--- title: "Hip Arthritis Symptoms: Where It Hurts and What Helps" id: "8348" type: "post" slug: "hip-arthritis-symptoms" published_at: "2026-09-30T07:57:50+00:00" modified_at: "2026-10-01T21:00:31+00:00" url: "https://www.allforone.com.au/hip-arthritis-symptoms/" markdown_url: "https://www.allforone.com.au/hip-arthritis-symptoms.md" excerpt: "Groin, buttock or thigh pain and stiff mornings? The common signs of hip arthritis, how it differs from pain on the side of the hip, and what helps." taxonomy_category: - "All in" - "Physiotherapy" --- Physio · 7 minute read Hip arthritis often does not hurt where people expect. The ache can sit in the groin, the buttock or the front of the thigh, and sometimes it turns up in the knee. ### The short version - The common signs are a deep ache in the groin, buttock or thigh, stiffness first thing in the morning, and trouble with socks, shoes or getting out of a car. - Pain mainly on the outside of the hip, sore to press and to lie on, is often a different problem with a different fix. - It is usually diagnosed from your symptoms and an examination. Education, exercise and support with weight are the recommended first steps. Hip osteoarthritis is very common, and it becomes more common as we get older. Plenty of people have signs of it on an X-ray and no symptoms at all. For those who do, the symptoms vary from person to person, which is part of why it can be confusing. ## Where hip arthritis hurts The hip joint sits deep in the groin, not at the bony point on the side of the hip that most people think of as their hip. So the pain it causes is usually felt: - Deep in the groin - In the buttock - Around the side of the hip - Down the front of the thigh, sometimes as far as the knee That last one catches people out. Pain from the hip joint can be felt down the thigh and in the knee, so some people have their knee checked first when the problem is actually the hip. ## Other common signs - Stiffness in the hip first thing in the morning, or after sitting for a while - Difficulty putting on socks and shoes, or cutting your toenails - Pain when walking, sometimes with a limp - Pain when sitting, bending forward or squatting - Trouble with stairs, getting up from a chair or getting in and out of a car - A feeling of grinding, sticking or locking in the hip - Weaker buttock muscles on that side Symptoms often come and go, so a bad week does not necessarily mean the hip is getting worse. Over time, some people also notice pain at rest or at night, and ongoing pain can affect sleep and mood. Both are worth mentioning to your physio or GP. A bad week is not always a worse hip. Symptoms often come and go. ## Is it arthritis, or something else? Hip pain has a few common causes, and they are treated differently, which is why it is worth getting it properly assessed. ### More like hip arthritis - Deep ache in the groin or front of the thigh - Stiffness, especially in the morning - Socks, shoes and toenails getting harder - Pain walking, sitting or bending ### More like a tendon problem - Pain mainly on the outside of the hip - Sore to press on the bony point - Worse lying on that side at night - Worse on stairs or standing on one leg Pain on the outside of the hip is often coming from the tendons there rather than the joint. We have written about that separately: [lateral hip pain in women aged 40 to 60](https://www.allforone.com.au/lateral-hip-pain-in-women-physiotherapy/) , and [why your hip hurts when you sleep on your side](https://www.allforone.com.au/why-does-my-hip-hurt-when-i-sleep-on-my-side/) . The lower back can also send pain into the buttock and thigh. These overlap, and it is common to have more than one. ## How it is diagnosed In most cases a doctor or physiotherapist can diagnose hip osteoarthritis from your symptoms and an examination, including how the hip moves and how strong the muscles around it are. An X-ray is sometimes used for more information, but you do not need one before you start treatment. You do not need one to join the [GLA:D program](https://www.allforone.com.au/treatment/glad-program/) either. It is also worth knowing that an X-ray and how a hip feels do not always match. Some people have significant changes on an X-ray and mild symptoms, and some have the opposite. ## What helps Recent evidence puts education, exercise and weight management as the first line of care for hip osteoarthritis, and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners guideline strongly recommends exercise for it. We want to be straight with you about what the research shows. The most recent Cochrane review of exercise for hip osteoarthritis, published in 2026, found that on average the improvements in pain and function in trials were small. That is part of why a good program measures where you start and checks again later, so you can see whether it is working for you rather than taking it on faith. In GLA:D Australia’s national results, people with hip osteoarthritis reported 27% less hip pain on average a year after starting, and 44% were using less pain medication. Those results have no comparison group, so they show what typically happened rather than a promise of what will happen for you. 1. 1**Get it assessed**A physio can tell you whether the pain is coming from the joint, the tendons or somewhere else, and set a starting point. You do not need a referral. 2. 2**Keep moving**Walking, swimming, water exercise and cycling all count. Our guide on [walking with knee and hip arthritis](https://www.allforone.com.au/is-walking-good-for-arthritis/) covers how to build up and what soreness is normal. 3. 3**Strengthen the hip, legs and trunk**Stronger muscles around the hip help support the joint. Standing up from a chair without using your hands is a simple place to start. 4. 4**Support with weight, if it applies to you**Extra weight puts more load through the hip, and losing some could ease your symptoms. 5. 5**Make daily tasks easier**A sock aid, a higher chair or a cushion in the car can help on stiff days. A walking stick, held in the hand on the opposite side to the sore hip, can help some people with pain and balance. ## When to talk about surgery If the pain and stiffness keep getting worse and are seriously limiting your daily life, even after a proper go at exercise and the other first steps, talk to your GP about seeing an orthopaedic surgeon. Hip replacement is a well-established operation and a reasonable option to discuss at that point. If you do go on to have surgery, the work beforehand is not wasted. GLA:D Australia notes that people who complete its program before a joint replacement tend to recover faster afterwards. ### See your GP promptly if - You have hip or groin pain after a fall, especially if you cannot put weight on the leg - The hip pain comes with a fever or you feel unwell - Pain is suddenly much worse, or is waking you every night and getting worse - You have unexplained weight loss along with the pain Think it might be your hip? GLA:D is a structured education and exercise program for knee and hip osteoarthritis, run by our physios at Yarraville and Hampton East. It starts with a one-on-one assessment, and you do not need a referral or an X-ray. [About the GLA:D program](https://www.allforone.com.au/treatment/glad-program/) ## Common questions ### What does hip arthritis pain feel like? Usually a deep ache in the groin, buttock or front of the thigh, often with stiffness first thing in the morning or after sitting. Many people notice it most when walking, getting up from a chair, or putting on socks and shoes. ### Where is hip arthritis pain located? Most often deep in the groin, but also in the buttock, around the side of the hip and down the front of the thigh. Pain mainly on the outside of the hip, sore to press, is more often from the tendons there. ### Can hip arthritis cause knee pain? Yes. Pain from the hip joint can be felt down the thigh and in the knee, so some people have their knee checked first when the problem is actually the hip. ### Why does my hip hurt at night? Some people with hip osteoarthritis notice pain at rest or at night over time. Pain on the outside of the hip when you lie on that side is often from the tendons rather than the joint. If night pain is new, severe or getting worse, see your GP. ### Do I need an X-ray to know if I have hip arthritis? Not usually. A doctor or physiotherapist can often diagnose it from your symptoms and an examination, and X-ray changes do not always match how the hip feels. GLA:D Australia does not require an X-ray to join its program. ### Is walking good for hip arthritis? Yes. Australian guidelines strongly recommend exercise for hip osteoarthritis, and walking is one of the simplest ways to do it. Start with a comfortable distance and build slowly. ### Keep reading - [Is walking good for knee and hip arthritis?](https://www.allforone.com.au/is-walking-good-for-arthritis/) - [Do I need a knee replacement? What to try first](https://www.allforone.com.au/do-i-need-a-knee-replacement/) - [Why does my hip hurt when I sleep on my side?](https://www.allforone.com.au/why-does-my-hip-hurt-when-i-sleep-on-my-side/) **General information only.** This article is general information, not advice for your situation. Everyone’s joints and health are different, so talk to your physio, GP or another health professional about your own symptoms before you start or change any treatment. ### Sources - Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (NHS). [A patient’s guide to hip osteoarthritis](https://www.rnoh.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/patient-information-guides/patients-guide-hip-osteoarthritis) . - NHS inform. [Osteoarthritis of the hip](https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/muscle-bone-and-joints/leg-and-foot-problems-and-conditions/osteoarthritis-of-the-hip/) . - Healthdirect Australia. [Osteoarthritis](https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/osteoarthritis) . - Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. [Guideline for the management of knee and hip osteoarthritis](https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guidelines/key-racgp-guidelines/view-all-racgp-guidelines/hip-and-knee-osteoarthritis) , 2nd edition, 2018. - Hall M and others. [Exercise for osteoarthritis of the hip](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42486497/) . Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2026. - GLA:D Australia. [Annual Report 2025](https://gladaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/GLAD-Annual-Report-2025.pdf) .