FABER (Patrick's) test
Positioning the hip in flexion, abduction, and external rotation and noting pain location helps distinguish hip joint pain from sacroiliac joint pain.
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Pain frequency55
Recovery length60
Exercise load55
Clinician need65
Self-care fit45
Recurrence risk55
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Quick answers
What causes hip pain in older adults?
Osteoarthritis is among the most common causes of hip pain after middle age, involving gradual breakdown of the joint's cartilage and associated changes in the surrounding bone and soft tissue.
What is greater trochanteric pain syndrome?
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome describes pain at the outer hip related to irritation of the gluteal tendons or the nearby bursa, often mistaken in the past for bursitis alone.
What is femoroacetabular impingement?
Femoroacetabular impingement describes abnormal contact between the femoral head and the hip socket during certain movements, related to subtle variations in bone shape, which can contribute to groin pain and reduced range of motion in some individuals.
Does hip osteoarthritis always require surgery?
Many cases of hip osteoarthritis are managed for years with exercise, weight management, and activity modification; joint replacement is typically considered when conservative measures no longer provide adequate relief.
Can weak glute muscles cause hip pain?
Reduced strength or endurance in the gluteal muscles is commonly associated with several hip and even knee conditions, since these muscles are central to controlling pelvis and leg alignment during walking and running.
What is a hip labral tear?
A hip labral tear is damage to the ring of cartilage that deepens the hip socket, which can occur from trauma, repetitive impingement, or gradual wear, and may contribute to pain, clicking, or a sense of instability.
Hip assessment typically begins with observation of gait and posture, followed by active and passive range of motion testing to identify restriction patterns common in osteoarthritis or impingement.
A series of special tests then helps localize symptoms to the joint, labrum, or specific tendons, while a brief screen rules out referred pain from the lower back or, rarely, more serious pathology.
Assessment tests
FADIR test
Bringing the hip into flexion, adduction, and internal rotation reproduces anterior groin pain in impingement or labral pathology.
Trendelenburg test
Standing on one leg and observing whether the opposite pelvis drops assesses the strength and control of the gluteus medius.
Resisted hip flexion test
Resisting active hip flexion from a seated position can reproduce pain associated with iliopsoas-related groin pain.
Passive range-of-motion screen
Comparing passive internal and external rotation to the opposite side helps identify the capsular restriction typical of osteoarthritis.
Warning signs
These warrant prompt clinical review rather than unsupervised exercise progression.
Inability to bear weight after trauma
A sudden inability to bear weight on the leg following a fall, particularly in older adults, raises concern for hip fracture and warrants urgent evaluation.
Fever with hip pain
Hip pain accompanied by fever raises concern for joint infection, especially in children, and requires prompt medical assessment.
Unexplained weight loss with deep hip or groin pain
These features can occasionally indicate a non-musculoskeletal cause and should be assessed by a physician.
Sudden severe pain with a snap or pop
A sudden pop or snap followed by severe pain and inability to continue activity may indicate a significant muscle or tendon tear requiring evaluation.
This combination of gait observation, joint-specific tests, and muscle function screening allows clinicians to distinguish joint, tendon, and muscular causes of hip pain in most straightforward cases.
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