Hip Injuries: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Medically reviewed by Sumiran Racherla, MD, Internal Medicine. Last reviewed: October 23, 2026.
What kind of doctor treats Hip Injuries?
An orthopedic doctor, a bone and joint specialist, treats most hip injuries. Sports medicine doctors also care for active people with hip injuries. A broken or dislocated hip needs the emergency room first. A direct primary care or concierge doctor can be a first stop for an evaluation and can refer you to a specialist when needed.
What are hip injuries?
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint. The ball is the top of the femur, the thigh bone. It fits into a socket in the pelvis, the hip bone. This makes the hip very stable and lets it move a lot. A healthy hip takes great force to hurt. Still, sports, running, overuse, or a fall can sometimes cause a hip injury.
Common hip injuries include strains, bursitis, dislocations, and fractures. A fracture is a broken bone.
A strain happens when a muscle or tendon that supports the hip stretches too far or tears. A tendon is a strong tissue that connects muscle to bone. Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa. A bursa is a small, jelly-like sac that cushions the joint. A dislocation happens when the ball is forced out of its socket.
Symptoms
Symptoms depend on the injury. Signs can include:
- Severe pain in the groin and upper thigh with a hip fracture.
- With most hip fractures, not being able to stand, put weight on the leg, or move the upper leg.
- A leg that looks shorter than the other and is twisted.
- A snapping feeling or popping sound when you walk, get up from a chair, or swing your leg. This is usually painless and harmless.
- Pain and limited motion from osteoarthritis, a joint disease.
Causes and who gets it
Sports, running, overuse, and falls can lead to hip injuries. A hip dislocation usually takes a major force, such as a car crash or a fall from a great height. Other injuries, such as broken bones, often happen with a dislocation.
Most hip fractures happen in older adults who have weak bones from osteoporosis, a disease that makes bones weak and easy to break. Even a simple trip or twist can cause a break. In younger people, a hip fracture is usually from a high-energy event, such as a fall from a height or a vehicle crash.
Bursitis can come from overuse or from an inflammatory condition such as rheumatoid arthritis. It occurs most often in women and in middle-aged or older people. It is less common in younger people and in men.
Some diseases also cause hip problems. Hip dysplasia is a problem where the ball is loose in the hip socket. It can cause a hip dislocation.
How doctors diagnose it
For a hip fracture, the doctor asks how you were hurt and checks for injuries to other parts of the body. The doctor also checks feeling, movement, and blood flow in the lower leg.
An X-ray shows bones, and most hip fractures can be diagnosed with an X-ray. A doctor may order a CT scan, which gives a detailed cross-section picture, if the X-ray does not show a fracture. An MRI is rarely needed. It can find a small or incomplete break that an X-ray misses. It is used more often if X-rays and CT scans are negative and a stress fracture is suspected.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the injury. Many people with hip pain improve with simple steps, such as changing activities, rest, physical therapy, and medicine. Some hip problems need surgery, including hip replacement.
Most hip fractures need surgery. Only a very small group of nondisplaced fractures in healthy patients can be treated without surgery. In a nondisplaced fracture, the bone breaks, but the pieces stay lined up. Surgery as soon as possible, within 24 to 48 hours, may lower the risk of complications.
A hip dislocation is a serious medical emergency, and it needs treatment right away.
When to see a doctor
Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you have severe hip pain after a fall or crash and cannot stand, put weight on the leg, or move it. Also go if the leg looks shorter or twisted. A dislocated hip is a serious medical emergency.
Pain or loss of movement that keeps going needs a doctor's exam. It may need medical diagnosis and treatment.
How a direct primary care or concierge doctor fits in
A direct primary care doctor charges a flat monthly fee instead of billing insurance, while a concierge doctor usually charges more and often works alongside insurance. Either can check a hip injury that is not an emergency, help you follow a treatment plan, and coordinate care with an orthopedic doctor or a physical therapist.
Common questions
Is a hip injury an emergency?
Some are. A dislocated hip is a serious medical emergency, and a broken hip is very painful and often means you cannot stand on the leg. Many hip strains improve with simple home treatment.
Can a hip injury be treated without surgery?
Yes, many can. Many people with hip pain respond to changing activities, rest, physical therapy, and medicine. Most hip fractures, however, need surgery.
Who gets hip fractures?
Mostly older adults. Most hip fractures happen in older people whose bones are weak from osteoporosis. In younger people, a hip fracture is usually from a high-energy event, such as a fall from a height or a vehicle crash.
Sources
- MedlinePlus - Hip Injuries and Disorders
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (OrthoInfo) - Hip Pain and Common Hip Problems
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (OrthoInfo) - Hip Fractures
Medical Disclaimer
This content is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions about a medical condition, and never disregard or delay seeking professional advice because of something you read here. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately.
