tendon testing: Assessing the muscles involved in stabilising and moving the hip.
• Lower back and nerve screening: Investigating referred pain or neurological symptoms when appropriate.
• Functional tests: Observing activities such as standing from a chair or stepping up, provided they are safe.

Imaging is not required for every case.

X-rays may be recommended when osteoarthritis or fracture is suspected, while MRI or other investigations may be useful when a specific bone, tendon, cartilage or soft-tissue problem needs further evaluation.

Imaging findings must be interpreted alongside symptoms and examination results.

A scan does not automatically prove that a visible structural change is responsible for the pain.

How Can Physiotherapy Help Hip Pain When Walking?

Physiotherapy aims to improve function while addressing the factors contributing to pain.

The programme should be based on the assessment, rather than giving every person the same set of hip exercises.

Strengthening the hip muscles

The gluteal muscles help control the pelvis and thigh during walking.

When reduced strength or load tolerance contributes to symptoms, a physiotherapist may prescribe exercises such as:

• Supported sit-to-stands: Practise standing from a stable chair and sitting down slowly.
• Standing hip abduction: Hold a counter and move one leg gently out to the side without leaning.
• Bridges: Lie on your back with your knees bent and lift the pelvis within a comfortable range.
• Supported step-ups: Step onto a low, stable step when weight-bearing is comfortable and the exercise is appropriate.

These are examples, not a universal routine.

Some exercises may aggravate particular conditions, especially during an acute injury or when weight-bearing is restricted.

A physiotherapist can adjust the exercise, resistance and repetitions according to the diagnosis.

Improving mobility

Hip stiffness may affect stride length and make walking feel restricted.

Depending on the cause, treatment may include gentle range-of-motion exercises or carefully selected stretches.

Avoid forcing the hip into painful end ranges.

Deep squats, aggressive stretching or repeated twisting may aggravate some joint conditions.

Mobility exercises should address an identified limitation rather than simply trying to stretch away every type of hip pain.

Building walking tolerance

Once serious causes have been excluded and activity is appropriate, walking can be increased gradually according to symptoms and function.

A physiotherapist may help establish a starting distance, monitor the response to activity and progress walking time as capacity improves.

Hills, faster walking and longer routes can be reintroduced when appropriate.

Improving movement and self-management

Physiotherapy may also address balance, movement confidence, daily activity habits and the way a person manages periods of increased pain.

For hip osteoarthritis, an evidence-based physical therapy guideline supports comprehensive assessment, individualized education and exercise programs tailored to functional limitations. (van Doormaal et al., 2020)

When Should You Seek Medical Attention?

Arrange a clinical assessment if hip pain persists, repeatedly returns, limits your normal walking distance or causes increasing stiffness or a limp.

Pain at rest, night pain or unexplained symptoms also warrant evaluation.

Seek urgent medical care if you develop:

• Sudden, severe hip pain.
• Inability to bear weight, particularly after a fall or injury.
• A visibly deformed hip or leg after trauma.
• Significant swelling or severe pain after an injury.
• Hip pain accompanied by fever, chills or feeling acutely unwell.

These symptoms can indicate a fracture, infection or another condition that needs prompt investigation. (Mayo Clinic, 2025)

New leg weakness, numbness around the groin or saddle region, or loss of bladder or bowel control alongside back or hip pain requires emergency assessment.

Conclusion

Hip pain when walking can arise from the joint, muscles, tendons, bones or lower back.

The location of the pain, the activities that trigger it and the way symptoms change over time can help guide an assessment, but they cannot confirm the diagnosis on their own.

Physiotherapy may improve strength, mobility and walking tolerance when the program matches the underlying condition.

Persistent symptoms should be assessed, while sudden severe pain, inability to bear weight or signs of infection require urgent medical care.

Understanding the cause is the first step towards choosing appropriate treatment and returning to everyday movement safely.

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