Body region
Understanding the hip and groin and finding the right starting point for assessment
Your first step after getting up causes a pulling pain in your groin. On a walk, your hip starts to hurt sooner than usual, or lying on one side becomes uncomfortable. Perhaps you can point clearly to the area, but do not know whether the joint, a tendon or your back is responsible.
Open individual sections or all the details on this page.
When you should not wait for a routine appointment
After a fall with severe hip pain, or if you can no longer put weight on the leg, you need immediate medical help. Do not try to test whether you can bear weight by continuing to walk. For a serious injury or another emergency, call 112.
Sudden severe symptoms without an accident, particularly with fever or feeling markedly unwell, also require urgent medical assessment. Do not rely solely on a routine online appointment request. These examples are not a complete checklist that can safely rule out other acute situations.
Understanding
A closer look
This overview helps you find suitable information. You do not yet need to match your symptoms to a diagnosis. At OrthoCoast in Wolgast, we take your observations as our starting point and work with you to establish a sensible next step.
If you do not yet know your diagnosis
Start with our “Hip pain” page. It explains why symptoms at the front of the groin may be assessed differently from pain on the outside of the hip. You will also learn which observations help during the examination and which changes require prompt medical help.
The location of pain offers clues, but does not by itself explain the cause. If you mainly feel pain in your knee when walking, for example, examining your hip may still be useful. Conversely, not all pain near the hip comes from the hip joint. Feel free to describe the full course of your symptoms, even if several areas are involved.
If your report mentions hip osteoarthritis
On the “Hip osteoarthritis” condition page, we explain what changes within the joint and how symptoms and X-ray findings are considered together. We also explain the roles of movement and pain relief, and when joint replacement becomes a question to consider.
Such a finding can initially be worrying. For further planning, however, how you manage in everyday life is just as important. Can you still manage a short walk well, while longer distances are difficult? Does your hip disturb your sleep? Can you put on your shoes and socks yourself? Examples like these help clarify what your treatment should aim to achieve for you.
Further information
If physical activity or sport is your main concern
Symptoms after an unfamiliar hike or an increase in training do not automatically mean osteoarthritis. Muscles and tendons around the hip may also be involved. Assessment therefore includes how the symptoms began, which movement brings them on and how they develop afterwards.
The “Tendons and sports orthopaedics” specialist focus page explains how physical demands and your capacity to manage them can be considered together. If you already have a known joint condition and want to understand different treatment options, “Joint health and osteoarthritis” provides further information. Both starting points aim to help you bring a specific question to your consultation.
Which examination can answer your question?
The orthopaedic examination brings your description together with mobility, gait and other relevant findings. X-rays, ultrasound and further imaging serve different purposes. Which of these are needed depends on the individual question being investigated.
We take existing images and reports into account. A repeat image is not required simply because you have changed practices; a changed clinical question, however, may justify additional imaging. If MRI or CT is useful, we arrange these examinations externally and discuss what the results mean with you. Please bring existing images, if possible through a QR code for image access or on CD.
What to expect and next steps
Preparing to contact us for a consultation
Note how long you have had the symptoms and what has changed as a result. Existing findings, an up-to-date medication list and information about previous treatments are helpful. If you have already had hip surgery, please also bring any available operation records.
“Appointments & enquiries” takes you to our contact options. Mention your hip or groin symptoms and any known diagnosis. If the digital route does not cover your enquiry, please discuss it with us by telephone. We arrange follow-up treatment already recommended at our consultation through the appointment route discussed with you.
Our doctors in this specialty
Priv. Doz. Dr. med. habil.Richard Kasch
Specialist in orthopaedics and trauma surgery
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Dr. med.Christoph Jährling
Specialist in orthopaedics and trauma surgery
DVO-certified osteologist
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Björn Weidemann
Specialist in orthopaedics and trauma surgery
DVO-certified osteologist
View profileThese doctors look after joint and movement problems at our practice. Together, we discuss which questions and goals matter most to you.
Frequently asked questions
Is hip pain always a problem with the hip joint?
No. Structures outside the joint or radiating symptoms may also be involved. The examination helps distinguish the painful area from its possible cause.
Where can I find information about an existing osteoarthritis diagnosis?
The “Hip osteoarthritis” page focuses on the specific condition. The “Joint health and osteoarthritis” specialist focus page complements it by explaining how we match conservative options to your personal goals.
Do I need to bring new images to my first appointment?
No. Bring any existing records. Whether additional images are necessary will be decided on the basis of the examination and the question being investigated.
Are hip osteoarthritis and osteoporosis the same thing?
No. Osteoarthritis affects the joint, while osteoporosis affects bone strength. Both conditions can occur together and require different questions and examinations. There is a dedicated starting point for bone health.
Your next step
