Questions & Answers · Hip
Is my pain coming from my hip or my back?
Quick version: true hip-joint pain usually lives in the groin or deep front of the hip and worsens with weight-bearing or rotating the leg; pain in the buttock that shoots down the back of the leg — especially with tingling or numbness — is usually the spine talking. Plenty of people have some of both, which is exactly why the exam matters.
The 60-second self-checks
- Point with one finger. Groin or front of hip → likely hip. Buttock or low back → likely spine.
- The shoe test. Trouble pulling on a sock (hip rotation) points to the joint; standing at the sink flares the back.
- The travel pattern. Hip pain can run down the front of the thigh toward the knee. Electric pain past the knee into the calf or foot is classic nerve/spine.
Why the answer changes everything
A hip problem and a back problem have completely different treatment ladders — and treating the wrong one is the most expensive detour in orthopedics. One exam plus a standing X-ray usually settles it; when it doesn't, on-site MRI does. Both roads are treated under this roof: hip surgically when needed, spine non-surgically with PT and conservative care.
Medically reviewed by Keith W.V. Johnson, MD, FAAOS · Updated September 28, 2026