Hip Pain Location Diagram

Hip pain is common and can have many different causes, from sports injuries to falls, wear and tear, and degeneration of the joint. We have depicted the most common causes of hip pain on these hip pain location diagrams from different angles. Knowing these patterns of pain can help to narrow down the likely diagnosis and refine a clinical examination. 

Anterior Hip Pain Location Diagram

Lower abdomen: Inguinal or femoral hernia can be felt in this area and can spread down to the groin. Pain is felt sometimes as a heavy discomfort or ache, sometimes a burning sensation, a palpable bulge can often be felt. Inguinal nerve entrapment will often feel more like a burning or electric pain, and there is often a hypersensitivity of the skin from the lower abdomen to the groin.

Front of the hip joint: Directly in front of the hip joint is where most people will feel Hip Flexor Pain, hip arthritis, Femoral Acetabular Impingement, Avascular Necrosis of the Hip/Osteonecrosis, and femoral neck stress fractures or full fractures may be felt here.

Lateral hip: To the side of the hip is where Hip Bursitis, sometimes Hip Labral Tears and gluteal tendinopathies may be felt.

Front of the thigh: This will be where quadriceps strains and tears are felt, along with femoral shaft stress or full fracture and meralgia paraesthetica.

Front of the pelvis and inner thigh: Symphysis Pubis is the joint at the front of the pelvis and pain here is often related to pregnancy, adductor pain can also be felt at this point and lower down on the inner thigh.

Posterior Hip Pain Location Diagram

Seat bone: At the seat bone or gluteal crease is where the hamstring inserts, Insertional Hamstring Tendinopathy can be felt here.

Side of hip and back of the thigh: This is a common referral area for pain originating from the lumbar spine and sciatica.

Central Buttock: Piriformis syndrome and deep glute syndrome are usually felt in the glute but can also refer down the back of the thigh.

Central back of pelvis: The sacroiliac joint is where the base of the spine and the pelvis join, the SIJ pain is common in pregnancy, inflammatory conditions and trauma.

Lateral Hip Pain Location Diagram

Side of the hip: Iliotibial Band Syndrome, Hip Bursitis, gluteal tendinopathy or tear, TFL enthesopathy, Snapping Hip Syndrome, femoral fracture and meralgia paraesthetica are all common causes of lateral hip and thigh pain.

Back of hip and inner thigh: Insertional hamstring tendinopathy and adductor pain are common in these areas.