What’s Causing My Lower Back and Hip Pain?

You can develop lower back and hip pain due to injury or strain. But it can also occur due to an underlying health condition.

Experiencing lower back pain is quite common. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, close to 80 percent of adults have lower back pain at some point in their lives. The pain can range in intensity from a dull ache to sharp sensations that affect your mobility and quality of life.

Back pain can easily be mistaken for hip pain and discomfort. The joint of your hip is located near your spine. For that reason, injuries to your hip can resemble or actually cause back pain. In addition to hip and lower back pain, you may also experience:

• groin pain on the affected side
• stiffness
• pain while walking or moving
• trouble sleeping

Here are five possible causes of lower back and hip pain.

Acute back pain is often the result of muscle sprains or strains. Sprains occur when your ligaments are overstretched and sometimes torn.

Strains, on the other hand, are caused by stretching — and possible tearing — of your tendons or muscles. Though the immediate reaction is pain in your back, you may also experience dull aches or discomfort in your hip.

Treatment for sprains and strains includes proper stretching and, in more severe cases, physical therapy. If your pain worsens, schedule a visit to your doctor to get proper treatment and to ensure your pain isn’t the result of a more serious injury.

A pinched nerve is an uncomfortable condition that may cause shooting pain, tingling, and discomfort, particularly if it occurs in your back, spine, or hip.

It occurs when too much pressure is applied to a nerve by surrounding bones, muscles, or tissues. The pressure interrupts proper nerve function, causing pain, numbness, and weakness.

In some cases, old scar tissue from previous injuries can also cause pinched nerves. Other causes of pinched nerves include:

• arthritis
• stress
• repetitive movements
• sports
• obesity

Pain from this condition usually lasts a short period of time and often results in no permanent damage once treated. However, if there’s persistent pressure on a nerve, you may experience chronic pain and may be at an increased risk of permanent nerve damage.

The most common treatment for a pinched nerve is rest. If your muscles or nerves are affected, your doctor may recommend physical therapy to increase your mobility and strength.

For short-term relief, you doctor may also prescribe anti-inflammatory medication to reduce pain. More severe cases of pinched or damaged nerves may require surgery.

Arthritis is a common culprit of back and hip pain. It can also be felt in the front of your thigh and groin area. Often a result of aging and gradual wear and tear on the body, arthritis is inflammation of one or more of your joints.

Common symptoms of arthritis include:

• pain
• swelling
• stiffness
• decreased range of motion
• numbness

Treatment for arthritis focuses on relieving symptoms and improving mobility.

Your doctor may recommend anti-inflammatory medications or pain relievers. They might also prescribe disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, which are drugs meant to slow or stop your immune system from attacking your joints.

Your doctor may also recommend physical therapy to strengthen your joints and increase your range of motion. For more severe cases, surgery may be required.

Also called a ruptured or slipped disk, a herniated disk occurs when the “jelly” inside your spinal disk is pushed out through the harder exterior of the disk. This can cause nearby nerves to become irritated, often causing pain and numbness.

Some people who have a herniated disk, however, may never experience painful symptoms.

Other than back pain, you may also experience symptoms including:

• thigh pain
• hip and butt pain
• tingling
• weakness

To treat a herniated disk, your doctor may recommend muscle relaxers and prescription drugs to reduce pain. Surgery or physical therapy are also treatments for this condition if your symptoms worsen or if your condition begins to affect your quality of life.

Your sacroiliac joint — also referred to as the SI joint — connects your hip bones to your sacrum, the triangular bone between the lumbar spine and the tailbone. This joint is meant to absorb shock between your upper body, pelvis, and legs.

Strain or injury to the SI joint can cause radiating pain in your hip, back, and groin area.

Treatment focuses on reducing pain and restoring normal motion to the SI joint.

Your doctor may recommend rest, pain medication, and hot and cold compresses to reduce muscle tension and inflammation. An injection of a steroid into the joint is often helpful. In more severe cases, your doctor may recommend surgery.

Back and hip pain are common ailments. They may, however, also be symptoms of more serious medical conditions. If your pain worsens or is accompanied by irregular symptoms, schedule a visit with your doctor.

Together, you and your doctor can discuss the best form of treatment to help you cope with your pain and improve your condition.

Why does my lower back and hip hurt?

Sometimes lower back occurs alongside hip pain. This may happen on one side or both. Certain health conditions or injuries can affect the nerves in both the hips and the lower back.

These pains usually occur as a result of overuse or injury, but they can also be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. People may notice the pain on the left or right side of the body or both.

In this article, we look at possible causes of lower back and hip pain. We also discuss the various treatment options and how to relieve pain.

Share on PinterestPossible causes of lower back and hip pain include sprains, strains, and a herniated disk.

It is easy to overwork the lower back and hips because they are responsible for lifting, twisting, and moving the legs and trunk. Pains due to overuse and minor injury are common in these areas of the body.

Although these pains are common, people should not ignore them. Rest and early treatment can significantly improve a person’s outlook.

The causes are similar in males and females. The following are some of the most common causes of lower back and hip pain.

Sprains and strains are a common cause of pain around the back and hips. A sprain is a torn or overstretched ligament, while a strain is a torn or overstretched tendon or muscle.

People with sprains and strains are likely to experience discomfort that worsens with activity and gets better with rest.

Common causes of sprains and strains in this area include:

• sports injuries
• a fall or trauma
• twisting the body in an awkward way
• lifting something heavy

Playing a sport or engaging in other physical activity without warming up properly can contribute to muscle strain.

Damage to the ligaments, tendons, or muscles in the hip or lower back can cause:

• muscle pain
• muscle weakness
• tenderness
• swelling
• reduced range of motion

Treatment

People will usually find that their symptoms improve with a few days of rest.

Gentle stretching can speed up recovery. Applying a cloth-covered ice pack to the affected area for 10 to 15 minutes at a time can also help.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, can reduce the pain and swelling that these muscle injuries cause.

If these treatments do not reduce symptoms, the injury may be more serious, for example, a muscle tear. In this case, a person should see their doctor.

The hip flexors are muscles that extend from the hips to the knees. They are responsible for the range of motion in the legs and hips. If these muscles are stiff and tight, often due to remaining in a seated position for too long, a person may experience back and hip pain.

Hip flexor strains, which are strains in the hip flexor muscles, can also cause sharp pain in the back and hips.

Symptoms of tight hip flexor muscles include:

• tenderness in the upper leg
• muscle spasms in the hips or thighs
• soreness in the hips and thighs

Some people may also experience a sense of weakness when trying to kick the leg or lift the knee toward the chest.

Read about 10 stretches for tight hips here.

Treatment

Physical therapy exercises and stretching can help relieve tight hip flexors and reduce discomfort. Examples include pulling the knee toward the chest or lunging one leg forward from a kneeling position to create a stretch in the hips.

Avoiding activities that can increase hip flexor tightness, such as sitting too long at a desk or wearing high heels for extended periods, can also help.

Share on PinterestA herniated disk may cause pain in the lower back, legs, and hips.

A herniated disk occurs when one of the cushioning disks between the vertebrae slips out of place. The disk can put pressure on a nearby nerve, which may cause tingling and burning pain in the lower back that extends to the hips and legs.

Older adults are prone to herniated disks because of the natural wear and tear of the spine that occurs over time. The disks also become less flexible with age.

Common causes of a herniated disk include:

• improper lifting or twisting while lifting
• a fall or trauma
• being overweight
• repetitive strain on the back
• driving for long periods
• smoking

Symptoms of a herniated disk include:

• sciatica, or a sharp, shooting pain from the buttocks down the back of one leg
• numbness in the leg or foot
• muscle weakness in the leg or foot

In severe cases, people may experience a loss of bowel and bladder function. If this occurs, they should go to the hospital or call 911 right away.

Treatment

The treatment for a herniated disk involves relieving pain and discomfort while it heals. Bed rest will usually help relieve the pain too.

Other treatment options include:

• physical therapy exercises
• taking NSAIDs to relieve pain and inflammation
• epidural steroid injections, which involve injecting corticosteroids into the epidural space containing the inflamed nerves

In severe cases, a doctor may recommend surgery to correct a herniated disk.

The sacroiliac (SI) joints connect the lower portion of the spine to the pelvis. If these joints move too much or too little, people may feel pain in the back and hips.

The symptoms of SI joint dysfunction include an aching lower back that makes it difficult for a person to find a comfortable position. The pain will usually worsen with physical activity, such as running or climbing stairs.

A herniated disk and arthritis can cause symptoms similar to those of SI joint dysfunction.

Treatment

Treatment options for SI joint dysfunction include:

• NSAIDs to relieve pain and inflammation
• physical therapy exercises to strengthen the core and pelvic muscles
• stretching and applying ice to the affected areas
• the injection of a steroid into the SI joint

A doctor may suggest that a person has corticosteroid injections to reduce spinal inflammation. In rare instances, they may recommend surgery to fuse the joints.

Osteoarthritis of the back can result in the breakdown of the protective and cushioning cartilage of the spine. This loss of cushioning can cause the spinal bones to rub together and place greater pressure on the nerves, including the nerves that go to the lower back and hips.

Arthritis in the back and hips causes joint stiffness and pain. A person may also experience weakness in the legs and hips, which can interfere with their everyday activities.

Treatment

Doctors do not have a cure for arthritis, but people can manage their symptoms using medication and lifestyle methods. These include:

• exercises that strengthen the back and hips muscles to improve flexibility and range of motion
• trying home remedies for arthritis
• alternative therapies, such as massage, acupuncture, and nutritional supplementation
• surgery, if arthritis causes significant spinal canal narrowing
• NSAIDs

Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis that primarily affects the spine, causing chronic inflammation in the spinal joints. Lower back and hip pain are often some of the first symptoms that a person with ankylosing spondylitis experiences.

Symptoms include muscle pain and stiffness that is usually worse in the morning. Other symptoms may include:

• low-grade fever
• appetite loss
• malaise, which is a general feeling of discomfort

Treatment

Doctors do not have a cure for ankylosing spondylitis, but, as with other forms of arthritis, people can manage the condition with a range of medical and at-home treatments.

Prescription medications, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers and NSAIDs, can help. Certain lifestyle measures, including doing regular physical activity, icing affected areas, and not smoking, can also be beneficial.

Share on PinterestHeadaches may be a symptom of Paget’s disease.

Paget’s disease of bone is a rare disorder that affects an estimated 1% of people in the United States, according to the American College of Rheumatology.

This condition causes a person’s bones to remodel abnormally, leading to bone softening, which can affect the pelvis, lower back, hips, and arms. A person with Paget’s disease has a higher risk of bone pain and fractures.

The symptoms of Paget’s disease include:

• hip pain
• hearing loss
• bowed legs, where the knees are wider apart than usual
• headaches
• tingling and numbness down the legs

Treatment

The treatment for Paget’s disease involves medications to reduce the likelihood of the bones breaking. Doctors usually prescribe these medicines to treat osteoporosis. In rare cases, a doctor may recommend surgery to repair bones and restore alignment.

People should seek emergency attention if they experience any of the following symptoms alongside lower back and hip pain:

• loss of bowel and bladder function
• inability to move one or both legs
• loss of sensation in one or both legs
• visible deformity in the legs or back, such as the inability to stand up straight

If a person experiences less severe symptoms that do not improve with rest and over-the-counter treatments, they should make an appointment with their doctor. A doctor can evaluate their symptoms, make a diagnosis, and recommend the most effective treatments.

When a person experiences lower back and hip pain simultaneously, there may be an underlying injury or medical condition causing both of these symptoms. In other cases, the causes may be distinct.

Lower back and hip pain can make performing daily activities difficult. If these symptoms do not resolve or suddenly get worse, a person should seek medical attention.

Regardless of the cause, early treatment helps improve the outlook of a person with back and hip pain. Without treatment, some causes of the pain can get worse and may ultimately affect a person’s mobility and quality of life.

Why does pain occur when cycling?

Happy is the cyclist who is able to ride several tens or even hundreds of kilometers without any physical injury. All his muscles work as they should, breathing is correct. The result is physical progress as a result of training, as well as the ability to continue cycling without inconvenience.

Unfortunately, not everyone travels like this. Having traveled a certain distance, the body begins to show its displeasure: either the legs begin to hurt, or the back ache. You should not think that this is due to not being in good physical shape, although, of course, she is also partly responsible for fatigue. The main cause of pain in the muscles and joints, as well as rapid exhaustion, is an incorrect landing and incorrect pedaling technique, or rather its absence.

Inexperienced cyclists often choose a position in which the body is supported solely by the skeleton: the upper body rests on the spine and arms. It’s like putting a box on a box. The design is rigid, without the softening work of the muscles. Hence the increased susceptibility to shock, fatigue, even the risk of injury.

Proper fit starts with frame size, which you can read: “How to choose the right size”. A bicycle is not a chair, you need to sit on it in a completely different way. Moreover, just because a bike is comfortable to sit on while standing does not mean that it will be equally comfortable on the go. Roads are far from always smooth, especially on rough terrain, so proper landing involves mitigating bumps from bumps.

We remember a few important points. The back in motion should be slightly arched, arched, without sagging between the shoulders and hips. So it will be like a spring, damping shocks from potholes in the road. It is not necessary to strongly bend your back – the likelihood of lower back pain and even injury is very high.

For the same purpose, let’s slightly relax our elbows. They don’t need to be hard-wired. Since the front wheel accounts for a fairly significant part of the weight, when hitting a bump, the impact will be very noticeable. Even with a super-duper suspension fork on your bike, you will have to participate in dampening the impact energy through your own muscles.

Shoulders should also be involved in supporting the body and absorbing shocks. You should not move them far forward, as this prevents the flexibility of the hands.

This article will help you set up your bike for yourself: “Bicycle seat”.

Correct posture also contributes to efficient pedaling. You can learn how to pedal without unnecessary losses by reading this article: “Effective pedaling”.

Having done everything in accordance with the recommendations in the above articles, the cyclist will feel a change for the better while riding: he will get less tired, and pass, respectively, more. In the case when, after the efforts made for self-improvement, some muscles or joints continue to “be indignant,” it means that you still missed something in your training. But don’t despair. “Recalcitrant” parts of the body will be signaling to us the mistakes made. By what exactly hurts, you can figure out what is being done wrong.

Legs

Why do my hips hurt?

Usually the pain is caused by rubbing the inside of the thighs with the saddle. The reason is an incorrectly selected or installed saddle. Don’t think that a soft, wide saddle is a good thing. This option is acceptable only for city bikes. On long and long trips, rigid saddles of a rather narrow shape are used. You can “soften” your life by wearing special cycling shorts with a sewn-in diaper. They are much more comfortable than regular shorts, as they provide high heat transfer and do not restrict movement. Please note that you need to use them without underwear.

Why do my knees hurt?

Pedaling is characterized by a constant speed with a constant relatively low effort. If the landing is not optimal or the pedaling technique is incorrect, the knees work in a loaded mode. A common mistake that causes knee pain is choosing too high a gear.

When using clipless pedals, make sure that the cleats are set correctly. The position of the foot in movement should be as natural as when walking.

Watch also about the trajectory of the movement of the knees during the rotation of the pedals. Legs should move strictly parallel to the frame.

Why do my feet hurt?

Pain in the foot can be caused by choosing uncomfortable or inappropriate footwear. The sole should not be very soft, otherwise, when pressing on the pedals, the force will be concentrated on separate areas of the foot.

Selecting too high a gear creates excessive pressure on the foot due to the need to push with more force. For information on how to shift and select the right gear, read here: “How to shift gears on a bicycle”.

Why do my ankles hurt?

Pedaling at high foot angles (toes pointing up when pedaling, toes pointing down when pedaling down) may cause pain in the ankles. Another reason could be a bend in the crank arm or pedal, which causes the foot to swing from side to side when pedaling.

Why does my Achilles tendon hurt?

This tendon connects the calf muscle to the heel. Being the most powerful and strongest tendon of the human body (withstands pull to break up to 400 kg!), however, it is often injured. As with the ankles, pain in this tendon can occur when pedaling with large foot angles.

A saddle set too high can also cause pain, as you have to reach for the pedal, bending the foot.

Finger pedaling is another possible cause.

Hands

Use bicycle gloves. They not only prevent the formation of blisters, but also save energy: bare hands often sweat, become slippery, and therefore the steering wheel has to be squeezed harder.

Why do my wrists hurt?

Causes of pain in the wrists – incorrect seating or saddle position. If the saddle is mounted too far back, the cyclist will move out while riding and will have to pull himself forward with his hands.

When using the horns, do not put excessive pressure on the “hollow” between the two “pads” on the palm. The correct installation of the horns will help to partly avoid this (we read here: “Horns on the handlebars of a bicycle“).

Why do my fingers hurt?

Fingers may become numb. The reason is a pinched nerve. It occurs due to improper fit, when the wrists are bent at large angles.

Why do my shoulders hurt?

Because the fit is wrong. Too much forward tilt of the saddle forces the biker to push back from the handlebars in order not to slip. And this is an excessive load on the shoulders.

When only one shoulder gets tired, check if you bend your arms equally and distribute the load over them. It is also possible that the arms may be slightly different lengths. Do not be surprised and do not be afraid, this happens. Absolutely symmetrical people, by the way, do not exist at all (at least in nature). If the asymmetry manifested itself precisely on the hands, you can try to install the steering wheel with a slight deviation. The long arm will have the far end.

Why does my back hurt?

Of course, the root cause of this case is the wrong seat. As mentioned above, the position of the back should help mitigate bumps from bumps and efficient pedaling.

Sitting upright with a straight spine – for this the steering wheel is set higher – is preferred by people with a bad back. It’s just that they don’t know that by such a landing they don’t make life easier for themselves, but only aggravate their situation. Blows from the road are not extinguished, more injuring the weakened area. Therefore, we either do not invent and sit, as befits cyclists, or we buy a full-suspension or at least a saddle with shock absorption.

Why does my neck hurt?

The reason is as banal as with the back – landing. Helmets that are too heavy and worn incorrectly put more strain on the neck. Choose your protective equipment wisely.

As you can see, the right posture can make a big difference in the quality of your cycling experience, alleviate unnecessary pain and greatly enhance your performance. Therefore, first of all, you need to learn (retrain) to take the optimal position behind the wheel and monitor your movements on the go. When muscle memory has mastered the given material, it will be possible to carelessly go on a long trip, admiring the scenery, and not the trajectory of the knees. However, who likes what.

Hernia: leg and back pain

With untimely assistance in the development of osteochondrosis, as a result of a spinal injury, an intervertebral hernia is often formed. The leg hurts in this case due to compression of the nerve ending or stenosis of the spinal canal.

Uncomfortable posture, stooping or carrying a heavy bag in a person with complicated degenerative changes in the lumbar region can provoke back pain. An intervertebral hernia with a similar symptom is not an indication for urgent surgery, but if the diagnosis showed the presence of hernial sequestration, when part of the prolapsed nucleus pulposus detached and moves without obstacles into the cavity of the spinal canal, surgery and rehabilitation are indispensable.

Main causes

When, as a result of compression of the nerve root, when a voluminous intervertebral hernia protrudes, pain in the leg causes pulling and pressing sensations. There is no opportunity to fully move, walk, play sports or perform professional duties. The most important nerves depart from the sacro-lumbar ganglion: inguinal, sciatic, femoral, lateral and others. Therefore, the nature of the pain is different: pain in the lower back with intervertebral hernia-bulging gives to the thigh, buttock and groin.

There are several pathogenic factors:

• prolonged uncomfortable or tense posture;
• complex physical labor to which the body is not accustomed: excavation of the earth, chopping firewood, work as a loader;
• abrupt lifting of weights without preparation;
• Anatomically incorrect work station or bed;
• excess weight gain, which leads to impaired blood circulation and a deficiency in the supply of nutrients to the intervertebral discs;
• general physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyle and weakened core muscles;
• falls on the back, blows and other traumatic actions;
• marked curvature of the spine due to poor posture.