Hip pain when lifting your leg often signals a hip flexor strain, irritation of tendons (tendinitis/tendinopathy) like the iliopsoas, or issues like hip impingement (FAI) or a labral tear, causing pain in the front/groin area during movement, though it could also be related to arthritis, bursitis (GTPS), or referred sciatica from the lower back. Causes range from overuse/sudden movements (running, kicking) to prolonged sitting or underlying joint problems, requiring rest, ice, stretching for mild cases, or professional diagnosis for persistent pain.
It may radiate to the lower back or leg, especially with iliopsoas syndrome. What causes pain in the front of the hip when lifting the leg? This is often due to a hip flexor strain or tendonitis, caused by overuse, sudden movements, or weak muscles. Rest and stretching can help mild cases.
How are hip flexor strains treated? You can treat most hip flexor strains at home using the RICE method: Rest: Stop the physical activity that caused your strain to avoid further damaging your muscle. Ice: Apply an ice pack or cold compress for 10 to 15 minutes every hour for the first day after your injury.
Treating hip bursitis in pregnancy focuses on non-medication approaches like RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), physical therapy (strengthening, stretching, manual therapy), heat therapy, massage, supportive pillows, and pregnancy-safe posture/sleep adjustments, with a doctor's guidance on any OTC pain relievers or potential injections (corticosteroids are used cautiously). The goal is to reduce inflammation, support joints, and strengthen surrounding muscles to alleviate pain.
Most will heal on their own within one to three weeks.
Grade 1 hip flexor strains usually involve a mild strain or tear of the muscle fibers. Recovery time is relatively quick. With rest, ice, and gentle stretching exercises, patients can expect to return to normal activities within 1 to 3 weeks.
The most common symptom someone with a hip flexor tear or strain will have is hip pain. However, other symptoms may include swelling, bruising, and tenderness. A hip flexor tear or strain can be diagnosed in a full medical exam by your doctor.
Hip pain during pregnancy is common, especially in the second and third trimesters (the last three to six months of your pregnancy). The most common cause of pregnancy hip pain and discomfort in your hips is pelvic girdle pain (PGP), formally known as symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD).
Common Symptoms of Hip Bursitis
Let's talk about three of the most common conditions that are confused with hip bursitis.
Side sleepers should lie on the hip that isn't painful, and place one or more pillows between the legs. When lying on your back, place a pillow or rolled up blanket beneath your knees and possibly another under the small of your back.
Conditions That Mimic Hip Flexor Pain
Other possible mistaken conditions include hernias, hip labral tears, and nerve impingements, such as sciatica. Each condition has distinct characteristics, but the overlapping symptoms can lead to misdiagnosis.
Weakness in the legs can happen for a variety of reasons. These can include DOMS, spinal problems, neuropathy, ALS, stroke, myasthenia gravis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Weakness in the legs may affect one leg or both. Sometimes, leg weakness can signal an underlying medical condition that requires treatment.
The hips are a common storage site for emotions related to fear, anxiety, sadness, and trauma. Yoga, with its focus on hip opening and mindfulness, offers a powerful tool for releasing these stored emotions.
Acute bursitis usually flares over hours or days. Chronic hip bursitis can last from a few days to several weeks. Over time, the bursae may become thick, which makes the swelling worse. This can lead to limited movement and weakened muscles (atrophy) in the area.
Best Sleeping Positions for Shoulder Bursitis
Back Sleeping – Keeps weight off your shoulder and maintains alignment.
Many people who have people who have a hip flexor strain or hip arthritis have difficulty lifting their leg to get in the car. Muscle imbalances in the hip, low back, and abdominal muscles can often lead to difficulty lifting the leg. These muscle imbalances include: Stiffness in the muscles in the back of the hip.
With hip arthritis, the pain is mainly felt in the groin, and occasionally in the outer thigh and upper buttock area. Pain can get worse after standing or walking for long periods of time or after a period of rest (waking up in the morning). Stiffness in the hip makes it difficult to move the hip or rotate the leg.
What are the main symptoms of hip tendinitis? Key symptoms include pain in the hip or groin area, pain that increases with activity, stiffness, reduced range of motion, swelling and tenderness, weakness in hip and leg muscles, and in advanced cases, pain during rest or nighttime.
The one-leg rise test (Fig. 1) assesses the total number of repetitions an individual can perform from sitting to standing on one leg, on a chair with a height of 48 cm and performed without a time limit.
Hip bursitis complications
If left untreated, chronic hip bursitis can lead to a permanent loss of hip movement as a result of calcium deposit build-up in the soft tissues.
Bursitis pain is usually sharp and worsens with pressure on the affected side, like lying down. Arthritis pain often comes with stiffness and reduced mobility, especially after rest or inactivity.
Usually, rest is all you'll need to treat trochanteric bursitis. Avoid the activity or positions that irritated your greater trochanter bursa. Taking a break from activities that put pressure on your hip will give the bursa time to heal.
Hip pain can start at any point in pregnancy, says Ashley Rawlins, PT, DPT, a pelvic and obstetric physical therapist and clinical educator at Origin. “Most commonly, it'll begin in the middle of the second trimester, due to the growing uterus and widening of the pelvic joints.”
As your baby grows, the extra weight and shifting posture put increased stress on your hip joints. This combination often leads to aching, stiffness, or even sharp pain—especially during the third trimester. Many women find their hip pain becomes more noticeable when sleeping on their side.
Best Sleeping Positions for Hip Pain While Pregnant