Hip joint pain frequently presents in the groin, front of the thigh, or buttock rather than over the outer hip — which is why it is often misidentified as a muscle or back problem. The hip joint sits deep in the pelvis, and the nerves that carry pain signals from the joint refer discomfort to the groin and inner thigh. A limp, difficulty putting on footwear, or pain rising from a low chair can all be signs of hip joint pathology even when the pain is not felt directly over the hip.
Pain felt over the outer hip — over the side of the thigh or the greater trochanter — is more often associated with trochanteric bursitis or a tendon problem than with the hip joint itself. Distinguishing between these requires a clinical examination, not just a description of pain location. If groin or thigh pain is persistent, worsening, or affecting walking, an orthopaedic evaluation with hip X-rays is the appropriate starting point.
