Hip pain can affect much more than walking. It can disturb sleep, make stairs and getting out of a car difficult, and stop you exercising. The hip is a deep joint surrounded by strong muscles and tendons, so pain can come from the joint itself, the tissues around it, or even the lower back.
The good news is that most hip pain improves without surgery once the cause is clear. This page explains the common causes of hip pain, what the location of your pain can tell you, how it is diagnosed, and the treatment options available in Dubai, from physiotherapy to image-guided injections and minimally invasive procedures.
Medically reviewed by Dr Abdul Rahman Alvi, Consultant Vascular & Interventional Radiologist (MBBS, MRCS, FRCR, Dual CCT UK). DHA License No. 13256111.
Where you feel the pain is one of the best clues to its cause.
Where it hurts | Common causes |
|---|---|
Front of the hip or groin | Hip osteoarthritis, femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), labral tear, hip flexor strain |
Inner thigh or groin, worse with kicking or changing direction | Adductor (groin) muscle strain or tendinopathy |
Outer side of the hip, worse lying on that side | Greater trochanteric pain syndrome (gluteal tendinopathy and trochanteric bursitis) |
Buttock, sometimes spreading down the leg | Lower back problems, sacroiliac joint pain, hamstring tendinopathy, piriformis syndrome |
Whole hip, with stiffness in the morning | Osteoarthritis or an inflammatory arthritis |
Pain in the groin usually points to the hip joint itself. Pain on the outer side is usually from the tendons and bursa. Pain in the buttock is often coming from the back.
Wear of the cartilage that lines the hip joint. It typically causes groin pain, stiffness after rest, and pain that builds with walking. It is most common after the age of 50 but can start earlier after injury or with hip shape problems. Many people manage well for years with exercise, weight control and injections; advanced cases may need a hip replacement.
Pain on the bony point on the outer side of the hip, caused by irritation of the gluteal tendons and the bursa (a small fluid sac) over them. It was often called trochanteric bursitis. It is very common in women over 40, and typically hurts when lying on that side, climbing stairs or standing on one leg.
The adductors are the inner thigh muscles that pull the leg inwards. Strains and tendon problems are common in football, running and sports with sudden changes of direction. Pain is felt in the groin or inner thigh and is worse with kicking, sprinting or squeezing the knees together. Most heal with rest and graded strengthening; long-standing adductor tendinopathy may need an image-guided injection.
An irregular shape of the ball or socket makes the bones pinch during certain movements, such as deep squats or sitting low. Over time this can damage the labrum, the rim of cartilage around the socket. It causes groin pain, clicking or catching, mostly in younger active adults.
The hip flexor, gluteal and hamstring tendons can become painful from overuse, a sudden increase in training, or weak supporting muscles. These usually respond well to a structured exercise programme.
Because so many conditions can cause hip pain, getting the diagnosis right comes before any treatment decision.
Treatment follows a step-by-step approach. Most patients improve at the first or second step.
The foundation of treatment for almost every cause of hip pain. A structured programme strengthens the gluteal, core and thigh muscles, improves movement and reduces load on painful tissues. Activity changes, weight management and short-term pain relief support it.
When pain stops you exercising or sleeping, an injection can calm it down enough for rehabilitation to work. Using ultrasound or X-ray guidance, the needle is placed exactly where it is needed: into the hip joint for arthritis, or around the tendons and bursa for outer hip pain. Image guidance makes injections more accurate than injecting by feel, especially in a joint as deep as the hip.
For selected patients with long-standing pain that has not settled with physiotherapy and injections, minimally invasive procedures may be considered. One emerging option is embolization, which targets the abnormal small blood vessels that can develop around chronically inflamed joints and tendons. It is performed through a small puncture rather than open surgery. A similar approach is used for knee arthritis pain (genicular artery embolization). These procedures are not first-line treatments, the evidence is still developing, and suitability depends on a full assessment.
When there is advanced arthritis, a significant structural problem such as a large labral tear, or pain that persists despite all of the above, referral to an orthopaedic surgeon is the right step. Options include hip arthroscopy and hip replacement.
Option | When it is used | Recovery |
|---|---|---|
Physiotherapy and exercise | First-line for almost all hip pain | Gradual improvement over 6–12 weeks |
Image-guided injection | Pain limiting rehabilitation or sleep | Usually back to normal activity within a day or two |
Minimally invasive procedure (e.g. embolization) | Selected chronic cases not helped by the above | Usually a day case |
Surgery (arthroscopy or hip replacement) | Advanced arthritis or major structural damage | Weeks to months |
The cost of hip pain treatment in Dubai depends mainly on what your assessment shows. Many patients need only a consultation, imaging and a physiotherapy plan. Others go on to an image-guided injection or, less often, a minimally invasive procedure or surgery.
What affects the cost:
Many UAE insurance plans cover hip pain assessment, imaging and injections when medically necessary. Coverage for newer procedures such as embolization varies between insurers, so check your policy first. Contact Dr Alvi’s clinic for a personalised estimate.
Dr Abdul Rahman Alvi is a UK-trained Consultant Vascular and Interventional Radiologist with 28 years of international experience (MBBS, MRCS, FRCR, Dual CCT UK), licensed by the Dubai Health Authority (License No. 13256111).
Consultations take place at his clinic in Dubai Healthcare City.
Book an assessment if:
Seek urgent care if you cannot bear weight after a fall, the leg looks shortened or turned outwards, the hip is hot and swollen with a fever, or you have new numbness or weakness in the leg.
Hip pain does not have to limit your life. Book a hip pain consultation on WhatsApp for an accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan that fits you.
It depends on the cause. Most hip pain improves with a structured physiotherapy and exercise programme. Image-guided injections help when pain is limiting rehabilitation, and surgery is reserved for advanced arthritis or major structural problems.
Pain deep in the groin usually comes from the hip joint. Pain on the outer side of the hip is usually from the tendons and bursa, and pain in the buttock often comes from the lower back. An examination, and sometimes imaging, confirms the cause.
Yes. Most hip pain, including early arthritis, outer hip pain and groin strains, is treated without surgery using exercise, physiotherapy, weight management and image-guided injections.
The most common cause is greater trochanteric pain syndrome: irritation of the gluteal tendons and the bursa over the bony point of the hip. It often hurts when lying on that side or climbing stairs.
With relative rest, then a graded strengthening programme for the inner thigh and core muscles. Long-standing adductor tendon pain may need an image-guided injection. Most people return to sport within weeks to a few months.
Most people feel only brief discomfort. Local anaesthetic is used, and image guidance allows the needle to reach the right spot accurately, usually in a few minutes.
When pain and stiffness remain severe despite exercise, weight management, pain relief and injections, and X-rays show advanced joint damage. An orthopaedic surgeon makes the final decision.
It depends on the diagnosis and treatment, from a consultation and physiotherapy to injections or procedures. Many UAE insurance plans cover medically necessary care. The clinic can give a personalised estimate after your assessment.
Specialist
Dr. AbdulRahman Alvi
MBBS, MRCS, FRCR, CCT-UK — Dual CCT in Interventional & Clinical Radiology | 28 Years of Experience
