Back and hip pain may develop due to muscle strain, poor posture, injuries, arthritis, herniated discs, nerve compression, or sacroiliac joint problems. CDC data show that 39% of U.S. adults reported back pain within a three-month period, while research estimates that hip pain affects around 10% of the general population.

These conditions can make walking, sitting, bending, sleeping, climbing stairs, and completing daily tasks difficult. Pain may also reduce movement, affect work, disturb sleep, and lower overall quality of life. A detailed evaluation can identify if symptoms begin in the spine, hip joint, nerves, or nearby tissues with Dr. Rao K. Ali, an interventional pain management physician.

Why Can Back and Hip Pain Occur Together?

The lower back, pelvis, and hip form a connected movement system. Muscles, joints, tendons, and nerves in this area help control posture, balance, walking, bending, and rotation.

A painful or stiff hip may change the way a person walks. This can increase stress on the lower back and pelvis. A lumbar spine condition may also send pain into the buttock, outer hip, groin, thigh, or leg. Research describes significant overlap between hip and lumbar spine symptoms, which can make it difficult to identify the main pain source without an examination.

Back and hip pain may be caused by muscle strain, a herniated disc, sciatica, spinal stenosis, sacroiliac joint irritation, hip arthritis, bursitis, tendon problems, or an injury.

Common Causes of Back and Hip Pain

Back and hip pain may involve the muscles, joints, nerves, or spine. Some common causes are listed below.

Muscle Strain and Overuse

Lifting, twisting, exercise, repetitive movement, prolonged sitting, or a sudden increase in activity can strain muscles around the lower back, buttocks, or hips. Back pain may feel sore, tight, or tender, worsen with movement, and improve with rest, gentle activity, or changes in position. It may begin suddenly or develop slowly.

Herniated Disc and Sciatica

A herniated disc or bulging disc can irritate a nearby nerve and cause lower back pain that travels into the buttock, hip, thigh, calf, or foot. It may also trigger sciatica, causing burning, tingling, numbness, or weakness in the affected leg and making walking or sitting uncomfortable.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Lumbar spinal stenosis occurs when spaces within the lower spine become narrower and place pressure on nerves. Pain may spread from the lower back into the buttocks, hips, or legs. Symptoms often become worse during standing or walking and may improve when sitting or leaning forward. Numbness, tingling, leg cramping, and weakness can also occur.

Sacroiliac Joint Pain

The sacroiliac joints connect the lower spine to the pelvis. Irritation can cause lower back, buttock, hip, or thigh pain. Symptoms may worsen with standing, climbing stairs, turning in bed, rising from a chair, or placing weight on one leg. An examination or diagnostic injection may identify the source.

Hip Osteoarthritis

Hip osteoarthritis develops when cartilage and other joint tissues become damaged, making the joint painful, stiff, and harder to move. Pain may affect the groin, thigh, buttock, outer hip, or knee. Patients experiencing hip pain during pregnancy in Dallas should seek an evaluation to identify the cause and appropriate care.

Hip Bursitis

Bursae are small, fluid-filled sacs that help reduce friction between bones and soft tissues. Hip bursitis develops when one of these sacs becomes irritated or inflamed. Pain is commonly felt over the outer side of the hip. It may become worse when lying on the painful side, walking, climbing stairs, or standing for an extended period.

Gluteal Tendon Problems

The gluteal tendons connect muscles in the buttock to the upper thighbone. Repeated loading, weakness, sudden activity changes, or pressure during side sleeping may irritate these tendons. Pain usually occurs over the outer hip and may increase during walking, stair climbing, standing on one leg, or lying on the affected side. Gluteal tendon problems may occur with bursitis and are sometimes grouped under greater trochanteric pain syndrome.

Hip Impingement or Labral Problems

Femoroacetabular impingement occurs when the bones of the hip do not move smoothly during certain positions. It may irritate the joint and surrounding tissues. Common symptoms include groin pain, stiffness, reduced movement, and limping. Turning, twisting, deep bending, or squatting may trigger sharper pain.

Inflammatory Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and other inflammatory conditions may affect the lower back, pelvis, or hip joints. Pain and stiffness may be more noticeable in the morning or after resting. Symptoms similar to a pinched nerve in hip may also occur. Some inflammatory conditions can affect both sides of the body or cause symptoms in other joints and organs.

How Can You Tell If Pain is Coming from the Back or Hip?

Symptoms alone cannot confirm the diagnosis, but certain patterns may help identify the likely source.

Signs that May Point toward the Hip

• Pain in the groin or front of the thigh

• Hip stiffness or reduced rotation

• Difficulty putting on shoes or socks

• Pain when getting into or out of a vehicle

• A limp

• Pain during squatting or stair climbing

• Pain when lying on the affected side

Signs that May Point toward the Lower Back

• Pain beginning in the lower back or buttock

• Pain traveling below the knee

• Burning, tingling, or numbness

• Leg or foot weakness

• Pain that changes with spinal position

• Symptoms that worsen during prolonged standing or walking

• Relief when sitting or leaning forward

How is Back and Hip Pain Diagnosed?

An evaluation for hip pain relief usually begins with questions about where the pain occurs, when it started, what movements make it worse, and how it affects walking, sleep, work, and daily activities. The clinician may examine:

• Lower back and hip movement

• Muscle strength

• Reflexes and sensation

• Walking pattern

• Hip rotation

• Areas of tenderness

• Leg length and balance

• Positions that reproduce the pain

Back and Hip Pain Treatment Options

Hip Pain Treatment in Texas depends on the cause, symptom severity, medical history, and effect on mobility. Many conditions can improve without surgery.

Activity Changes

Temporarily reducing movements that repeatedly trigger pain may help irritated tissues settle. Complete bed rest is generally not recommended for routine back pain. Gentle movement and a planned return to activity may help prevent stiffness and loss of strength.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy may focus on:

• Hip mobility

• Core strength

• Gluteal strength

• Posture

• Walking mechanics

• Flexibility

• Safe lifting techniques

• Balance and movement control

Medication

Pain-relieving or anti-inflammatory medication may be recommended when medically appropriate. The safest option depends on the patient’s age, allergies, health history, kidney or stomach conditions, and other medications. A hip pain doctor in Richardson should guide medication use when pain repeatedly returns, affects sleep, or limits normal movement.

Image-Guided Injections

If pain continues after activity changes and physical therapy, an image-guided injection may be recommended based on the identified source. Options may include:

• Hip joint corticosteroid injections for inflammation or arthritis-related pain

• Bursa injections for pain linked with hip bursitis

• Epidural steroid injections for selected cases of spinal nerve irritation

• Sacroiliac joint injections for suspected SI joint pain

• Nerve blocks to help diagnose or treat certain pain sources

Radiofrequency Ablation

Radiofrequency ablation uses controlled energy near selected pain-carrying nerves. It may be recommended for certain cases of chronic back or sacroiliac joint pain after diagnostic testing confirms the likely source. Results differ between patients, and the procedure is not suitable for every cause of back or hip pain.

Surgery

Surgery may be discussed for severe joint damage, a fracture, major nerve compression, progressive weakness, or a labral tear in hip that does not improve with nonsurgical treatment. Most patients should first review conservative or interventional options unless urgent symptoms require faster treatment.

When Should You See a Doctor?

Schedule an evaluation with an interventional pain management doctor in Richardsonwhen back or hip pain affects movement, sleep, work, or normal activities, or when it:

• Continues for several days

• Repeatedly returns

• Causes a limp

• Limits hip or back movement

• Travels into the leg

• Causes numbness or tingling

• Makes walking or stair climbing difficult

• Does not improve with basic home care

• Becomes more frequent or severe

Back and Hip Pain Care in Richardson

Back and hip pain can involve more than one structure, so treatment should begin with a careful evaluation rather than relying only on the location of the pain. Rao K. Ali, MD, is board-certified in pain medicine and anesthesiology and fellowship-trained in interventional pain management. At Premier Pain Centers, he evaluates spine, nerve, joint, and chronic pain conditions and provides minimally invasive treatment options when medically appropriate.

Patients can visit Premier Pain Centers at 2071 N Collins Blvd, Richardson, TX 75080, or call 469-562-4188 to schedule an appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can lower back problems cause hip pain?

Yes. Lumbar disc problems, spinal stenosis, irritated nerves, and sacroiliac joint pain may cause symptoms in the buttock, outer hip, groin, thigh, or leg. An examination helps separate referred pain from a condition inside the hip joint.

Can hip arthritis cause lower back pain?

Hip arthritis may change hip movement and walking mechanics, increasing stress around the pelvis and lower back. Hip and lumbar spine conditions may also occur at the same time.

What causes pain in the lower back and hip on one side?

One-sided pain may result from muscle strain, sacroiliac joint irritation, sciatica, hip bursitis, gluteal tendon problems, arthritis, or injury. The pain location, triggers, neurological symptoms, and movement restrictions help guide the diagnosis.

Are hip joint injections helpful for back and hip pain?

Hip joint injections may help when pain comes from inflammation inside the hip joint. They are unlikely to treat pain caused only by a spinal nerve or lumbar disc problem. The pain source should be identified before an injection is selected.

What type of doctor treats back and hip pain?

A primary care doctor, orthopedic specialist, physical medicine physician, neurologist, or interventional pain management doctor may evaluate back and hip pain. The most appropriate specialist depends on the symptoms, injury history, examination findings, and suspected cause.