You've been stretching your hip. You've been foam rolling. Maybe you even got a massage. But the pain keeps coming back.
Persistent hip pain may arise from the hip, surrounding tissues, the lumbar spine, or more than one area. A limited response to stretching does not tell us which source is responsible.
If you have progressive weakness in the leg, numbness in the groin area, or loss of bowel or bladder control, seek urgent medical attention. These are red flags that require immediate evaluation.
How your low back can cause hip pain
Your low back and your hip are deeply connected. The nerves that exit your lumbar spine travel through the hip, glute, and down the leg. When a joint in your low back is restricted, a disc is irritated, or a nerve root is under pressure, the pain can show up in the hip even if your back does not hurt much at all.
Pain perceived away from its source may be referred pain. Pain involving an irritated nerve root is a related but distinct pattern, often called radicular pain. History and examination help distinguish these possibilities.
An assessment can consider both hip and spinal causes without assuming one is responsible.
Common signs your hip pain may be coming from your back
The pain moves or shifts
Some days it is in the hip. Other days it is in the glute, the groin, or down the thigh. Pain that migrates between areas can sometimes point toward a spinal contributor worth evaluating.
Hip stretching does not help for long
If you have been stretching your hip flexors or piriformis without relief that lasts, factors beyond the hip may be relevant, including the lumbar spine.
Sitting makes it worse
Prolonged sitting loads the lumbar discs and can increase nerve irritation. If your hip pain flares after sitting, the low back is worth a closer look.
Hip imaging looks normal
If an X-ray or MRI of the hip did not show much, but you are still in pain, another scan is not automatically needed. Further testing depends on the history, examination, and whether it would change care.
Why this misunderstanding matters
A plan based on the wrong assumption may miss relevant contributors. A thorough assessment considers local hip conditions, spinal causes, and reasons for medical referral rather than automatically treating the low back.
What a thorough evaluation should include
If your hip pain has been lingering, a good evaluation should look beyond the hip itself. It should also assess:
- Lumbar spine range of motion and joint mobility
- Orthopedic and neurological testing for both the low back and hip
- Muscle strength and movement patterns in the hip, core, and pelvis
- Posture and how your body distributes load when standing and walking
- Daily habits like sitting, sleeping, lifting, and training that may be contributing
The good news
Once relevant contributing factors are identified, many patients see meaningful improvement. The plan often includes a combination of hands-on care, targeted exercises, movement changes, and simple habit adjustments that fit real life.
The goal is not just to calm the pain down. The goal is to figure out why it is happening in the first place so you can stop chasing symptoms and start making real progress.
Hip pain that will not quit?
If you're in Keller, Watauga, Fort Worth, or the Alliance area, we can assess possible contributors and build a plan that makes sense.
- New Patient Special: $49 consultation and exam
Learn more: Our back pain treatment page and sciatica treatment page both cover how referred pain from the low back is evaluated and what care typically looks like.
Firm Foundation Wellness Center — practical care for real life.