What Causes Hip Pain that Radiates Down the Leg?

Hip pain radiating down the leg can affect an individual's everyday activities. Before getting the treatment for hip pain radiating down the knee or foot done, diagnosing what is causing the pain is essential. 

Various reasons might be causing this hip pain radiating down the leg to the foot. Some of these common causes include:

Sciatica 

1. Sciatica is one of the most common reasons behind hip pain that radiates down the leg. Any injury, inflammation, or irritation caused to the sciatic nerve can cause this excruciating hip pain that radiates down the leg to the foot.
2. Sciatica usually occurs due to a slipped disc (herniated disc). It may also occur due to bone overgrowth, where the bone adds excessive pressure on the sciatic nerve.

The symptoms of sciatica include the following:

1. Hip pain radiating down the leg to the knee
2. Pain on one side (right side hip with leg pain)
3. A numbing or weak feeling in the legs 
4. Pain that worsens while coughing or sneezing 
5. Pain due to prolonged sitting 
6. Pricking like needles or tingling sensations in the legs

Hip Bursitis

1. Hip bursitis is otherwise known as Trochanteric bursitis. It occurs due to inflammation of the bursa (a fluid-filled sac) present on the outer edge of the hip. The bursa is situated in a superficial position and close to large tendons, so it can get inflamed.
2. This condition can cause pain in the outer hip region.
3. There might be several reasons behind the inflammation of the bursa, like repetitive micro injuries or trauma, a sudden fall that directly compresses the bursa, etc. The symptoms of Trochanteric bursitis include the following:
4. Pain in the outer hip area
5. Pain near the hip region while lying down or upon pressing the area
6. Swelling and redness
7. Hip pain worsens while doing basic activities like walking or climbing up or down the stairs

Hip Arthritis

Another prevalent cause of hip pain is hip arthritis. Hip arthritis occurs when the cartilage present in the hip joint is damaged or wears down. Hip arthritis can worsen when the proper care and treatment are not provided on time. Hip arthritis can be caused due to osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or psoriatic arthritis. The symptoms of hip arthritis include the following:

1. Hip joint stiffness
2. Pain in the groin region and buttocks
3. Decreased range of motion
4. A clicking sound upon hip movement

Hip Bone Fracture

A fracture in the hip bone due to an accident or fall or severe sports injury may be another reason for the hip pain. A broken hip is painful and, in most cases, requires surgical treatment, like hip replacement surgery and post-surgery physiotherapy, to treat the condition. The type of surgery to be performed depends on the patient's overall health. The symptoms of a hip bone fracture include the following:

1. Hip pain that radiates down the leg
2. Inability to stand or walk 
3. Pain in the groin region and buttocks
4. One leg appears shorter than the other 
5. Swelling and redness around the site of fracture 
6. Sharp, stabbing hip pain 

Piriformis Syndrome

The piriformis muscle is a flat, band-like narrow muscle near the buttocks and runs from the lower portion of the spine (sacrum) to the top of the thigh. On the other hand, the sciatic nerve passes alongside or through the piriformis muscle and extends to the back of the leg.  

When the piriformis muscle causes the compression of the sciatic nerve, it results in pain and inflammation. Although piriformis syndrome and sciatica both involve the effect on the sciatic nerve, they are not the same. The symptoms of piriformis syndrome usually include the following:

1. Dull pain in the buttock
2. Hip pain (mainly behind the thigh)
3. Increased threshold of pain as a result of sitting for a long time
4. Decrease in the hip joint motion range
5. Shooting or worsening pain on doing simple activities like walking or climbing steps

Pregnancy

Pregnancy can also cause hip pain radiating down the leg to the knee. During pregnancy, as the baby grows, so does the uterus. This adds too much pressure on the sciatic nerve and ultimately leads to pain and inflammation. Although sciatica can happen at any point during pregnancy, it is most commonly seen during the third trimester. The symptoms of sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy include the following, 

1. Hip pain
2. Pain in the lower back and buttocks, 
3. Weak bladder control
4. Pain that becomes bad upon sneezing or coughing, 
5. Numbness or prickly or tingling feeling in the leg 

Obesity 

Obesity is also a reason that causes hip pain radiating down the leg to the knee. Certain studies have shown that being overweight or obese can cause hip pain. Besides, obesity also increases the risk of developing osteoarthritis, which can cause hip pain radiating from leg to knee.