Do you have a nagging pain in your knees, groin, thigh or back?
These symptoms might mean there’s a problem with something seemingly unrelated — your hip.
Most people don’t realize that hip problems can manifest as pain in other parts of the lower body, experts with Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus said in a news release.
Nearly 3 of 4 Americans (72%) aren’t aware knee pain can be a sign of a hip problem, according to a new Ohio State poll.
Likewise, 69% don’t link groin pain and 66% thigh pain to problems rooted in the hip, poll results show.
“Patients will be referred to me for knee pain,” Dr. Matthew Beal, an orthopedic surgeon at Wexner, said in a news release.
“When I examine the patient, I will rotate their hip and the patient will feel pain,” he said. "We’ll also do X-rays to determine arthritis in the hip and if a replacement would be beneficial.”
About 71% of Americans know that a “catching” or clicking sensation in the hip is a sign of problems.
In addition, 59% recognized trouble bending or tying shoes as a sign of hip problems, and 53% linked lower back pain to a bum hip, the poll found.
But only 45% said night pain or difficulty sleeping is a sign of hip problems.
The survey also found that 4 of 10 people respond to unexplained pain by just “pushing through it,” and more than half (52%) rely on over-the-counter pain meds for relief.
Ohio State experts said it’s important to see a doctor regarding unexplained pain, so the source can be diagnosed and addressed.
“Although hip replacement surgery may sound daunting, it’s actually one of the easiest procedures to recover from,” Beal said. “Getting up and walking after the surgery can serve as ample physical therapy for most patients.”
For the survey, 1,004 people were polled online and by phone between June 6 and 9. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.