If you’re experiencing hip pain, knee pain—or both—you might be wondering if the two are connected. After all, they’re both major joints in your lower body and play a big role in how you move. The short answer is yes: hip and knee pain are often related. But the connection can be complex, and understanding the relationship can help you better manage or even prevent pain altogether. Learn more about the connection between knee and hip pain, common conditions, and available treatment options at Orthopaedic Medical Group of Tampa Bay.
The Hip-Knee Connection
The hip and knee joints are part of a kinetic chain—meaning they work together to support your body during activities like walking, running, or climbing stairs. When one part of the chain isn’t functioning properly, it can affect other parts.
For example, if your hip is stiff, weak, or injured, it can change the way you walk or stand. That change in movement puts added stress on your knee, which can lead to pain or even injury over time. The opposite is also true: knee problems can cause you to shift your weight or alter your stride in a way that puts more pressure on your hip.
Read more > 5 Reasons to Never Ignore Hip Pain and See An Orthopaedic Specialist
Referred Pain
Sometimes, pain that you feel in your knee might not actually be coming from your knee at all. This is called referred pain. A common example is pain from the hip joint being “felt” in the knee. This is especially true in conditions like hip osteoarthritis, where people often report knee pain before realizing the issue is actually in their hip.
This happens because of the way nerves are wired. The femoral, obturator, and sciatic nerves all serve both the hip and the knee, so the brain sometimes misinterprets where the pain is coming from.
Common Conditions That Link Hip and Knee Pain
Several medical conditions can cause pain in both the hip and the knee. These include:
- Osteoarthritis: This degenerative joint disease can affect both joints, especially in older adults.
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS): The IT band runs from the hip to just below the knee and can become tight or inflamed.
- Bursitis or Tendinitis: Inflammation in tendons or bursae around either joint can impact the surrounding structures.
- Hip Labral Tear or Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI): These hip issues can lead to altered movement patterns that affect the knee.
Read more > An Orthopedist’s Guide to Hip Osteoarthritis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Treatment Options For Relating Knee and Hip Pain
There are just as many ways to treat hip and knee pain in Tampa Bay as there are causes and conditions for pain in the joints.
Conservative treatment options for hip and knee pain include:
- Over-the-counter pain medications
- Physical therapy
- Losing weight
- Corticosteroid injections
- Hot/Cold therapy
- Braces or splints
- Canes, crutches, or walkers
- Massage therapy
Out of the available conservative treatment options for joint pain in the hip and knee, physical therapy is often recommended in Tampa Bay for its natural approach to restoring strength and mobility which helps the joints function at optimal health.
In certain situations, pain in the knee and hip joints may require joint surgery such as a joint replacement or arthroscopic surgery:
- Joint replacement surgery involves removing damaged parts of the joint to be replaced by artificial parts or prosthetics. Visit our joint replacement portal to learn more about knee and hip replacement.
- Arthroscopic surgery repairs damaged cartilage or ligaments to restore the existing knee or hip joint back to functioning capacity without the need for replacing parts.
Seek Knee and Hip Treatment at Orthopaedic Medical Group of Tampa Bay
At Orthopaedic Medical Group of Tampa Bay, our team will help you diagnose and treat both knee conditions and hip conditions with comprehensive services and high-quality care. Reach out to your local office today to start with a consultation appointment.
