What Causes a Hip Sports Injury and How Is It Treated?

Hip sports injuries result from muscle overuse, sudden twisting, or a direct impact to the joint. To treat these injuries, orthopedic doctors typically begin with conservative treatment options, including rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medication. If the injury is severe, they may recommend rehabilitation, targeted injections, or minimally invasive surgery to restore mobility.

At Total Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, we assess your hip condition through a detailed physical examination and same-day imaging to identify the exact cause of your pain. Based on your diagnosis, our doctors design a treatment plan to promote recovery. We also examine your gait, posture, and training techniques. Then, we offer personalized guidance to enhance performance and prevent future hip injuries. Call 855-321-6784 to book your consultation.

What Are the Common Causes of Hip Injuries in Athletes?

In athletes, hip pain commonly develops from constant strain placed on the joint during intense activity and repetitive movements. Sudden impacts, falls, or poor technique can also cause muscle sprains or sports hernias. If athletes continue playing with a pre-existing hip or thigh bone abnormality, that can further increase the risk of severe joint damage and long-term pain.

Here are some additional causes of hip injuries in athletes:

• Weak core or glute muscles: Poor pelvic stability places extra stress on the hip joint during movement.
• Improper footwear: Shoes lacking proper support or cushioning can alter body mechanics and strain the hips.
• Leg length discrepancy: Even small differences in leg length can lead to uneven load distribution across the hip joint.
• Nutritional deficiencies: Low vitamin D, calcium, or iron can weaken bones and delay recovery from repetitive stress.

Which Sports Increase the Risk of Hip Injuries?

Contact sports, such as soccer, football, and hockey, increase the risk of hip injuries due to repetitive twisting, sprinting, or sudden directional changes. Activities like weightlifting, basketball, baseball, dance, and martial arts also strain the hip joint through high-impact movements.

Moreover, endurance athletes, such as long-distance runners or cyclists, may develop overuse injuries from continuous impact, reduced blood flow, or muscle imbalances. Similarly, tennis and figure skating also require intense hip rotation and flexibility, which increases the risk of joint damage. Some other common sports that cause hip injuries include:

• Skiing
• Rowing
• CrossFit
• Ice hockey
• Track and field

Are Hip Injuries Common in Young Athletes?

Yes, hip injuries are common in young athletes. It’s usually because they participate in high-intensity sports and get limited rest, which puts continuous strain on the hip joint. Since their growth plates are still developing, the hip joint becomes weak and more sensitive to repeated stress, poor muscle coordination, and biomechanical imbalances.

Moreover, many young athletes skip proper warm-up, which further increases the risk of hip injuries. When they perform intense drills without preparing their muscles, the hip joint struggles to move smoothly and absorb impact. As a result, sudden movements place extra stress on the joint, which leads to persistent pain and discomfort.

Can Poor Training Techniques or Overtraining Cause Hip Injury?

Yes, poor training techniques and overtraining are major causes of hip injuries. When you perform sports or workouts with improper form, the hip joint and surrounding muscles absorb uneven stress. Over time, resuming activity without adequate rest can increase this strain, resulting in inflammation, hip flexor strains, and sharp pain in the hip or groin area.

Here is how poor training or overtraining can contribute to hip injuries:

Reduced Bone Strength

Repetitive high-impact workouts overload the hip bone and muscles. This constant stress weakens bone strength and increases the risk of stress fractures.

Muscle Imbalances

If you focus on training specific muscles while neglecting others, it can disrupt hip alignment and stability. These imbalances lead to snapping hip syndrome and recurring pain during movement.

Tissue inflammation

Without rest, the muscles, tendons, and ligaments surrounding the hip become inflamed and fail to repair properly. This delayed healing can progress into hip bursitis (inflammation of fluid-filled sacs) or persistent stiffness that limits the range of motion.

Sudden Intensity Changes

Rapidly increasing workout intensity without conditioning the body shocks the hip muscles and tendons. This sudden overload can cause acute injuries, such as hip labral tears, strains, or pain that limits movement.

Tip: Always warm up properly and increase training intensity gradually to prevent unnecessary hip joint strain

What Are the Most Common Types of Hip Injuries In Sports?

Some of the most common types of hip injuries include soft tissue problems, such as sprains, tears to the hamstring or groin muscles, and hip flexor strains. Labral and tendon tears, cartilage lesions, bursitis, and arthritis are also frequently observed among athletes. In many cases, active individuals may experience bone-related hip injuries. These include stress fractures, femoroacetabular impingement, and hip pointers that develop from repetitive impact or sudden collisions.

According to a study on collegiate football players, muscle strains accounted for nearly 75% of all common hip injuries, followed by hip contusions at 18%. Only a small percentage (under 10%) was linked to structural abnormalities or intra-articular hip injuries.

Can Hip Injuries Cause Referred Pain in Other Body Parts?

Yes, hip injuries can cause referred pain in other parts of the body. The discomfort often radiates to the groin, thigh, buttock, lower back, or knee. In fact, according to the Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 47% of patients with hip osteoarthritis experienced pain below their knees. In more advanced cases, the discomfort may even extend toward the ankle or foot, producing a dull, aching sensation along the lower limb.

When Should You Get Treatment For Hip Injuries?

You should seek medical attention for a hip injury if pain develops suddenly after a fall, twist, or impact and is accompanied by other symptoms, like swelling, bruising, or limited movement. Urgent orthopedic assessment becomes even more important if you are unable to bear weight, notice a visible deformity, or feel a sudden pop and snapping sensations within the hip joint.

Additionally, you should also consult an orthopedic specialist if your hip pain persists for more than a week despite conservative care, interferes with your sleep, or worsens with physical activity. This may indicate severe issues such as labral tears, tendon inflammation, or early joint degeneration that require urgent medical attention.

How Do Doctors Assess the Severity of Hip Injuries?

Orthopedic doctors perform detailed physical examinations and advanced imaging to assess the severity of hip injuries. Through physical exams, they can examine joint strength, flexibility, alignment, and areas of tenderness. Meanwhile, advanced imaging techniques such as X-rays or MRIs allow doctors to visualize bone structure, cartilage, and soft tissue damage with greater precision.

Orthopedic doctors also use the following methods to assess hip injuries:

• Patient interview provides details about the location, duration, and related symptoms of the pain.
• Blood tests can help detect infections, inflammation, or autoimmune conditions that may be associated with hip pain.
• Diagnostic hip injections confirm whether pain originates directly from the hip area.
• Neurovascular assessment checks nerve function and blood circulation in the affected leg.
• Functional movement analysis examines how the hip performs during everyday movements.

At Total Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, our board-certified orthopedic specialist, Dr. Champ Degenis, performs a detailed physical examination and orders imaging tests to recommend the most effective treatment plan for hip injuries. He begins with conservative options such as physical rehabilitation, over-the-counter pain relievers, or joint injections. If these methods don’t provide pain relief, he performs minimally invasive hip surgery to restore hip function and mobility. Contact us now to book your appointment with our hip specialists.

What Are the Most Common Surgical Treatments for Hip Injuries?

The most common surgical treatments for hip pain include hip arthroscopy, total hip replacement, and fracture repair. Surgeons may also perform hip resurfacing, bursectomy, core decompression, and hip preservation surgery such as periacetabular osteotomy, depending on the underlying condition and extent of joint damage.

Here’s how these surgical procedures help repair an injured hip:

Hip Arthroscopy

This minimally invasive procedure is done through small incisions using a thin camera called an arthroscope. It allows orthopedic surgeons to visualize the joint and repair labral tears, remove loose cartilage, or reshape bone to correct impingement. According to the American Hip Institute Research Foundation, hip arthroscopy has a high success rate, with complications reported in only 0.5% to 4% of cases.

Total Hip Replacement (Hip Arthroplasty)

During this procedure, surgeons remove the damaged portions of the hip joint, including the femoral head and socket, and replace them with durable artificial components. At Total Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, our team performed hip replacement surgery on Mary, who suffered from advanced hip arthritis and fused joints. The surgery helped her regain flexibility, walk comfortably again, and return to her favorite activities, such as dancing.

Fracture Repair

To repair hip fractures, surgeons realign the bone fragments and stabilize them using metal screws, rods, or plates. In severe cases where bone quality is poor, they replace the damaged portion with an implant through partial or total hip replacement.

Hip Resurfacing

Hip resurfacing involves trimming and smoothing the damaged surface of the femoral head. Then, a smooth metal cap is placed over it to restore joint movement and reduce friction. This method preserves most of the natural bone and provides lasting stability. It’s often recommended for younger, active patients with strong bone density and healthy cartilage.

Core Decompression

Core decompression is mainly used to treat avascular necrosis. During this procedure, the doctor drills small holes into the femoral head to relieve pressure and restore blood flow to the affected area. This helps slow bone damage and prevents the joint from collapsing.

Periacetabular Osteotomy

Periacetabular osteotomy corrects hip deformities, such as dysplasia, by repositioning the hip socket to support the femoral head. This improved coverage helps restore joint stability, relieve pain, and protect the natural hip from early degeneration.

Visit Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine for the Treatment of Hip Injuries!

If you’re feeling hip pain while playing your favorite sport, don’t ignore it, even if it seems minor. This discomfort could signal an underlying issue that may worsen over time, eventually limiting your ability to stay active.

At Total Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, our doctors analyze your movement, posture, and muscle balance to pinpoint the exact cause of pain, whether it’s poor training form or a joint injury. We begin with conservative care, including targeted exercises. If symptoms persist, we also offer advanced treatments such as PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and stem cell therapy to promote healing. To achieve lasting relief from hip pain, contact us today or visit our clinic at 1789 Sheepshead Bay Rd., Brooklyn, NY.

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