General Hip, Groin and Thigh Pain Advice

Hip, groin and thigh pain are very common and are rarely caused by a serious problem. Many people notice improvement within a few weeks, although some conditions can take several months to fully settle. The advice on this page can help many common hip, groin and thigh problems. Most hip, groin and thigh problems improve with the right combination of movement, exercise and time.

Select one of the conditions to learn more about common hip, groin and thigh conditions. This is not a complete list, but covers the problems we see most often. explains what the condition is, how it is usually treated, and how our service may be able to help. If you would like support from our team, you can refer yourself to physiotherapy.

Steps to take to recovery

Adjust Activities

Try to keep moving while temporarily reducing activities that significantly increase your pain. Complete rest is usually not helpful. Reducing activities that significantly aggravate your symptoms for a short period can help settle a flare-up before gradually returning to your usual activities.

Use Ice or Heat: Some patients find this helpful to reduce their pain. If you have had a recent injury it may help to apply an ice or cold pack (15-20 minutes a few times a day in the initial 48 hours). If you have a longer-standing hip issue then heat packs may help soothe some of your pain. Take care to avoid ice or heat burns by wrapping ice packs in a towel and avoiding prolonged application.

Exercises

Keeping the hip moving and gradually strengthening the surrounding muscles can help reduce pain and improve function. Start with gentle movements and progress gradually. Some discomfort during exercise is normal, but the pain should settle soon afterwards and should not continue to worsen over the following 24 hours. The Arthritis UK hip exercises may be helpful to reduce pain and prevent stiffness.

Pain Relief

Over-the-counter medicines: Over-the-counter pain relief may help you stay active. Always follow the advice provided with the medicine.

Topical creams: Some people find topical creams or gels helpful for short-term relief of pain and stiffness.

It is important to check whether you can take these medicines. If you are unsure whether you can take these medicines, speak to a pharmacist or another healthcare professional.

 

Weight Management

If you are carrying extra weight, even a modest amount of weight loss can reduce the load through the hip and improve symptoms. You can calculate your BMI using the NHS BMI calculator.

Lifestyle factors that influence health

Many hip problems are influenced by our overall health. Smoking, diabetes, poor sleep and long-term stress can negatively affect musculoskeletal health and may influence pain, recovery and overall function. Staying active, gradually strengthening the muscles around your hip, and addressing lifestyle factors can help reduce pain, improve function and support recovery. More support with health and lifestyle factors can be found on our Your Musculoskeletal Health page.

When to seek further advice

Some symptoms require urgent medical assessment rather than physiotherapy. Please seek urgent medical advice if you have any of the following:

  • Sudden severe hip pain after a fall or injury, particularly if you are unable to stand, bear weight or move your hip normally
  • Signs of infection, such as increasing redness, warmth, swelling, fever or feeling generally unwell
  • Pain travelling down the leg accompanied by new problems controlling your bladder or bowels, numbness around the genitals or back passage ("saddle area"), or changes in sexual function. These symptoms require immediate assessment in A&E. These symptoms can be a sign of cauda equina syndrome. Our cauda equina syndrome webpage provides further information.

If any of the other symptoms above apply to you, contact NHS 111 for advice.